Honest Scrap Award

I learned a couple of days ago that Malcolm Campbell has honored me with The Honest Scrap Award.

First, I'm sure the word is supposed to be "Crap" and not "Scrap." Second, the honor is dubious in that it invites people to confess stuff so that, if it hasn't been noted in their permanent records before, it will be now.

Anyhow, this confession must include ten honest (fooey) secrets that most people don't know about me along with seven victims whom I want to honor (hahaha). First, the secrets:




1. The first movie that made me cry was Old Yeller.

2. I do not like any peanut butter but Peter Pan.

3. My shoe size is 8 ½ EEE.

4. I have read at least the equivalent of a book a week every year since 1983, and I have a list of all the titles.

5. My middle name is Gabel, my mother’s maiden name.

6. My wife retired on the 19th.

7. I have never used an ATM machine.

8. In my early teen years I stayed summers with my Dad’s people in Arkansas, where I did things like chopping cotton and snapping beans.

9. Two foods that look like they should taste good but don’t are tomatoes and cantaloupes.

10. I am not sure I have seven blogging friends that are not on Malcolm’s list!
Now for the “friends” that I want to tag”

MadameBlogsalot


Jellen

HuttRiver

Jeanne

Elly

Paul Cartwright

Plain Jane

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Christmas Day 2008

Christmas Day began fairly normally, with the 9 & 7-year-old grandsons got up early to discover the treasures Santa had left for them. Each of the boys got a video game system, a movie and a remote control flying disc that is safe to fly indoors. The morning was spent in getting a feel for the games and the flying saucers.
My daughter who lives in Singapore is home for the holidays, so in mid-morning she went to the Pasadena to pick up my mother-in-law, who is 81 and in declining health. They got to the house about noon, as did my youngest daughter, and my oldest daughter and her family.


We decided a few days that instead of traditional Christmas foods, we would have beans and cornbread. There were some other dishes, but the meal was relaxed and very pleasant, not to mention tasty!


Next came the gift exchange between the immediate family members. We took our time and all watched as each present was opened. One of our favorite traditions over the past twenty or so years is the opening or the stocking stuffers that we all get for each other. Some of the most creative and imaginative things show up at this time. For instance, my daughter found a pack of Teaberry gum, which was a favorite of ours in when she was a little girl, but that we both thought was no longer made!


But this is where normal left us today! The little boys and their fifteen-year-old cousin decided to take the flying discs outside to see how high they would fly. One of them got up to around 50 or 60 feet and the wind blew it across the street and into the back yard of the neighbors. Ringing a doorbell and making a request easily retrieved it.


But the other disc, when about 30 feet up, a gust blew it into the top of an ash tree in another neighbors yard. It stuck there and the remote could not dislodge it. So we sent one of the boys to bring his football. We threw the football in an attempt to know the disc free. Before long the football was also stuck in the top of the tree. Then shortly after that we stuck a basketball up there. Then a baseball joined the others. Next we tried tying a rock to a small rope to throw over a limb so we could shake the entire tree. About this time the neighbors came home and found us all “playing “in their yard.


One by one the balls fell from the tree. Then we had to find a way to get the rock down. It took us a while, but we did it. We had spent two hours in the project. Oh, by the way, the disc is still in the tree at this writing!
We went in, played a game, another of our Christmas traditions. We laughed and competed and had a wonderful time.


I always enjoy Christmas day with my family, and I think I will long remember this afternoon’s ordeal!

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The Senses

God must have meant for man to enjoy himself in this worldnot for him to be miserable. Think of the sensitivity that we have to all the things about us. So musch that is taken for granted or overlooked daily was meant for our happiness. We should be more aware of such blessings as the sound of leaves rustling in the breeze, or the smell of a rose, or the sight of a sunset, the taste of a fresh strawberry, of the gentle feeling of a baby's caress.

I am glad my God gave me these senses. It makes this world bearable as I look forward to the next.

Genesis 1:31 "And God saw everything that he made, and behold, it was very good."

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Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda!

My wife andI are part of what is being called the “Sandwich Generation”. We are the legal guardians of two of our grandchildren, ages 9 and 7, and we are giving care to our aging parents.

Her mom is nearing her 81st birthday and is suffering from a form of leukemia and kidney failure that requires dialysis three times a week. She does not want to move to an assisted living facility, so my wife, who just retired, is taking her mom to treatments, cleaning her home and other chores that need her attention. While we had considered a Medical Alarm, we did not get one quick enough. A month ago my mother in law fell and could not get to a phone. She laid on the floor for a few hours till her son came by to check on her. Now, following the hospital stay, the Medical Alarm is a real comfort to all of us. If she falls again, she will be able to get help right away.

My dad is already 81 and healthy, but he is going to get a Medical Alarm as part of his Christmas present from me!.

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The Shack by William P. Young

A few months ago I was urged to read the book The Shack by William p> Young. It is of the theological fiction genre, so it is right up my alley. I got a copy of the book and placed it in my To Be Read stack. I picked it up last week and finished it in only a few days. It was a compelling read! I strongly reccommend it for your enjoyment and deepening of faith.

The story centers on the life of Mackenzie Phillips and how he deals with the loss of a daughter to a serial child killer. One can easily identify with the kinds of emotions that Mack struggle with, including anger and distrust of God. Mack’s journey to the shack where the crime ended is not unlike one most of us have to make at some time in our lives.

I do not think I have ever read or heard such a revealing depiction of the triune God, Father, Son and Spirit as the one Young painted in his story. The powerful appeal of the relationship between the persons of the Trinity generates a deep desire to enter into such a relationship with God.

Some of the theology presented in the book, I cannot embrace. I would urge all readers of the book not to allow emotions to cloud their spiritual discernment, but to trust on the revealed Will of God in the Bible for the final authority in their faith and practice.

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I Now Shop Online!

As I was doing my Christmas shopping I was struck by the fact that only a few years ago I would not do buying online because of my fears of being ripped off. But now I seldom go to a mall, or even to a discount store. I shop almost exclusively over the Internet from my easy chair.

I began trying it out by ordering some little item, like a blender. I enjoyed the successful transactions and the ease of shopping online. I grew more confident. I then tried bigger items like Kitchen appliances. There are so many options and so much control over the purchases that I can hardly imagine going back to the old way.

Right now I am investigating the benefits of tankless water heaters. I am intrigued about the possible energy savings that seem to be available through the use of such a device!

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It Snowed Where?

Can you believe it? Last night we had a significant, for us, snowfall. I covered the ground for a few hours. This is only the 7th time in my 60 years that it has snowed here enough to blanket things. My grandsons were ecstatic! They had a snowball fight before bedtime!

I was glad when it melted away by noon today!

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Going to the Texas Bowl!

Rice University is one of the elite educational institutions in the county. It is a small school, enrollment wise, and has a great deal of trouble fielding a competitive football team on a regular basis. But this year the Owls are 9-3 and have been invited to participate in the Texas Bowl on December 30.

I just called and got tickets to see the game. They have a family package that includes 4 tickets, 4 hot dogs, 4 sodas, and a program for only $89! So My wife and I will take the two youngest grandsons to see the game. The ticket agent just callled me back and told me that someone had backed out on tickets on the front row, so now we will be on the front row of the third level!

There is a possibility that the opponent will be Notre Dame. I would love that to happen! Notre Dame has such a storied history, but they are not particularly good this year. I think Rice can beat them. It would be the first ten win season for the Owls in nearly 60 years!

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