Musical Saturday Morning

Jam Packed Week

Such a week!

For some reason I was two days ahead of reality, the entire week!
Chronically late two everything.
After all i thought it was Thursday, When in fact it was only Tuesday!

When I finally got that straightened out in my mind, I had a minor heart failure.
sigh
So very tired of this.
With further investigations by my cardiologist, he called me in.

Seems my heart is a basket case and noit normal.
Numerous blockages.
Bottom of the muscle is dead.
My arteries are oversized and I have one too many.
 I need bypass surgery.
But .....

That one extra artery is supplying the entire heart and has no blockages!

So, I can last as long as I can.
With minor complaints from my heart.
At least until the next big one.
Then there will be no choices.

There have been numerous meetings concerning the shooting last week.
Of course the typical government response:
Start a new committee to look into the issue.
Just like the last commission whom after 10 years at investigating gang violence,
concluded there are no gangs nor gang violence!
Now they are shame faced trying to figure out how to cover up the latest gang shooting.
Which of course led to another incidence of gang violence this week.

Oh yeah, I forgot, there are no gangs!
Even when sporting gang colors and tattoos!

And we have sunny days,
So, I get to paint the bridge.
Before the rains come next week!

Busy, busy, busy!

A Study Gone Awry

Less you think I am perfect or that everything goes as planned:

Now I am not at my sharpest any longer.
If I ever was.
Though I am told I am still formidable in a question of logic and reason.
I think I am dumber than a stump these days.
But .....

This week's study was done along an intuitive line of reasoning.
Usually with reasonable results.
This week, not so much.

We were looking at John 2:4 .....

It is the story of Jesus' first miracle.
I expected a discussion perhaps as to why were they in Cana in the first place.
Maybe something on the presumption of Mary.
But no ....... It was the water pots!!!!!!

One person commented that the water was the entire point.
Another that the jugs were really wash basins.
etc
etc
ETC!

By the time they were done,
They had completely lost the point of the story:
 Jesus was obedient to his mother.
As any good Jewish son would be.

They spiritualized the water, the jugs, the wine, the bride-groom.
Nothing was left in the story of God, Jesus or tradition.
I was thunder struck.
Even with a partial brain, it was obvious, at least to me.
But I held my tongue.
I am now slow to speak.
For I truly lack any knowledge anylonger.

Sigh ...

So the meeting ended in a stalemate.
Only frustration and confusion.
And I sat there stunned.

How could something so simple be so easily missed?
How could a knowledgible group be so mislead?

It is like a veil lay over their eyes ......
What does the future hold?
I really do wonder.
And pray with trembling this not a sign of the future ......

Signs of a Christian

One of my God-sons is quite upset by last FRiday's shooting here in town.
The kids involved all went to his high school. with it being aresponse
His office looks over the shooting area.
He was a witness to the death of someone he knew.
He does not know how to respond.

Of course very few people kill one another without hate playing a role.

As a Christian,
You are to LOVE without hypocrisy.
Our LOVE is to be genuine.

Romans 12:9-11

Love Truth
Avoid evil.
Cling to what is good.
In truth, else LOVE is just a feeling.
Hate evil, turn your back on evil.

Show Honor
Be melded with good.
Put others needs before your own.
Remember, you do not need to be first!

Out do others in kindness - this shows honor.
Actively seek ways to show their importance to you.

Find Passion
Our culture is plagued by apathy.
Our churches are plagued by apathy.

Passion is found in investing in others.
Missions,
Foster children,
Orphans,
Widows,
The poor.

Think
Food banks,
Clothing banks,
Car repair and servicing,
Tax preparation.

But, being passionate is hard when you have gang wars in progress.
Yet, this is the very reason your passion is needed.

It takes very little to change an environment.
Your genuine LOVE is all it takes.
Change just one life.
And others will follow .....

My Little Town

Is in a state of stunned silence.

Friday, you may have heard on the news we were treated to a drive-by shooting.
Nothing new in that.
We probably get one of those a year.
Rival gangs shooting each other!
Only this time they managed to kill someone not in a gang.

Seems two 17 year olds, after school, decide to go kill someone they hated.
No idea why.
In their minds, he deserved to die.
SWo they planned their drive-by.
Get their 15 year old target, while he crossed one of my town's busiest intersections.

