Before, After, but Not During

Weepers and Creepers

2007-06-05T06:45:00.000-07:00

Last week I read two older books by Nicholas Sparks ... "The Notebook" and maybe the other was "A Walk in the Park."

Any-who, they were not fun. They were sad, weepy, maudlin tales that set me back weeks on my road to being depression free.

But, happily, three chapters of a Tami Hoag mystery "The Alibi Man" has me back on the right track. I am ready to iron shirts, grocery shop, clean out the skimmers ... and generally do all the things I hate to do ... as a pledge that when I finish, I can read.

Yes, settle down and read a good ole murder in which I don't have to agonize about morals, or the right or wrong thing to do, or worry about what young sweet thing is going to die of a dreaded disease ... for I know she will be brutally killed and usually isn't truly a sweet young thing ... albeit, she may be young.

A salute to all mystery writers, for they are my escapism.

Unique and Useful Tips from a Friend

2007-05-11T07:17:00.000-07:00

Reheat Pizza

Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs

Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal, keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the corner tip of the baggy, squeeze mixture into egg. Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting

When you buy a container of cake frosting from the store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount. You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread

To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away

Start putting in your plants; work the nutrients in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet newspapers.

Broken Glass

Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass pieces of glass - the fibers catch ones you can't see!

No More Mosquitoes

Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep the mosquitoes away.

Squirrel Away!

To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

Flexible vacuum

To get something out of a heat register or under the fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gif wrap roll to your vacuum hose. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling

Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of slacks and - voila - static is gone.

Measuring Cups

Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?

Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with the eraser! Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope

If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner

Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in your hair...

Goodbye Fruit Flies

To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants

Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat it, take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets or small children being harmed!

Take baby powder to the beach

Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

These are great tips to pass on your friends!

Long Time, No Write, No Baseball

2007-04-12T18:21:00.000-07:00

The Braves game wasn't very interesting and the Yankees don't play until 9 so will think off the top of my head for a few minutes.

The first Saturday of April I worked diligently all morning so I could sit, knit and watch the games at 12 or 1, depending ... and then went off the wall ... couldn't get either team and both were playing. Basketball and Augusta were on.

Called Direct TV.

Got someone in another country. Could not understand her so I asked her to speak more slowly. I think she did, but still couldn't understand her. Asked to speak to her supervisor and she said, "I ony one he."

Hung up, called again, still an off-shore answer.

Hung up, called again and got a real live American speaking. But he still couldn't help. Kept telling me they were playing Sunday. I told, "Yes, they are playing Sunday, but they are playing today also and I'm paying for the games and I want them."

No luck.

So I sent emails. Got a reply Tuesday.

That helps, doesn't it.

Got the following explanation (shortened)

On Saturdays in the regular season, FOX TV has exclusive national rights to broadcast games up until 7 pm ET, 4 pm PT. So, while you will not receive MLB on your MLB Extra Innings channels -- you will receive the available Saturday night games that begin after 7 pm ET ... for Saturday morning and afternoon games, check the FOX local schedule.

Don't you know I had already checked the FOX stations and every possible number on Direct TV ... NO BRAVES ... NO YANKEES !

I was an irate customer. Or, maybe, regular season didn't begin until Sunday and we've been playing in the dead of winter since.

The frost nipped all the crepe myrtle leaves, otherwise, all is well.

Another Year - 2007

2007-02-24T07:02:00.000-08:00

When first learning about years - months - weeks - days and how they are counted, I often speculated about what the 21st Century years would be called orally. It seemed natural to say or write nineteen-thirty or nineteen-forty and even nineteen-nintynine, but I couldn't comprehend calling a year twenty-o-o.

All the years I knew were "something-hundred," as in nineteen-hundred or eighteen-hundred. Or instead of saying nineteen-forty-eight we often shortened it to forty-eight and every one understood the year we spoke of.

Would we call the new century year twenty hundred? 2-0-0-0 was awkward and didn't sound right or musical. Perhaps 20-0-1 would be comfortable to say, but none seemed to roll off as easily as nineteen-ninety-nine. And if I ever knew "K" meant, except for military K-Rations, I'd forgotten it.

And you know what? The year 2000 arrived and I'd lived to the Twenty-First Century. Nothing sensational about the name of the year two thousand but there was much hoop-la. The date change would cause computers to crash because most software would not recognize year two thousand, just as Social Security computers had trouble when people passed a hundred years of age. And then there was the big attempt to frighten people into believing the world would end.

And now it is easy to spectulate that if this world stands, some people living today will still be living in 3000 or K3 or whatever it is called.

How will the world remember US? "Us being not only the USofA, but the entire world. Greedy, adulterors, licentious, gluttonous, cruel, and vile people? Child predators, dope sellers and users, uncontrollable neighbors, unprincipled
nations, reprobate legislators, profiteering presidents, irrational, obscene and vile habitants of this earth?

We seem to be as evil and undisciplined as the Romans before their fall. So which nation will conquer us? Who will be our master?

