WORSHIP & WORK

Since it was cooler today and it may rain Monday, I went over to my brother's
house and worked in his front yard for a couple of hours. I cut weeds and bushes
and carried it out front to be picked up Tuesday. Needless to say, I'm bushed!
I'm trying to talk him into doing away with all of that and putting something
else in it's place, like concrete! I'm tired of getting tired doing the same job
over and over again.
I attended the 8:15 service and the 9;30 and was blessed at both services.
I am amazed at how I'm blessed at Broadway each and every Sunday as
the Holy Spirit touches so many lives in so many ways.
I'm reading a new book about how religion isn't what works, but having a
relationship with Jesus is what matters most. It's not what we do, but what
Jesus did and does. I agree from the bottom of my heart.
Maybe Monday will allow me some down time since Sunday has been a
day of worship and work.

MY DAY OFF

Yesterday I spent some time at Barnes & Noble reading books. I finished one book and
picked up a 200 page book just to see if I wanted to read it. In less than an hour I had
read the entire book because I couldn't put it down. I may go back and buy it today.
My wife and I then went out to eat lunch before going to buy shoes for me. Now that I
have Sunday shoes, I can't wear the new ones today. So sad since I thought these shoes
were made for walking. If I wear them today, my wife will tell me to start walking and
don't come back!
Right now it is wonderfull out on our deck out back. It's cool and quite. I love to drink
my morning coffee. read the newspaper and use the laptop before much else happens.
Derby Pie loves to watch people pass by. There is one man who stops at the fence and
gives Derby a treat. Derby doesn't bark at him like others who don't stop and give him
a treat. It's fun to watch how he acts outside. Yesterday he started barking while looking
at the fence in front of where I am on the deck. I didn't see what he was barking at
until I realized my wife I placed something new in the garden that I hadn't noticed. But
Derby did. Bark - bark -bark until I took him over to it and touched it so he could see
it was ok. He stopped barking after I did that.
I'm out of coffee so I'll stop writing and go get a refill so I can get back out here and
relax before my wife hands me my work shoes.

HIGH SCHOOL REUNION

My wife and I attended her 45th high school reunion at Radcliff last night. She saw several
people whom she hadn't seen for some time. The meal was good and the speaker was great.
He was in her class and ended up working with developing high-skilled weapons for our
nation. He was both witty and wise, well worth hearing. We got home late after a long day
being with her aunt in a rest home before the reunion.
I went to our 8:15 service this morning and then headed home to rest of this day of rest.
When you get my age, you rest all you can. However, I may end up at Barnes & Noble to
read a book I'm about a 100 pages into. It's hard to break old habits.

SAFE HAVEN

Since I'm "on call" for our church, I've been busy today with being at Broadway and
going to the hospital to see someone. I did take time to drop by Barnes & Noble to
begin reading a new book called Safe Haven. I hope I can breeze right through it
so I can start reading a new Ted Bell book soon. These are my pills for relaxing my
mind and body. The coffee helps too.
Now it's time to take nap in my safe haven called home. After being out of town to
see our son yesterday, it's good to be home, sweet home. Now that we have most
of our house in pretty good order, we deserve a break today at MacCoomer's.
However, knowing my wife, she will find something too soon for me to do. Untill
then, I'm hiding in my safe haven the rest of the day.
The phone woke me up from my nice nap. It was another retired pastor who wanted
something. Next time I'll be real still, stay quite and not answer that machine at all.
After all, who ever calls wanting to do something for you instead of wanting you to
do something for them? Stay safe. Stay quite. Stay!

TOP OF THE CLASS

I visited three people at a rest home this morning since I'm "on call" this week for
our church. All three were glad that I took the time to see them today. It's a shame
that so many senior citizens are forsaken and seldom see someone they know. I
was in and out in less than an hour but it was well worth while for all four of us.
Yesterday was a busy day for my wife and myself since we both needed to be
at church most of the morning. I helped in the 8:15 service and she helped at
the welcome desk at 9:00. After we ate, we went out to eat and to Barnes &
Noble. Then we waited for our daughter to get home from a mini-trip to
Greenville, South Carolina . We were glad to see her drive in the drive way
around 10:00 last night. She said she had a great trip.
My wife and I plan to attend her High School reunion in Vine Grove this
coming Saturday. I'm glad we're going so she can show me off. I'll be glad
to show her off instead because that young lady is now a very lovley lady
whom I've loved for over 41 years. She is at the top of her class.

