Open Heart Surgery

I wanted to share more Mark Lowry with you, to show you his talent besides songwriting and singing, as well as share some humor with you which is good for both of  us.

Forgive Me When I Whine

Today upon a bus,

I saw a lovely maid with golden hair;

I envied her -- she seemed so gay,
and how I wished I were so fair;
When suddenly she rose to leave,
I saw her hobble down the aisle;
she had one foot and wore a crutch,
but as she passed, a smile.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two feet -- the world is mine.

And when I stopped to buy some sweets,
the lad who served me had such charm;
he seemed to radiate good cheer,
his manner was so kind and warm;
I said, "It's nice to deal with you,
such courtesy I seldom find";
he turned and said, "Oh, thank you sir."
And then I saw that he was blind.
 
Oh, God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two eyes, the world is mine.

Then, when walking down the street,
I saw a child with eyes of blue;
he stood and watched the others play,
it seemed he knew not what to do;
I stopped a moment, then I said,
"Why don't you join the others, dear?"
He looked ahead without a word,
and then I knew he could not hear.

Oh God, forgive me when I whine,
I have two ears, the world is mine.

With feet to take me where I'd go;
with eyes to see the sunsets glow,
with ears to hear what I would know.
I am blessed indeed.

The world is mine; oh, God,
forgive me when I whine.

-- Anonymous 

On The Road Again(2010)

Yesterday was my last day of maintenance and next week I report to Striping Crew. I have worked in WSDOT Maintenance for 10 years and for 22 winters now. For the last 11 years I have worked in Striping from April to November. We stripe state hiways from Canadian Border to below Othello and from other side of Stevens and North Cross passes to the county line past Moses Lake. I am part of a great crew that gets along real well, works hard,  and safety is a big concern for all. We see some pretty country. My job is to make sure the no pass areas are correct per the log book, and if the lines are not visible, to put down spots for truck to follow as center for lines.  Some roads require an additional warning vehicle for safety, and then I am part of train keeping vehicles off lines and warning vehicles, for safety. If someone is on vacation or gone, I can fill in if I am caught up on my spotting for that day. Several years ago a reporter rode with us for a news story-(actually it was 9 or 10 years ago- where does time go?)  I did not think she would quote me on everything I said- "such as every day is a vacation for us".  It is uncertain who will be our striper driver this year since Pat Medrano accepted a lead tech position on Stevens Pass. It is also uncertain of my future and involvement with Striping crew as well since I have applied for a position in Equipment that would be year around. It could  be a big change,  I have not heard anything yet. The good news is it is Gods hands and I look forward to whatever the future holds for me. I am thankful for my job and thankful for those praying for Gods direction and will be done in this matter.

Here is an old photo from 2001 probably- I replaced the one on far right (Eric Brain) who now works in Yakima for WSDOT Radio. Only two in the photo are still on this years crew, (Al, the second one, and Alana, the 4th one) and the one in rear passed away last summer.  And yes, that truck has been surplused and replaced as well several years ago.

life Is Sacred

 

Forty  Two Years ago Roe VS Wade became a reality. I am overwhelmed on the reality of 1.5 million abortions a year in the United States. That number is so hard to grasp. 166 babies lose their life each hour of each day or 56,405,766 total abortions since 1973. Originally Roe VS Wade limited abortion to fetuses that couldn’t survive outside the womb. But today, it’s been expanded into barbaric arguments that a child born during a botched abortion shouldn’t even be allowed medical care. Planned Parenthood’s  annual report for 2011-2012, reveals they received $542.4 million from taxpayers in government grants and reimbursements — constituting 45 percent of the organization’s revenue. It is natural, it is morally and ethically right to protect all children. Until the Democrat Party changes its platform on Abortion- I cannot vote for any Democrat, even if they are the only candidate for a office or are a local candidate.