Or has each century suffered and survived the same conditions that exist today? The Trojan Horse or Weapons of mass destruction, plagues and diseases or aids and immorality, floods and famine or Katrina and African starvation, sheihks and harams or pimps and prostitutes.

Each century suffered the same torments only different. The health fears in my childhood were infantile paralysis, pneumonia, tuberculosis, measels, mumps, chicken pox, whooping cough, scarlet fever, yellow fever ... diseases rarely seen today in the USofA. Yet, we still have flu but rarely to epidemic proportions and no longer is all cancer fatal and the majority of people survive heart conditions.

War hasn't touched our soil since the nineteenth century and the War between the States, but there was that matter of the Mexican War when the U.S. annexed Texas in 1845-46 sort of mixed in with President Polk's negotiation for California.

In this century some of our fathers and grandfathers were force-marched by the Japanese on Bataan; many of them dropping dead in their tracts . In 1838 Native Americans from our very own state were force-marched to Oklahoma Territory. Those who survived the "Trail of Tears" were resettled on foreign soil without any intervention from President Andrew Jackson.

The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, we invaded Iraq.
Private employees and American service men number about the same in Iraq.
Anna Nicole and James Taylor are still above ground.
And to quote what's-his-name Grizzard from Newnan, GA, "Elvis is dead and I don't feel so good either."

I could go on and on, but I'll let you come up with world thoughts of your own ... are we better ... no better ... and maybe worse ... that the generations before us.

Peace.

Not Much New, But Some Things Changed

2006-12-04T08:19:00.000-08:00

I' m happy to say that our friends Candy and Scott solved several of my computer problems. Am now doing email via the little icon with the clock on it instead of the one with the stamp. And I can now click on an address in an email and be taken to the web-site. What a relief from copying and pasting which is what the Bell South man in India told me to do.

It's neat because information is easier to find plus having a pertetual calendar at my fingertip.

They also burned my pictures to a CD which I had not been able to do, but now I think I can. I'm not sure we figured out why I can't download Microsoft updates, but we ran out of time (and I forgot).

Lola spent the weekend here while Chuck, Lisa and Kara were in Nashville for Cheering competition. She loves the yard and wanted me to play outside with her, but it was just too cold for me ... and I can't run anyway.

Any research that I'm doing is on hold ... one project is closely reading Acts of the Apostles to see what was being preached ... and so far I've found that they preached "Christ." Nothing about what to wear or not wear, nothing about what songs to sing, and very little if anything about the traditions we follow in worship service. I think it all boils down to "Christ and him crucified" but I'll let you know when it's finished. Am ready for the 17th chapter.

As soon as I finished altering pants for Brother I hope to get back to Acts before beginning cooking for Christmas.

I know this is dull as dish water, but have hope.

Am reading Jeffrey Archer's "False Impression" about a Van Gogh painting. So far it's a mystery readers mystery instead of a novel that seems to make fiction into fact.

Peace

Daily Living

2006-11-21T07:45:00.000-08:00

Our new surroundings:
The hole in the floor project is complete. Have new dining room tile floor matching the kitchen and under that six new floor joists and two pillars. We seem to be secure.

The barn has a new roof. I think it is only the second roof but that would be miraculous since the building is at least 40 years old. Brother says its the 3rd and he's probably right. I just don't know why it still had a white roof and the house has had a dark one for longer than I can remember.

Books I've Read:
Jack and Dana introducted me to the Philip Gulley books about the town of Harmony. They are a good light and funny read. For this season try his Christmas ones. Try to read the Harmony book in chronological order; the first is "Home to Harmony." If you don't see yourself you might see someone you know. They are in the genre of the "Mitford" books, Keillor's Lake Wobegon, and maybe Fanny Flagg.

Sherry loaned me "Angels of Morgan Hill" by Donna VanLiere and I cried all the way through it. Be careful with this one if you were born poor in a disfunctioning family ... it's too painful.

Dana's last sack contained Stuart Woods paperback "Dark Harbor," A Stone Barrington Novel. It was a quick and fun with nothing to trigger personal emotions. (can you tell by now that I don't like to read touchy, feely or self help books?)

Also included was Ken Follett's "Night Over Water." I began it hesitantly but it caught me. Didn't want to put it down last night. I'd forgotten how good he is with words.

And if you haven't realized it by now ... I'm cheap ... don't buy newly released hardbacks. Wait for paperbacks and have good friends, particular Sherry and Dana who share books so I end up reading things I wouldn't ordinarily choose and am usually pleased with how splendid they are.

Some other favorite authors are Stephen White and his Allen Gregory series. The first book of his that I read was "Higher Authority" about a case of sexual harassment involving the Mormon church. And Patterson, Parker, Scottoline, Cornwell, Hoag, Corben, Coulter and on and on.

Have a Happy Thanksgiving.

“Praise God, from whom all blessings flow:
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heav’nly host;
Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost!”