Only, they were horrible shots!
It took 15 shots to utterly misses their target at under 20 feet!
At that distance they could have clubbed him!

Of course, the number one rule of a shooter is: know your background!
Because even they best of us miss.
So where is that bullet going to go?
In this case, through the window of a chiroprator's office.
And killing the receptionist!

The town is sort of stunned.
There are only 33,000 of us.
And some Latino gang thinks they are above the law and can stand against overwhelming odds.
Everyone is sort of walking on eggshells.

The shooters, were instantly caught.
Their car was photographed.
They were photographed.
They are to be tried as adults now.

More thoughts tomorrow.
sigh

The World

John uses thew term "the world" 105 times, in five different w2ays.
The world appears 185 times in the Bible.
It does not mean people or mountains, nor any other term which means anything other.

1 John 2:15-17

The world can not give you the love you need.
The world does mean our cultural system.
Think drinking, cards, cussing.
What you do or do not do.
But rules do not work.
It is your heart that matters.
Change the heart, you change the man.

The World Can Not Give You The Satisfaction You Need.
Things can not satisfy.
Nor power.
Nor lust.

We make a false God of:
Family
Sports
Job
Money

We are easily led astray.
Small steps, leading to more steps,
To lead you away from God,
And straight into the world ...

The World Can Not Give You Permanence
Nothiing lasts forever in this world.
Only the Kingdom of God remains.
All we possess are to be destroyed.
The world, as we know it, is passing away.

But in Jesus all we have is secure.

Musical Saturday Morning

Down

No, not the computer, me.

Saturday, Sunday, Monday all had minor heart attacks at night.
Then on Thursday, the cardiologist cath'ed my heart to prove I am a whiner.
I had a heart attack on the table!
Now he believes me!!!!!!

I guess non-physical stress heart failures are rare.

So, now he is willing to work with me to get me back up and functional.

Unfortunately, eventually I will require a by-pass for one of my arteries.
sigh
Split chest and all.
But praying this will be far from today ...

Coin Show

I managed to get a break on Saturday, while my computer was running one of its restoration routines.
It tuns 2.5 hours and is in no waywhat would have yielded a working computer!
No, that would take another day of effort!
Darn Micro-Squish!
How I loath you ....

So, I started the second part of the restore and headed off to a coin show.
There  is usually one every three months here.
Since I collect Jefferson nickels, there is little chance of finding something I do not have.
Actually, no one much even has one in their stock.

I ran into one of my long term antique acquaintances.
Always a pleasure.
And they always have something eclectic.

I walked away with:
A 12th century fork - extremely rare!
A 15th century table knife , in excellent condition.
An 18th century Russian 5 Kopek for my niece.
And some supplies.

Then I rambled around spotting a 1990 without the designers initials.
Another dealer had several "mules.
In this case wrong reverses for thge year of nickel.
Yeah, not all reverses are the same!

1938, 1939 and 1940 all had differing reverses..
So, you could have a 1939 with a 1938 reverse or a 1940 reverse.

Or a 1940 with a 1938 reverse.
So many options!

But I am having fun ...
:)

Power Supply

Son came over on Thursday, to beg me to address envelopes in my free time.
Yeah, retire and everyone knows you have nothing but free time!
Actually, the converse is true!
There is NO free time.
It is simply amazing.

But, okay, I can address envelopes.
Or so I thought.

I turned my computer on ... and nothing!

I checked my wires.
I checked the battery.
I checked the wires again.
I pulled the battery, cleaned the connectors.
Still nothing worked!

Well, I do want another laptop.
Maybe this is the moment?
Then I thought, what if it is the power supply?
And it was!

Now, four days  later.
Computer is working again
:)
Now to play catch up!

In the meantime, my recovery hours will be filled with addressing wedding invites.
Luckily, I some some interesting topics to post.
All written out.
Since I could not use my computer over the weekend!

Oh, yeah, and a backup to perform ......

Musical Saturday Morning

A little something different today.

Really!?!

My son and his fiancee have decided they want a real wedding!
So, I called up my old mining partner's wife to let her know.
Seems she was otherwise disposed ..... at the moment.

Anyway, turns out she has a boyfriend now.
And already had plans for that weekend with him to take a trip.
(sounds of crickets in  my mind!)
This is not like her in the least!