I've just heard a report that Planned Parenthood is now counseling women how to abort based on the baby's gender. Unbelievable! In this case, a women went into a PP mill and asked how to determine the sex of the baby. and then, if it was a girl how to abort. She was advised how to get an ultrasound with public funds and then to come back to PP for the abortion.Now a babies gender cannot be determined until 20 weeks - so now it is considered a late term abortion. Even more unbelievable, only four states prohibit abortions based on gender. So yes, we have become China.  China is now finding out that the babies who survive, are spoiled- they have not learned about sharing with brothers/sisters and is an issue hard to deal with as an adult. Why should 45% of Planned Parenthood funding come from the U.S. Taxpayers if that side insists it is their choice and we have a financial cliff? Hitler killed over 6 million Jews-America has murdered over 56 million babies! Remember that when you vote and know where your candidate/party stands on this issue.

A worried woman went to her gynecologist and said: 'Doctor, I have a serious problem and desperately need your help! My baby is not even 1 year old and I'm pregnant again. I don't want kids so close together. So the doctor said: 'Ok and wh...at do you want me to do?' She said: 'I want you to end my pregnancy, and I'm counting on your help with this.' The doctor thought for a little, and after some silence he said to the lady: 'I think I have a better solution for your problem. It's less dangerous for you too.' She smiled, thinking that the doctor was going to accept her request. Then he continued: 'You see, in order for you not to have to take care 2 babies at the same time, let's kill the one in your arms. This way, you could rest some before the other one is born. If we're going to kill one of them, it doesn't matter which one it is. There would be no risk for your body if you chose the one in your arms. The lady was horrified and said: 'No doctor! How terrible! It's a crime to kill a child! 'I agree', the doctor replied. 'But you seemed to be OK with it, so I thought maybe that was the best solution.' The doctor smiled, realizing that he had made his point. He convinced the mom that there is no difference in killing a child that's already been born and one that's still in the womb. The crime is the same!

Pistol Pete Maravich

I was hoping one of my friends would win the Billion Dollar Bracket Challenge.  By last Friday, none of the entrants were still in the running to win Warren Buffett's $1 billion NCAA basketball challenge. Two days in, Mercer's win over Duke Friday was a big upset that shattered the chances of many participants in Warren Buffett’s NCAA Tournament Bracket Challenge vying for the grand prize.  The pick distribution showed 97.6 percent thought Duke's Blue Devils would shut down the Mercer Bears. But even after a single game on the NCAA March Madness tournament's first day, almost 84 percent of participants were already knocked out when Dayton upset Ohio State.  I did not try to fill in my guesses for teams to win. I am not a big sports fan, but would rate basketball as my favorite sport. I did not know Pete Maravich, but I would list him as one of my heros and people I look up to after hearing his life story. I have  heard that story so many times from Focus On The Family. The video was his testimony at a Billy Graham meeting. 

An Innocent Man

Ernest Gordon was a British Army officer captured at sea by the Japanese at the age of twenty-four. Gordon was sent to work on the Burma-Siam railway line that the Japanese were constructing though the dense Thai jungle in preparation for invading India.                      

Thousands of prisoners struggled in 120-degree heat, bare bodies and feet attacked by insects and cut by rocks. But that was nowhere the worst of it. Many dropped dead of exhaustion, malnutrition, and disease. If any appeared to be lagging, a Japanese guard would murder them on the spot. Under these terrible conditions, nearly 400 men died for every mile of track laid -- 80,000 in all.

Interaction among the prisoners had degenerated into barbarous behavior, each man for himself. Then one day a shovel went missing.

Japanese guards carefully counted tools at the end of day’s work, and one day the guard shouted one was missing. Demanding who had stolen it, he screamed “All die! All die!” and raised his rifle to fire at the lineup. At that instant a man stepped forward, stood at attention, and said, “I did it.

The guard killed him immediately, and his fellows collected his corpse. That evening, when the tools were counted again, the work crew discovered there had been a miscount earlier; no shovel was missing.