Doxology by Thomas Ken and G. Frano

Sing from the Heart

2006-11-07T19:07:00.000-08:00

If you've read my earlier blogs you know that I have been interested in the history of church singing and songs. I've come to some conclusions that are mine only and I have no intention of taking them any further than this blog.

First, a little background on some rules for first century Jewish and Gentile men.

If I understand Acts 21:20-25 correctly, the Jerusalem elders gave Paul the following instructions concerning Jewish male Christians: "Take these men, join in their purification rites and pay their expenses, so that they can have their heads shaved. Then everybody will know there is no truth in these reports about you, but that you yourself are living in obedience to the law." (vs. 24) The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them. (vs. 26 NIV)

The Gentile men had no need to be circumcised, perform other purification rites nor go in the temple. They were to "abstain from food sacrificed to idols, from blood, from the meat of strangled animals and from sexual immorality." (Acts 21.25)

This being the ruling of the Jerusalem Council it seems to me that Jewish Christians would continue their ritual cleansing and rites, chanting of the Psalms and added the breaking of bread and drinking the wine as a memorial to Jesus Christ. And I assume this is what all the Christians did. If not, why not?

New Testament Scripture about Singing

Matthew 26: 30 "After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives." (singing from humneo, aorist active participle, masc. nominative plural) (NASB)

Ephesians 5:19 "speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody with your heart to the Lord;"

Colossians 3:16 "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God." (NASB)

I Corinthians 14:15 "What is the outcome then? I will pray with the spirit and I will pray with the mind also; I will sing with the spirit and I will sing with the mind also." (NASB)

I Corinthians 14:26 "What is the outcome then, brethren? When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation Let all things be done for edification." (NASB)

James 5:13 "Is anyone among you suffering? Then he must pray Is anyone cheerful? He is to sing praises." (phalleto, present active imperative 3rd person singular). (NASB)

The passages from Ephesians and Colossians are often used as proof text and are in the middle of rules for living and household rules according to the custom of that time. History records examples of both Roman and Greek household rules and probably other societies do also. The Corinthian passages are in the context of worship.

So what is the outcome about music in worship? It seems to me that the words should pluck the strings of our hearts. In other words, BE HEART FELT. As to whether we are to follow the first century example of singing only from the Book of Psalms. Probably not. If man can compose an uninspired prayer to the Lord, then it probably all right that he (or she) write songs for worship.

I didn’t find any thing in the New Testament about using instrumental music, choirs, choruses, solos, quartets, and such like in worship services, but neither did I find anything condemning such. If uninspired songs, microphones, men and women sitting together, and so on are okay, then maybe pianos, organs, etc. are also. I really don’t know. Some say they come under the law of exclusion.

Outside of worship service I have no problem with singing, playing or hearing "gospel songs" accompanied by instrument music.

I grew up non-instrumental with little emphasis on singing. And now I will be much more diligent about singing and concentrate on the words so that they will be acceptable to God.

Peace

Another Week on the Hill

2006-11-03T20:53:00.000-08:00

Finished reading Nelson DeMille's "Night Fall," fiction based on fact about the crash of TWA flight 800 off Long Island, NY on 17 July 1996. I recommend it if you like mysteries. It was a good read, depressing at times when remembering all the lives lost. The novel never lost it's appeal and ends in a way I never expected, so if you read it, don't take a peak.

After three weeks of living with 6 by 20 piece of out dining room floor being ripped out and replaced, things are somewhat normal again.

A couple of pillars with concrete bases were installed under the house, 6 floor joists replaced, duck work all checked and several replaced before a ply wood floor was laid: 2 layers of 3/4 and one of 3/8 to match the height of the old floor.

To our delightful surprise Larry Ketchum was able to almost match the kitchen tile that was laid circa 1995 so we didn't need to replace the kitchen and utility room floor. A sigh of relief! But we had to wait almost a week after the carpenters finished for the floor men to arrive.

No problems except the installers didn't stain the quarter round before nailing it down and the threshold between two rooms were bloched and the finishing edge around the hearth was the wrong color. A good friend agreed to take up the quarter-round, stain it and re-install. He and Brother stained the pieces in the garage Wednesday and Billy laid them Thursday. Ketchum came Friday and redid the threshholds and fireplace.

Emma and I cleaned my office and our bedroom Monday, walls, windows, top to bottom, including the bed ... and shut the doors so no more dust would sift in.

Yesterday we did the same to Brother's office, storage closet, and the living room. Stuffed two blue recycle bags full of old mail, memos, notes, receipts, bulletins, notices, and other stuff and got like things together in his desk drawers.

Then is was easy to organize some of his collections on the shelves in the closet: Beaver Beanie Baby ... we have good beaver stories, but they are for another time ... rolly-polly Poppin of Pillsbury fame, and 'Nilla Gorilla ... Baseballs, some signed by our favorite American League Umpires, Dale Ford #20 and Durwood Merrill (deceased) #33 ... Official World Series ball from the series that wasn't in 1994;" one ball signed by a Chattanooga ball team (four of the team stayed with us) who won and went to Monroe, La from here ... And my miniature ball bat from St. Louis in 1947.

