THIS IS WHAT I KNOW

This morning while I was swinging on our front porch, I heard a familiar sound from behind
me. I didn't have to turn around to see who it was, I knew. I knew it was the sound of the
muffler on the mail man's mail truck as he approached our house. Sure enough, I was right.
After placing the mail in the mail box he headed ond own the street delivering mail.
All of the sudden the thought came to me, I wonder if people know when I am coming by
the sounds I make. I walk with a limp due to my M S. I talk alot and that may give me off.
Who knows, there may be something else. (don't go there!) And, are they glad to see me go
on my way? I hope I leave something worth while behind, a laugh, a smile something I said
or did. I don't know, but if you know me, you know I won't wish you "Happy Holloween" but
I wish you wish you well on this last day of October. That's what I know.

IN HIS SERVICE

My Pastor has asked that I concencrate the Communion elements at the 8:15 a.m. service this
coming Sunday. At first I was going to say that I couldn't because I had planned to
attend another service at another church near by and hear a friend preach. When I stopped
to think about what to do, I realized that I was being asked to not only serve the Lord's
Supper, but the Lord. I also realized that this is my way of serving my Pastor. It is my way
of helping him help others.
There is a beer commercial that says, "This Bud's for you." Well, this Sunday I can say to
those who are being served Communion,"This bloods for you." The body and blood of our
Lord Jesus Christ was given for us that we might be saved from our sins. I want to do my
small part in being sure others are blessed as I have been blessed. I can't wait to be at
the service Sunday serving Communion.

Forward March!

A few minutes ago I ran some papers through the shredder. While I was watching, I saw
the reverse button. So, I turned it on. When I did, some of the papers I had shredded a
few moments before, were returned to me. But I couldn't make sense out of any of it. I
knew what I had shredded and that no one else can make sense of it either. That's what
I needed and wanted to know.
When I confess my sins, what I need and want to know is that they are gone. I need to
get on with my life. The past is past and the future awaits. So it is, "forward march!" By
the way, something else doesn't make sense to me. How in the world can God love and
forgive me. While I don't comprehend it, I sure am glad God's grace still takes away my
sins and my guilt. That's why on this gloomy, rainy day, the SON is shining so bright!
Can't you see the SON? Can't you march forward in faith with me and so many others?
Forward March!

A GLIMPSE OF GOD

I took the dogs out at 5:00 this morning. While I was outside I looked up at the dark sky. As
I was looking I saw the stars high above. I thought to myself, how long it had been since I
last looked at the stars.? Sad to say, it has been a long, long time. I stood and stared at the
stars for a few minutes in awe.
It is so easy to miss seeing something that is right in front of us because we have our mind
on other things. We fail to see something or hear something because we have tuned them out of
our minds. Maybe we need to try a little harder to see and hear what is all around us. In doing
so, we just might see or hear something special, like a four leaf clover. We might even get a
glimpse of God. Talk about awesome!

Sunday Silence

This afternoon I sat on the swing on our front porch for awhile. I looked and listened instead
of reading a book. I was amazed at how few sounds there were over a minute or two. Dogs
barking and cars passing by were it. Then then there were the whispers of the winds. They
were so soft and yet enough for the human ear to hear them blowing in the leaves high
above my head.
I spent a good while just being still and silent. It was a Sunday afternoon well worth having.
It didn't cost me anything except a little bit of my time. I was well rewarded for allowing
something so ordinary to be extraordinary for me from my front porch swing. I'll have to
do it again soon. Real soon. It was a Holy hush that spoke to my soul.

THE LAST LAUGH IS ON ME

I got lots of laughs when I took Derby, our daughter's cocker spaniel, out back to play. One
of his favorite things to do is chase a tennis ball. While he was going to get it, I poured some
water in the water bowl from a milk cantainer. Then I tossed it down to do something else.
Little did I know that Derby would chase after that milk bottle as if it were his very best
toy! He ran and ran after it. He had it in his mouth by the handle. Whenever he hit it with
his small body, it went flying from him. He would go grab it and take off with it as if to say,
"Got Ya!!"
Isn't interesting that this toy wasn't some exspensive something from some store, but an
empty, plastic milk bottle? Just for the fun if it, I tossed another one out today and off
he went, chasing after it. I laughed so much that my tummy hurt.I know if someone saw
me out back laughing like that they thought I was crazy. Well, maybe, just maybe, they
are right! You see, I'm crazy about a dog named Derby who thinks I' m a great guy!! The
little feller is right about that, if I say so myself!