Further discussion and it seems she is not even sure she likes the guy!
I dropped the conversation at this point!

What-the-heck!
You go off to play house on vacation ...
And, you are not even sure you like the guy?
Much less, not even married to him?!?!?
As, I said, this is not like her at all!

I have no idea what is up, but ...
What the heck is she thinking?

I can only blame her going to a less than Christian church for 40 years.
Walk in the world,
Live in the world,
Emulate the world.
In the end you go down with the world.

Sigh .....

I guess I will have to play soft shoulder.
Once he is done with her.
And she realizes she was used ....

Dead Like Me

I was surfing around on the Roku device Swede bought me.
Found a 15year old show from Canadian TV called "Dead Like Me".
Rather adult fare.

Parallel stories of a dead teenager now serving as a "grim reaper" and her family's attempt to deal with her death.
Yes, lots of dark sick humor.
And asdulkt situations.
Not really teenage fare.
And adult if only in poor taste.

It was a cute idea.
They beat it to death.
And, like all Hollywood offerings, God-less, pantheistic views on life.
Gotta push that agenda, even when dealing with the issue of death and dying.
Maybe I am just overly sensitive on the subject.

But then, I face my own death ever other day.
At least the show gave me a few laughs.
I would never recommend this show though.
I doubt any are as whacked asme.

This upcoming Saturday,  I posted a video for you to view some of the show.
(snicker, snicker)

Bigfoot Hunt

So, I read in this blog at how I went to search out Bigfoot, but shattered my foot!
Hence no Bigfoot hunt.
Nor for the next four years.
But, I have a friend whom wanted to hunt Bigfoot, but had no idea how to start.

I checked on the web and found that the area of my old foot sighting, has been a hotbed of sightings ever since!
So, back up we went!

First - I drove and made it all the way!
A hard drive for someone with PTSD ...
I only had one freak out moment but I made it.
Not a brag, just a statement.
A smart man mite of just called it and pulled off the road.

As for the Bigfoot,
Well, the entire area has been dozed for 5 miles and made into self-contained camping, every 150 feet!
Yup, a real surpriser!
So, no Bigfoot.

No self respecting Bigfoot would have been found there!
And then there are the vacation homes being built!
Habitat lost.

sigh ......

Silent Witness

Sunday was a mighty low attendance night at church.
No idea why.
Usually, when the Seahawks have a Sunday game, Saturday night is packed out!

So, I walked by the lobby welcome desk.
Noticeably empty with the death of the lady whom had manned it for the whole of the year.
So, a bummer.
Her replacement is very nice, but .....

Once in the main part of the church. I took a seat.
Swede had come down and joined me for church.
Then the seniors descended on me.
Seems they had been talking and I was voted most confusing.
Most impressive.
Most troubled.

Between compliments such as:
"How are even still alive?"
"Why do you even try?"
Came comments such as:
"I am in my nineties and if you can fight, so can I!"
"I am in nowhere as near to death as you ..."

Now mind you, I do not exactly talk to anyone.
The gossip mongers earned my wrath long ago!
And there is no prayer ministry any longer.
Perhaps for that very reason?
So, no one I know of, with an "in" to the seniors, even knows me!
Interesting.

People notice you.
Whether you want to be noticed or not, I guess.
People talk, news gets spread, and for some reason I am on peoples radar!
Well, as long as they pray for me, not just gossip about me.
I need all of the prayer I can get these days!

But it is disconcerting ....

Meeting My Father

I thought I was finally past my father and his damning affect on me.
But, I sat down to read a book called, : "The Aesthetic Adventure".
It is the story of the death of the Pre-Raphaelite Movement.
I really did not expect to meet my father in those pages.

Father was venomously anti-art.
When, at 5, I asked to take art classes, his reply:
"I am not going to have a homosexual as a son!"
And I was beaten every time I tried to take an art class!
Truth.

It was only by staying with my grandmother I was able to draw anything other than a straight line!
And NATO sending me to learn from Picasso for a week in sixth grade!
And father and I had no relationship after I was nine years old.
Well, he was sort of around until I was 16, but only in a negative context.