Emma gave me a few days off and will be back Tuesday when we will attack the dining room, hall, kitchen and sun parlor with Murphy's Oil and Orange-Glo.

So here we are "fall cleaning." I've wondered if Spring Cleaning was adopted by Gentiles from the Jewish people who clean thoroughly before passover.

In Exodus 12, after the first nine plagues God freed the Israelites from Egyptian slavery when he sent the tenth plague to 'Smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt.' To keep the Israelites from being afflicted, he told them to mark their door posts with lamb's blood, stating: "and when I see the blood, I will pass over you." In William Tyndale's translation of the Bible the name 'Passover' came into being for this celebration. The Hebrew word for 'pass over' was 'Posach' and the celebration is also known as 'Pesach'.

The cleaning can be stated more simply than it can be done -- a thorough, top-to-bottom, cleaning: vacuum carpets and floors, clean the cabinets and bookshelves and get into all hard-to-reach places: under sofa cushions, the spaces between floorboards. Move furniture and kitchen appliances to get behind and underneath.

Bottom line: if a cookie crumb could be hiding there, go after it! After an area in the house is cleaned, tell everyone that it's "kosher for Passover" and absolutely off-limits for any food. Other places that need to be cleaned are the office, car, pocketbook -- any space that is yours by ownership, lease or right of use.

Chametz or Chometz (חמץ) is the general term for "leavened bread," at the Jewish Passover. Jewish law bans owning, eating or benefiting from chametz during Passover and the punishment is spiritual excision. Chometz is any one of the five primary grains (wheat, barley, emmer, rye, oats) fermented by being in contact with water for eighteen minutes. Only water is considered a fermenting agent. Flour and pure juice squeezed directly from the fruit cannot become chometz, even if the bread is allowed to sit for hours and swells up to many times its size (though there may be other rabbinic prohibitions involved).

After "spring cleaning" and on the night of 14th of Nisan, a formal search for leavened products in each room, cabinet and pantry is made to be sure no crumbs remain in any corner. The head of the house recites a blessing while they search. Lights are turned off in each room and searched by candlelight; a feather and a wooden spoon are taken along.

The candle lights corners without casting shadows, the feather is used to dust crumbs from hiding places and are collected in the wooden spoon to be burned the next day with the chametz. Traditionally, 10 morsels of bread are carefully wrapped in aluminum foil or plastic and "hidden" around the house before the search to ensure that the head of the house will find some chametz so that his blessing will not be in vain.

The cleaning ritual is so thorough that NO LEAVENED FOOD, bread or liquid remains in the house. Then the house is kosher.

Well, now ... I can't say that my house is Kosher, but we're closer to clean and neat than its been in a long, long time.

Now I just need to search my mind and heart and clean the dust and cobwebs and try harder not to put the s-word in my mouth when I wouldn't even put it in my hand.

Peace, love, and Contentmen

Books and Other Things Recently Read

2006-10-24T11:53:00.000-07:00

Just finished Patricia Cornwell's "Predator" and still don't know what it was about. I must have missed a book somewhere ... I don't have a clue about what happened to the friendship between Scarpetta and Marino ... nor how Lucy got from the CIA or whatever to the place she is now.

Read the latest Patterson book, "Beach Road." It's a "wicked" mystery ... don't give up on it ... READ to the end.

Jonathan Kellerman's "Monster" was a little much for me but, nevertheless, he's a good
writer.

And my Bible, Sunday School book and Power For Today, plus two newspapers and all the farm journals we get.

On-line readings
1. The Musical Reforms of Martin Luther where I found a reference about hymns and bar tunes. I've still searching and hope to find other references in England and Scotland.

"The first secular melody found in the chorale books is Mein Freud' möcht sich wohl mehren which Luther transformed into Herr Christ, der einig Gotts Sohn (The Only Son from Heaven) (LBW 86). Luther found it necessary to discard some secular chorale melodies, such as Aus fremden Landen komm' ich her, because this and other similarly adapted melodies retained their popularity in the taverns and dance places. As Luther said, he was "compelled to let the devil have it back again."

http://www.carolinaclassical.com/articles/luther2.html,

I knew I remember that some of our favorite hymns were sung to the melodies of bar songs.

2. The Restoration Movement and the biographies of so many preachers in the United States from the 1700's until now.

http://www.therestorationmovement.com/

Especially Hall Laurie Calhoun who has to be a cousin because all Calhoun's in the USA are related somehow.

http://www.therestorationmovement.com/calhoun,hl.htm

3. Notes From History about Psalms and the first worship songs that were not from the book of Psalms.
"The use of uninspired hymns developed gradually. It was not until the fourth century that the practice became widespread. The divinely inspired writers did not instruct first century Christians to write hymns and there are no hymns surviving from the first century. "Shepherd of Tender Youth" was written about 200 A.D. by Clement of Alexandria and is the earliest known uninspired "Christian hymn.""
"During the 1800's uninspired hymns became popular with worshippers and by the 20th Century the Psalms were rarely sung."

http://www.bibleguide.net/notesfromhistory.html

4. Christian History Institute listing important events of each century AD.

http://chi.gospelcom.net/centuries/index.shtml

There are others recently read that I'll talk about later. An on-line computer is like having a large library in your own house. It's as wonderful in its way as getting comfortable is with a good paper back or hard back mystery.