THOUGHTS

They showed up again today. It happens every three years. Three men in a white truck got
out and started cutting tree limbs from two trees in our back yard. The electric lines run
through that part of our yard. The three men didn't ask for permission, they didn't have too,
it belongs to the city. They went to work while I watched the tree limbs falling to the ground.
After they had cleaned up the tree limbs and leaves, they left, leaving me with less shade to
sit under when I read under the shade tree day after day.
I put the two chairs in place and started thinking about what had happened. That's when it
hit me that there just might be somethings in my life that need to be removed so I can get
the power of God into my heart. After giving that thought some thought, I thought that it
would be wise to trim things from life that hinder me from growing as a Christain, as a
husband, as a father and as a friend. Just like the white truck and the three men that show
up every three years, the Holy Spirit shows up and trims away things that keep me from
keeping in touch with God. When that takes place, I think it makes me a better person.
That's what I think on this mid-October day.

"What On Earth Are You Doing Here?"

When I went to get my flu shot at the Health Department earlier today ,I thought there
would be long lines and lots of cars. Not! I had an appointment for 9:30 but was back in
the car by then. One woman told me that it will be after 10:00 that the long lines show
up. I'm glad that I showed up when I did.
I've finished reading, Settling In. I highly recommend Richard Morgan's book because
it shows how things can be in a retiremnet community. I saw my dad on almost every
page in one way or another. Dad has been a resident for a number of years and yet he
too says and does some the same things that this book mentions. While you see the
good ,the bad and the ugly, it's "home" for those folk. One of these days, way down the
road I hope, I'll call such a place"home.
When one woman was asked what she was doing in such a place, she said, "I'm aging in
place." Wise words. We're all "aging in place", aren't we? We're not getting any younger,
that's for sure. I just hope I age well. You too.

A GREAT GIFT

Our daughter has a birthday tommorrow. Monday night we will take her out to eat
after she gets home from work. We will even let her pick the place where we will go.
We will even pay for whatever she orders. After all, isn't that what parents do?
Jennifer is such a blessing to her family and friends. I'm astonished at how many
friends she has from so many places. Some people have to "rent a friend" but not
Jennifer! She has so many that she can't count them all up. I think it's because they
can count on her. I know her parent's can.
I love to look at her smile and listen to her laugh, both are so very precious. I love
to hear her sing in praise worship. I love to see her hold her hands up to God as she
offers such sweet music to Him. You see, I love this great gift God gave us so many,
many years ago. I won't say how many years that was. I will say that they better
have something to put out the candles with when we wish her, "Happy Birthday!"

A DOUBLE TAKE

After attending the 9:30 service today, we ate with a couple from our church. We had
great food and great fellowship both. When we got home , I went to the backyard to read
and have a couple of cups of coffee. Several pages into a small book, I saw my wife working
with her flowers .
When she walked my way, I told her something that she didn't know. I told her that when
I saw her with her flowers, it was as if I was seeing my mother. My mom loved working with
her flowers after she and dad bought a house when he retired, many, many years ago. Mom
had lived in homes provided by the churches dad served throughout the years. Now she had
her own house and her very own rose garden.
That's why I see my mom in my wife whenever she is outside in our own yard and own
flower garden. It's as if I'm seeing my mom all over again. It's as if I've been given two gifts
in one as I stop and smell the roses on an October Sunday afternoon. I've been blessed by
a double take.