AN ODD THING

My wife and I have a burial plot next to her parents in Radcliff. We're just not ready to
move in as yet. It is next to the church where we were married 41 year ago. It's better
than Odd Fellow cemetary because that's where I should go when I die. Since I'm odd,
I would feel right at home. It's odd that she hasn't made the move so that she can rest
in peace atlast after I'm gone.
Come to think of it, Odd Fellow sounds better than Stinking Creek. I hope she doesn't
let me down.

DAILY PRAYERS

Two of the best books I have are prayers by William Barclay. Both books have daily prayers
that I use again and again as spiritual roadmaps. They offer me things to think about that I
might miss otherwise. I pause in my personal prayer and say, "Why didn't I think of that?"
"I could of had a V-8!" Well, there are times when I think of 8 things that need some serious
prayer. The V stands for Victory when I realize God is the One to whom I'm praying.
Barclay's been offering my prayers a jump-start for my soul for years. Both books are
standing in the need of prayer because the pages are falling out of the binding after I've
turned them so many times. I try to turn them with care as they help care for my daily
needs.
These two books are along side other books on prayer that I read and re-read often. But
the best book is The Holy Bible. It's like looking in a mirror and seeing the good, the bad
and the ugly. The best thing though is that God forgives and forgets the bad and the
ugly and makes my soul shine.

LABOR DAY IS EVERY DAY

I'm going to talk about getting our work done Wednesday when I speak at the Retirement
Village. 'Work for the Night Is Coming" is an old song that's seldom sung anymore. But I
think we all have work to get done daily. It might be light work or it might be hard work,
even if we're senior citizens. Labor Day is every day when we stop and think about it.
My Dad was 96 when he died a few years ago but he worked everyday doing something
for someone, in some way or another. That's what kept him going year after year. As I
see it, my wife will keep me so busy till I die that I won't be able to rest much till thjen.

BASEBALL AT BUSCH STADIUM

I'm watching CIN play STL in St Louis with a friend of our daughter. John was in Cincy
last week to watch a game with the pitcher whose is on the recent cover on Sports Illustrated.
The same picture is on the plate again tonight while we watch.Cincy is behind 3 - 2 in the
8th inning, so it doesn't look like he will win tonight. But it is still a good game to watch.
The last time I saw Cincy play was when Sandy Koufax was at the plate many, many years
ago.I was still in High School at the time. I can't remember who won since it's been so
long ago.
Well, it's my bed time so I better put on my jammies and hit the sack. That's home run for
this old man if I say so myself. It's grand slam out of the family rooom to the bedroom.
"And he's out!" snooze - snooze.

ONE OF THOSE DAYS!

Yesterday was a work day (Labor Day) at our house again. My told wife me to take some things
up to the attic. I asked her who would have to bring all that stuff back down after we're
gone? She said that our son & daughter would. And, I think they should since most of it
is theirs anyway. I just hope the ceiling desn't cave in before they have to do it!
While I was up there I saw Jimmy Hoffa hiding behind some cobwebs. He asked if it was
safe to come out of hiding after all these years. I told him he better stay a little longer
since I might want to join him if my wife keeps on keeping me moving stuff. That way
I would have someone to talk too. Scoot over Jimmy!
One of the things I carried out of the garage was a white bag of dirt. When I emptied it,
two worms started moving and shocked me. Rip Van Worm and Mrs. Rip Van Worm,
Wigglerlett, asked why I woke them up. They have been in that dark gargage for over a
year just laying around. I wish I had left them in the bag because I would of jumped
in there with them. My wife calls me worm from time to time, so I'd be right at home.
Too late now, the worms have crawled on off in search of a new abode.
I hung a picture of our daughter in the garage so she would see it when she drove into
her parking place after getting home for work. She said she couldn't help but notice
it hanging there since it's so large. We had a good laugh before she hit me.
Enough of this stuff! I have to go play hide & go seek before my wife ask me to do
something else upstairs in the basement! I think I craw under our bed & hide with
Adam. (dust-dirt-get it?)