Peace

HALLOWE'EN

2006-10-24T09:09:00.000-07:00

Hallowe’en is how we used to spell it, shortened from All-hallow-even, and the day was fun because it wasn’t one that used-to-be “preached against.”

Many view Hallowe’en as Satanic, but as a child October 31st was a fun night to dress up and hope to go to a party. When my generation were teen-agers the “big thing” was getting your parents to let you go to court square and soap store windows.

There’s a greater significance to October 31. The Reformation began unofficially on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany … most likely the greatest event since the Gutenberg Printing Press in the 1440’s. From Martin Luther’s break from Catholicism came European Protestantism which spread to England and Scotland and later to the United States and the Restoration Movement to restore New Testament principles.

A hundred years ago, 1906, in a disagreement over instrumental music and missionary societies, one group, the Disciples of Christ in some areas and the Christian Church in others, separated into the instrumental music Christian Church and non-instrumental Church of Christ.

Unknown to me there was always a religious significance to October 31 and now I am glad because Martin Luther’s heroic act brought us out of the Dark Ages when the Bible was chained to pulpits and common people weren’t allowed to read it. And most of all because the Holy Scriptures came to the United States where there is no “state religion” and we are free to worship as we please and as God commands.

“Trick or Treating” began in Brownsville sometime in the 1950's. Children wore dime store masks and went to the neighbors house to “scare” them and show off their costumes. Then later came the egg throwing, toilet paper rolling, and water balloons and punishments.

As streets became less safe some churches had Halloween Carnivals on October 31. Schools banned Halloween symbols as decorations and have Harvest Festivals. Bobby and Amanda provide a cook-out for our young people and some not-so-young.

So we still have a fondness for the October 31, Halloween, and love the sense of adventure that comes from being outside in the dark with a “jack-o-lantern” or flashlight.

And while you are “trick and treating”, say a prayer for all those who paved the way for the freedom we have today to worship and to enjoy Hallowe’en and other family traditions.

Sources:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Genenal Essay on European Protestantism http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/christ/cep/protest.html

On the Hill

2006-10-17T18:46:00.001-07:00

Things are different here on our little hill.

We've had a shakey dining room, sometimes den, floor. About 6 weeks ago I called John Allen, a man in Jackson known for restoring old houses ... ours is 50 this year ... our deal was that when it rained he'd send his men ... and how much notice did I need.

I said not any, just call. He said, "You mean I can call any morning and come right then." YES!

So Monday they called, but Brother thought it was the 2 lawyers from the man that is sueing us because he ran off the bridge with the log truck. His position is the bridge wasn't wide enough.

Three hundred trucks of gravel went in and out over the bridge that summer. The other log trucks were going in out every day. Everyone in front of him and every truck after him crossed the bridge, even Brother.

The moral of that is ... if you run off the interstate and the police try to fine you or something, sue them because the road isn't wide enough.

So ... anyway ... the carpenters showed up Monday instead of the lawyer. I though we could take up the carpet and the plywood in the closet floor like we did before when we jacked it up. Sonny had that plywood so tight we couldn't get a chisel in it. So they cut a hole big enough to go through and make an inspection.

We now have over about a third of the dining room floor adjacent to that closet wall torn out, as well as the joists, all of it.

The duct work under the house where we are working looks pretty bad. Heat/air man was here today about that. We'll repair what we can. I wanted to chuck it all and put in a new system in the attic. That seems cost prohibitive at this time, but may be something we do in the future.

Larry Ketchum, who does our carpet and floors came out today and took a piece of tile like that in my kitchen, util room and bath. Called back and said he could still GET IT. So that solves a big problem. We'll put tile back in the dining room and at the bar where we eat and down the hall pass Brother's office door. It will be much cleaner and better looking than the dirty carpet we have now.

Maybe the carpenters and duct men will finish this week, hopefully tomorrow or by noon Thursday. Don't know when Larry will get to us. We have to move the rest of the dining room furniture somewhere, get the old carpet up ... hope Larry will do that ... and scrape up the rest of the original tile from when the house was built.

During this time I've added sources to thousands of people in my genealogy data base ... I broke the first rule ... did not source correctly to begin with.

And have been researching religious history on the internet and find I'm woefully ignorant of what has gone on since AD 30. My focus now is on the psalms, hymns, songs and instrumental music and position that is taken by some who hold to only using the Inspired Psalms in the Old Scriptures and not man written songs. I haven't found the man written ones that were sung to bar (pub) tunes, but I know they are there somewhere.

I was equally suprised at how many Rock and Rap musicians use songs we consider holy. I want to do more research on this.