That Settles That

I bought a book for my father while I was in Lexington for a few days this week. Settling In ,
by Richard L. Morgan. After I started reading it I realized that it is a book for my father's
son's. It deals with settling into a retirement community. Dad settled into a retirement
community a few years ago and is now 95 years old. I'm 63 and hope this helps me prepare
for the time when I might move it into such a community.
On my way home from Lexington yesterday I stopped to see dad. We ate together and had
a long talk about living and dying. We went across the hall to see his sister (last one) for a
few moments. When I left dad, I whispered a prayer for the residents of that enclosed
community, as well as those who attend to them day and nigt.
Dad shared that he feels like a nobody rather than a somebody from time to time. He feels
forgotten and forshaken by friends and family. Morgan mentions much of the same feeling
as well. If this book does anything for me, it will be awakening a sense within my soul that
there are people all around the world who feel forgotten and forsaken, and that I need to
do more to make more people feel that they haven't been. I know dad felt better after I
visited him, and so did I.

A CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP

My wife and I had dinner tonight with a cute couple from our church. We taked so much we
could hardly eat. We laughed so much we could hardly eat.We enjoyed being with them so
much that we would love to do it again some time in the future. It was a great way to celebrate
Christian friendship.
I think I would feel free to share secrets with these two people and feel that whatever I say
would stay a secret with them. Again, it's all about Christian conduct and character. I even
think they would think the same about my wife and myself. Sad to say, it''s hard to find
that kind of friendship these days. Like St. Paul, I thank God for the gift of freindship.

LOOKING BACK INTO THE FUTURE

I spent some time out in our back yard today. While the three dogs played, I prayed.
While they chewed on their bones, I chewed on the Word of God. To be honest, the
Word of God chewed on me. I felt some pokes in my spiritual ribs from time to time.
The Message is the translation I'm reading along with one or two other books.It is
amazing how often I find myself refering to one book or another as the Spirit moves
within my soul.
Today's readings have led me to take a look in the rearview mirror of my ministry over
42 years. While it has been a pleasure, it as also been a pain. I see my successes but I
also see my failures. But most of all, I see God in the rearview mirror of my ministry,
from start till now. That's why I can safely say, this hasn't been my ministry, it's been
God's. For better or for worse, God's footprints cover my mistakes and God's grace
gives me a spiritual shove to keep on keeping on. So, looking back into the future, I
say, "next."

This Is My Story...

After breakfast at McDonald's, my wife and I went to the eye Doctor.Then we went to see my
two buddies, Barnes & Noble where I bought yet another book.This time I bought, What on
Earth Have I Done? by Robert Fulghum. It's 308 pages about people in places and what they
do with their lives. I want to read it because I'm sure it will raise questions about what I am
doing whileI'm living on this Earth. And I will have to wrestle with what my answers will look
like.
I read 49 pages back at Barnes & Noble. Now that I'm home, I can start all over and make
marks on each and every page if I want. And I will. I will digest this book as I look at who I
am and what I'm doing with my life. I've already laughed and I'm sure I will shed a tear or
two before I get to page 308.
Walking out of Barnes & Noble I told my wife that I should of written this book. But I didn't, did ? That's why I write these Blogs from time to time. They help me tell my stories like a
fellow named Fulghum. I hope they make you think, laugh and shed tears if they help you
live your life upon Earth. Thanks for taking the time to read what I have to say from time
to time.

WHO KNOWS?

I took my daughter's dog out back this morning and let him play while I sat back and did very
little of anything. That's something new for me and it is something hard for me to do. I have to
be busy or I get bored. I admit that I adapted to doing nothing real quick! I guess I'm for the birds
because I looked at the birds and listened to the birds. I studied the sky with what few clouds were
forming and flying around way above my head. I put in several prayers as I sat
still for a few minutes. It was then that I realized how tired I am from a very busy past few
days. Who knows, maybe I needed to be good for nothing.
Tomorrow I will meet a friend at McDonald's for an early breakfast before going to see my
eye Doctor. Then, if I'm lucky, my wife will take me out for lunch. (She has to drive) I don't
know if I can stand such a busy day or not. I'll give it my best. I may need a nap after such
a busy morning. Who knows?
I plan to get The Daily Guidepost for 2008 either this afternoon or tomorrow. I know it
sounds strange, but I'll start reading it after I get home. Last year I counted how many times
the word "coffee" is mentioned in the 2007 edition. Sixteen times unless I missed one. There
may be more coffee in this new book. Who know?
Jesus loves me this I know. Do you know He loves you? I know He does, and so do I.