So, I am reading this book by William Gaunt from 1945.
He writes of the interactions and personal lives of the Pre-Raphaelite artists.
Particularly, James Whistler (always one of my favorites).
I think one of Gaunt's as well.

The book is extremely well written.
And what is not said is just as loud as what is.
Half way through the book we hit a lawsuit by Whistler, against Ruskin - one of the other artists.
And I was struck with the thought,
Were these guys even "straight"?
Yeah, the pettiness of their issues and fights sure looked like lover's spats!
Yet, some had married, even if for only a short time.
And other's I knew specialized in, er, scandalizing - the reputations of others' wives.
(remember, this a family friendly blog)
And the women seemed to commit suicide with great regularity ...

But, I shrugged this off.
Nah, they couldn't all be bi-sexual could they ... ?
Then enter Oscar Wilde, into the fray and now we have solid homosexuality running rampant!
Oh, yeah, he liked the ladies too.
Just not as much!
And the death knell of the pre-Raphaselite movement was begun.

Suddenly, I understood my father's comment about artists!
All he roared about decades ago were right here.
Somehow he had been affected by this movement.
In fact, father was very much an aesthetic man:
Godless, cultureless, amoral ... he was the "perfect" man according to European standards.
Of the mid-19th Century!

I can not condone who or what he was, but at least through seeing Whistler's life, I can understand him.
Now.
I feel sorry for Whistler too.
I  understand the artist bent.
And to have it belittled, rejected, spurned.

The Pre-Raphaelites created some of the finest paintings of the 19th Century.
To my mind.
But the artists lives were one of unending tragedy.
They lived their lives to their own set of rules.
They even worshipped a "god", of their own creating.
And at the end, I doubt any of them understood that the real God would hold their hedonistic lives accountable!
And there will be Hell to pay for that one!

There is a lesson in this, for anyone willing to learn from history .....

Musical Saturday Morning

You Know

John, writes to little children, young men and fathers.
This was easily understood at the time as New in the faith, those Discipling and Leaders.
We know rthis from the early Church Father's Letters.
Today, like many things, it gets overly analyzed.

The Church was not predominate in the culture, at this time.
John is reminding the Church, you/we, have these attributes:

You Are Forgiven
Because you know this.
Because you are a victor.
Children you are forgiven!
(new converts)

You Know God
 Young men, you know God!
He is not saying this to the new nor mature Christian!
You are not new nor mature, but have overcome!
Christianity is a relationship - not a checklist.
And we all naturally desire a checklist!
To know we are there ...

But, it is a relationship with Him.
And in His control, not ours ....

You Are Victorious
Fathers are the mature Christians.
Know Him.
Overcome the evil one!
You are loved by God.
No one can take it from you.
You are in the victory of the Lamb .....

Buried Treasure

one of my friends asked the question last month,
"We are told to search the Scripture, as if for gold.  What does that mean?"

I looked at him incredulously, and thought, "Really?".

And I have thought on this question for the whole of the month.

If you want to find buried treasure, how do you go about?
Well, you:
Have to understand that what you seek really exists.
That you have some idea as to the general area to search in.
You have the tools to search with.
You have the time required.
You have the passion to actually find it.

Of all of these, passiion is the hardest.
We live in an affluent society.
And a doubting culture.
The need is barely there.
The nay-sayers greatly out number those whom understand passion.

And it is not as easy as just reading the book.
You have to study, for no visible reward.
You have to research on topics perhaps poorly documented.
If not intentionally misleading!
You have to always remember, our haters greatly out number believers.
Probably half, if not more, of the books out there point to a god we do not know.
The real God can be found, but it is darn hard!

After 18 years of being a screw-up, it was with vigor with which I set off to meet this unknown God.
I was in college up to 12 hours a day.
I had a part time, 4 hour a day, job as well.
Then I spent four to six hours a night in Bible study.

Yeah, I only got 2-4 hours a night of sleep - for two full years!
And my hunger was satisfied.
And I stopped searching.

Alas, my brain damage has robbed me of all I knew.
And the search begins anew .....

How Do We Know

In spite of European history, or our own tendencies, we are to be people of LOVE not hate.
Just the fact that the world sees our history as one of hate shows how far we have allowed our faith to be high-jacked but the despots of history!