And then I found this:
http://upchucky.net/~upchucky/worship-psalm23.html

Peace

Some Days

2006-10-12T19:48:00.000-07:00

I actually went shopping for clothing yesterday after we visited Beltone for an adjustment to Brother's hearing aids.
He has had them for a week and they were set so loud that he turned the TV so low I can't couldn't hear it - seems I'm a listener, not a watcher. He has hear sounds that he hasn't heard in years: traffic, rubber on tires hitting road, stove vent fan, water to the ice maker, clocks ticking and he says the commode flushing sounds like Niagra Falls.
The Beltone man activated the toggle on each aid so that Brother can manually turn them up and down. Even turned down, it still doesn't seem right to me - the TV is still too low for me to hear comfortably.
And it hasn't been easy to get into October Baseball fever since neither the Yankees or Atlanta are playing. I'm pulling for the Mets and Detroit, but who knows now ... it's just not as much fun this year.
I like Ivan Rodrequiz, maybe I'll think of his nickname in a minute ... and that the Trammels from somewhere in central Florida where we used to go to spring training, Alex and Bubba, were with the Tigers.
And we knew Marvelous Marv Thornberry of the Amazing Mets. He lived in Memphis and came to the bottom to fish. He was a neat guy, but is no longer living.
Our other fun baseball people are Andy Seminick and a couple of American League umpires, Dale Ford and Durwood Merrrill. Dale is retired and lives in East Tennessee but Durwood has gone on to that big game in the sky.
They sure did have some good stories to tell.
Back to my shopping, 1 fall jacket, one knit top, and 3 co-ordinating pants. Well, after all, it's the first time I've winter shopped in about 10 years ... all the weddings have been in the summer.
And if you read any of the earlier blogs, the toaster is working better now, I have my new glasses, but don't see much better, and I have one article in Power for Today this quarter.

Burial "Rights"

2006-09-19T11:16:00.000-07:00

THE WAR WAS OVER ! David Thomas Jefferson Kersey, hereafter known as Grandpa, was pardoned when the Army of Tennessee was pardoned May 1, 1865 in Greensboro, North Carolina. On the 12th of May he was given permission by the Office of Provost Marshal, Paducah, KY To Pass beyond the Guards and Outposts of this Command to Country.

A few days later Grandpa was back home with his mother and father, Susan and David B. Kersey. He'd married Clarinda Calhoun in March of 1861 and they had a toddling two year old son, Robert, and with another child on the way. You see, he's been wounded in 1864 and sent home to recouperate. He hobbled about and put in a garden and cotton crop in that year and when Lee surrendered he went to Paducah to "get out officially."

By the middle of 1866 David B. was very near the end. So on July 8, 1866 Grandpa and his brother-in-law, Frank Calhoun, went to Troy and co-signed a bank note, borrowing seven dollars ($7:00) from L. S. Park, and promising to pay back by six months after the day. I don't know what it was for, maybe it was to buy the plot of burial ground.

July 11, 1966 Grandpa's father, David B. died and final preparations required another trip to Troy three miles away. Grandpa took his crutches, went to town for the things needed for his father's burial. Below is the list of items shown on the receipt when part of the bill was paid.

Estate of David Kersey to Reeves & Meacham
11 Jul 1866
5 yds Blch Domestic, 1.75
1 par gloves, .50
1 par socks, .50
1 linin handkerf, .65
1 par shoes, 3.00
5 yds Coffin linning, 1.75
1 paper tacks,.10 cents;
(total) 8.25
Rec on the above by son in Cotton, 7.00. (Balance) 1.25.

By the time Grandpa got back home neighbors and family had probably built the coffin and had it ready to tack in the lining. David B.'s body had already been washed and covered and may have been lying on the table as was the custom of some. He was then shrouded in the five yards of domestic (muslin) and laid in the coffin and the linen handkerchief was placed over his face. He then was carried, surely by wagon, to Sander's Chapel Cemetery and laid in a new grave. I think Grandpa needed the shoes and the gloves to dig the grave.

Two cotton crops were made before the debt was paid completely off and at some later time the family was able to buy a stone and have it engraved. Grandpa's body was prepared in a way similar to that of Jesus.

"After these things Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but a secret one for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate granted permission. So he came and took away His body. Nicodemus, who had first come to Him by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds weight. So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen wrappings with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. Therefore because of the Jewish day of preparation, since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there." (John 19: 38-42 NASB )

Some years ago his name sake, David Burhl Kersey, found the grave and a cedar tree growing through it and the stone leaning against the tree. Recently, he and his children placed an additional marker under the tree recognizing David B. Kersey's service in the War of 1812 under General Jackson. This past spring tornadoes hit West Tennessee killing several people in the area; the old cedar is splintered but still standing.

Unlike Grandpa, Jesus the Christ arose and our debt for sin was paid in full. No amount of treking to town, borrowing money and back-breaking labor in the cotton field could pay the debt that Jesus paid. It is his gift to us. It is free, but it isn’t cheap.

When life is dark and hard to understand remember that He Arose without a cost to us and took his seat on the right hand of God to ever make intercession for us. The debt was paid in full for every person ever born on this earth.