When we ALLOW someone to wear a representation of our faith, without public comment, whom espouses violence or an immoral lifestyle ..... well there you have our problem.
And the world sees a Madonna with a sinful lifestyle, and she becomes our poster child.
Or some intolerant bigot shooting people, yet a member of a fringe "christian" group.
Or a mysterious bomber killing people whom he does not agree with.
Or a pastor whose whore-mongering lifestyle has been exposed.
Or me.
Or you ......

Yeah we miss the target of our faith.
More ot lessor extent.
We fail.

LOVE is to be our faith in action ...

1 John 2:7-11

It Is Old and It Is New
Love your neighbor as yourself.
Darn hard to do at times!
But, in Jesus, you can do this!
Jesus demonstrated love - at a whole new level.

It Is Love or Hate
John, sees the issue as being black or white.
You either love someone or you hate them.
Aaaaaack!
I have a great many I would state as being in a grey area.
Hate according to John.

You are either seeking the best for all in Jesus or you are hating.
We are to see people as family or not.
Love is not "liking".
Does not ignore the past.
Is not given to the deserving only.

It Is Light or It Is Darkness
are you known for what you hate?
Or for love?
Hate can not drive out hate.
Only love can.
Pride, selfishness,petty arguments and ingratitude block the light of God.

And, light is supposed to be what we reflect into the lives of those around us ...

(this why I love John - he continually challenges me)

Washington State Fair

Gaelic Girl has been working 12 hour days, 7 days a week for months!
I really feel for her.
I know my job was similar.
And, why I am glad I was forcefully retired!
I would have died on the job years ago!
And this schedule is killing her
But no one ever listens to me.

So, Sunday, she unexpectedly got the day off when the night crew hosed up the clean room.
And suddenly not able to access her area, we seized the day.
Off to the Washington State Fair we go!

But, with her broken knees we could not walk far.
So we just viewed the Hobby Hall entries and Art sections.
Flat wore me out!

Now GG has been entering various sewing contests for years.
Usually wins a few ribbons every year.
Then, two years ago, she entered her photos of desert cactus in bloom, and won Grand champion!
This year, she entered photos of tulips.
And won Reserve Grand Champion!

This, with a Nikon point ant shoot poor excuse for a camera!

So she was delighted.
I was delighted to have a 2 pound deep fried turkey leg to gnaw on!
Ugh, I am still so full!

In all, it was an excellent day.
I ended the fun for her on Monday when I bought her a new digital Canon EOS camera system.
Time for her to get serious with her new interest!

And I snored through the night!
Not a common event at all!

Reading

As I am still in recovery from scrod poisoning, I have done a great deal of reading.
Luckily, I have been working on my reading.
Following the accident and ensuing brain damage, I was dropped to only being able to read a few lines at a time!
And the styress of that was of particularenough to knock me out for hours!

But, I have continued to try.
Today, I can read a book in a single setting.
Without mental trauma.
Or sleeping for hours to recover.

So, in  my many bathroom hours, I have done some interesting reading:
Gods, Graves & Scholars
    The story breaking the Egyptian hieroglyphics code
    and many other stories
Writing Great Fiction
     Lots of suggestions I never would have thought of
The Creative Artist
     Yeah, I don't think I fit their definition of creative!
Cooking the Caribbean Way
Traditional Cooking
Betty Crocker's Outdoor Cooking
A stack of magazines on coin collecting, painting and shooting
The ingredients on every bottle on the bathroom counter

And you read them again!
Ugh, I was so ill and spent way too many hours in the bathroom!
But, thankfully, it has now passed.
I think.

Swede brought me down a copy of James Hogan's, Multiplex Man.
Unfortunately, in just random leafing through the book I found it highly inappropriate!
So, like so many sci-fi books, I am not going to read it.
Yes, Kris is a reading prude.
I really appreciate books from the era of censorship.
At least I did not have to fear for my standing before God, in that regard!

Remember, I am the one whom took a pile of youth to a James Bond movie and made them close their eyes, when appropriate?
Movie prude too.
Yeah I still refuse to watch some scenes - even when alone.

And now I worry about Swede and his choice in reading material ....

Musical Saturday Morning

Another song from my high school days in Denver.
I really liked the Grassroots.
No idea why.
But, as with 1980's music, it just seems to speak to me.
To put into words, what I could never say ....