We can look forward to victory over death and everlasting life with our Lord if we have confessed before men that we believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God and do the things he has commanded.

Glory Hallelujah!

Update No. 1

2006-09-16T20:47:00.000-07:00

The new toaster works properly most of the time. Don't know what happened, except that we make toast only in the morning now.

We still haven't filled the pulpit and problems evolved one side or the other with every man interviewed. Some decided they didn't want to leave where they are now and I don't know about the others.

I have not received my new transitional lens glasses. The frames had to be ordered. If I'd know it would take so long, would have picked something else.

Have read some of the Greek books ordered from Amazon ... the Loeb series has both the English and Greek. If I read along in the Greek, I find my translation different from the printed one, but then real scholars did those translations and I use the simplest meaning. But have had more fun reading the extra books in the Septuagint and found that facts, if they are facts, and I would suppose they are, are used in our teaching and commentaries. Expecially historical events in the Maccabean period. So it is fun to read this first hand. The Septuagint is easy to read compared to the NT and Paul's long sentences that hang on the main verb, Lukes more educated language, Jewish idioms, James used words that were seldom used in the Bible and I can't remember about Peter and Hebrews ... but think I found Peter hard to read in Greek and that nothing in the Greek structure of Hebrews resembled Paul's writing, but the thoughts did.

This probably bored you and you have left the site or fallen asleep at the wheel.

Old Dog Tricks and Other Tips

2006-08-31T21:53:00.000-07:00

1. A pinch of salt helps most sweet food and a little sugar improves unsweet dishes.

2. Any color clothing can be washed together if the water is cold and a good detergent is used.

3. A house does not "have to be" vacuumed every day.

3a. Or set the cleaner in the middle of the floor and tell visitors who pop in that you were just about to clean.

3b. And if it's really bad, throw sheets on a couple of things, and tell them you are remodeling.

4. Two half gallons of milk stay fresh longer than one gallon & so on down the size.

5. Two jumbo eggs are harder to flip than 2 large eggs.

6. Most frozen vegetables are more firm and taste better and like fresh if cooked covered in the microwave with about a tablespoon of water.

7. Not using salt is easy to get used to ... and then salted food tastes too salty.

8. As soon as you sit down without the phone, it will ring.

9. Hydogen Peroxide will remove fresh blood from a garment and then soaking in cold water makes it even better.

10. Massage liquid laundry detergent into chocolate stains and then launder in cold water to remove stain.

11. It takes longer for 4 people to go a given distance than it does 2 and 1 can make it in less time than either.

12. Keep 3 quarters, 2 dimes, 1 nickle, and 4 pennies in your pocket and you'll always have the correct change.

13. When raveling out a seem keep masking tape nearby to pick up loose threads.

14. Masking tape wrapped around your hand sticky side out removes lint etc from clothing.

15. Hanging garments in a closed bath room with the shower running hot will remove most wringles ... usually works well then traveling.

16. After stinky yard jobs and such, a cup of salt and a cup of vinegar in a soaking bath will remove strong odors from your bod.

17. Baking Soda in a bath lowers the acidity and gives soothing relief to bites and itches.

18. After traiping thru' poison oak or ivy, bathe all over in nice warm water with a cup of bleach added ... this often works for chiggers, too. The quicker after the contact the better. And if you have a pool available, stay in the water as much as possible.

What Do I Really Want?

2006-08-27T22:01:00.000-07:00

Our small West Tennessee church is in the process of hiring a new preacher. Four of those who applied for the position have preached trial sermons and visited in the homes of several families in the congregation, as well as being in conference with the elders and pulpit committee.

Let me say at the outset ... the church didn't want to lose the last minister. He is young, intelligent, energetic, a strong force with the young people and beloved by all. It's just that they have a baby, their first, and wanted to be nearer the grandparents.

Being a grandparent, I encouraged them, knowing it would leave a hole in our sheepfold. (is that a mixed metaphor?)

I've only seen the resume of one of the men and it was most impressive. A little lacking on formal education, but good history of pulpit work. He was born a southern farm boy. His wife was born and reared in the north, but I suppose she could be converted to the south. Good references and interacted well with people, excellent class room teacher and not bad in the pulpit. But I sensed a lack of fire or something and it may have just been me.

Actually I can't say a thing about the next one, so I suppose he didn't ring my bell, or either did in a negative way. I just can't remember, but I know I didn't go back that night ... Something about a promise I made to God a long time ago ... That I'd give any man one chance, but if I went back for the second dose it was my fault.

Another was so dear and so eager to spread the gospel. He has a some college work and maybe a degree but not in Bible and had worked in the private field. He just finished classes at a preaching schoolbut he just doesn't know the protocol for being a minister/preacher. Really didn't realize there is a protocol until I heard and saw him. I wanted to take him under my wing and teach him how to be a preacher (mind you, I'm a woman and I don't know a thing about the making of a preacher except I've been listening to them for 70 some odd years). I ache for him because he is so tender and loving and sincere and needs months, if not years, of internship under strong elders and with an experienced preacher.

The fourth man we heard is different from the others and from anyone else we've heard recently, including the guest speakers every Wednesday night in the July and August summer series.

He took the text and actually taught from it in the historical context ... somewhat rare in this age when people expect to be made to feel good. Didn't hear the proverbial "church doctrine" nor remarks about what "others in the brotherhood" were doing wrong. No name calling, but he did cite examples of teaching in the general Protestant world. He plain old taught the Bible. Isn't that unique?

He was born and raised in a rural area northern state and was taught the gospel by a preacher that moved next door to them. His wife is southern and was actually born and raised in an adjacent county. They both graduated from Freed and have children attending there. He talks too fast for my southern ears to hear every word, but I reminded him after services that he needed to slow down for us ... That we hear real slow down here.

Now, do I want him as our minister? I don't know. I'm afraid of his zeal and don't know if I really want to hear as much truth as he will teach.Not that it's my decision to make, anyway. It's in the hands of the elders and the pulpit committee and the men of the congregation ... But a straw pole will be taken and no one has ever been hired without a majority opinion.

From these four, a man will be selected or all will be rejected before, or if, any others are heard.

I have prayed fervently to God acknowledging that He had a man picked out for us if we were willing to wait for him and had the sense to recognize him.

So we'll soon know if or how my prayers have been answered.Thanks for listening and I'll let you know how this turns out.

Consider the Consequences

2006-08-26T07:50:00.000-07:00

I did not fully consider the consequences when getting new eye glasses back in March. And spent the summer not seeing well nor comfortably.

I didn't get transitional lens after having them for years and years. I thought I might see better without the color change ... they do tend to stay slightly darker even in a building.

But then, without the darkening qualities of transition lens, it was difficult to drive ... sometimes I used regular sun glasses over the prescrition ones ... sometimes plain sun glasses without the prescription ones. Tried old old prescrition glasses. Wore a hat or baseball cap to shade my eyes. Drove with my left hand on my forehead. All in all, it was a mess. And I didn't know what to do. Asked Wal-Mart if they could take the prescrition off my glasses and make the transitional ones. NO, I'd have to get the written prescrition from the doctor.

So I stewed about this for a week or so. Then it hit me.

All I had to do was go back the orginal optical clinic that had the prescrition. So we did.

Now wasn't that simple, after all the misery of sun blindness, worry, where to go, what to do ... and all I had to do was go back to the original source.

God is our Original Source. No matter the problem, Go to Him.

The Toaster

2006-07-21T20:34:00.000-07:00

We only wanted a toaster like “the word of the Lord (that) stands forever."

(1 Peter 1:25 NIV).

Our forty year old toaster was not dependable. No setting worked the same from time to time. After discussing this for weeks like old people do, we passed it on to a handy man friend and visited the super store for a new one. A reconizable name brand, bright, clean, and with a crumb tray. Neat!

IT is Reliable, Works on a Regular Schedule, but with a mind of its own.

At breakfast the bread pops up warm toasty brown on number 4 setting. At night on the same number 4, “toast” is warm but not brown. This has been as regular as the rise and setting of the sun for over two months. And there is no change in the setting that makes perfect toast at night. On any setting, 4 included, the bread either burns or doesn't toast. Now we pop it down on 4 for a time and half and have reasonable luck.

At times we have laughed --- and sometimes cried --- and credited the ghosts in our house for these happenings. And just when we think they are gone forever something else mysterious occurs.

O! Were the toaster like the word of God that endures forever and is the same morning and night.

Psalm 100, KJV
Make a joyful noise unto the LORD, all ye lands.
Serve the LORD with gladness:

come before his presence with singing.
Know ye that the LORD he is God:

it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves;
we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.
Enter into his gates with thanksgiving,

and into his courts with praise:

be thankful unto him, and bless his name.
For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting;

and his truth endureth to all generations.

Dear Lord, forgive my sins, drive the demons from our toaster,

and thank you for your everlasting word

and promises sweet that came at so high a price.

In Jesus’ Holy Name, Amen.

Before

2006-07-20T20:41:00.000-07:00

Before getting around to blogging I knew exactly what I would say. After working through the steps to get set up I don't have a clue about what to do next.

I'm reading and interesting book, "Always Time to Die," by Elizabeth Lowell ... has some genealogy that is rare in the mysteries I've read over the last few years. About 4 years ago I began a notebook of the books I read ... so I won't buy the paper back again. I will re-read fiction until I happen to remember the ending. If I don't remember the ending I read the whole thing.

A few days ago I ordered several Loebs Classics ... Plato: The Republic, Aristotle: Art of Rhetoric, and Aristotle: The Athenian Constitution.

I know it's a little late in life to begin a classic education, but knowing a little more surely can't hurt. And I've never been confident of my understanding of Rhetoric. I probably should have known this when I was raising children.

And if all this gets too heavy, I'll work a few sudoku's while watching baseball.