The word spread like wildfire through the whole camp. An innocent man had been willing to die to save the others! The incident had a profound effect. The men began to treat each other like brothers and look out for one another.

When the victorious Allies swept in, the survivors, human skeletons, lined up in front of their captors … (and instead of attacking their captors) insisted: ‘No more hatred. No more killing Now what we need is forgiveness.’”

Sacrificial love has transforming power. (Gordon tells the full story in his book, Miracle on the River Kwai.)

Comedy Barn

Have you laughed today yet? I love listening to laughter. I love to laugh. I hope my funeral has lots of laughter. Laughter is a good medicine. Laughter increases blood flow and contracts abdominal muscles. A hundred belly laughs is the aerobic equivalent of ten minutes on rowing machine. Laughter is a powerful antidote to stress. Laughter can decrease two key stress hormones that may lead to heart attacks. Laughter can do the same as the drugs called beta-blockers and a lot more fun. Laughter is contagious, promotes learning, unifies hearts and even helps in the healing process. Did you know that by simply telling a joke you are exercising 72 different muscles in your neck, throat, mouth, and tongue? Laughing uses over 100 muscles. No wonder some people say they "laughed 'till they hurt." Six-year-olds laugh an average of 300 times a day. Adults only laugh 15 to 100 times a day. A day without laughter is a day wasted. So go ahead have a good laugh. Watch todays video and see if you can keep from laughing at a simple laugh this dad has- the host could not. watch the guy in the center. This is one of my favorite videos, its called Dad at comedy Barn- let me know if you did not laugh while watching this. If that does not work, try reading the posting below; It that does not work- do a workout program.

A little girl was talking to her teacher about whales. The teacher said it was physically impossible for a whale to swallow a human because even though it was a very large mammal its throat was very small. The little girl stated that Jonah was swallowed by a whale. Irritated, the teacher reiterated that a whale could not swallow a human; it was physically impossible. The little girl said, "When I get to heaven I will ask Jonah". The teacher asked, "What if Jonah went to hell?" The little girl replied, "Then you ask him ".

A Kindergarten teacher was observing her classroom of children while they were drawing. She would occasionally walk around to see each child's work. As she got to one little girl who was working diligently, she asked what the drawing was. The girl replied, "I'm drawing God." The teacher paused and said, "But no one knows what God looks like." Without missing a beat, or looking up from her drawing, the girl replied, "They will in a minute."

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "honor" thy Father and thy Mother, she asked, "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy (the oldest of a family) answered, "Thou shall not kill."

One day a little girl was sitting and watching her mother do the dishes at the kitchen sink. She suddenly noticed that her mother had several strands of white hair sticking out in contrast on her brunette head. She looked at her mother and inquisitively asked, "Why are some of your hairs white, Mom?" Her mother replied, "Well, every time that you do something wrong and make me cry or unhappy, one of my hairs turns white." The little girl thought about this revelation for a while and then said, "Momma, how come ALL of grandma's hairs are white?????

A teacher was giving a lesson on the circulation of the blood. Trying to make the matter clearer, she said, "Now, class, if I stood on my head, the blood, as you know, would run into it, and I would turn red in the face." "Yes," the class said. "Then why is it that while I am standing upright in the ordinary position the blood doesn't run into my feet?" A little fellow shouted, "Cause your feet ain't empty."

It's Up Time

There is a two-letter word that perhaps has more meanings than any other two-letter word, and that is "UP." It's easy to understand UP, meaning toward the sky or at the top of the list, but when we awaken in the morning, why do we wake UP?At a meeting, why does a topic come UP? Why do we speak UP and why are the officers UP for election and why is it UP to the secretary to write UP a report?We call UP our friends And we use it to brighten UP a room, polish UP the silver, we warm UP the leftovers and clean UP the kitchen. We lock UP the house and some guys fix UP the old car.At other times the little word has real special meaning. People stir UP trouble, line UP for tickets, work UP an appetite, and think UP excuses.To be dressed is one thing but to be dressed UP is special. And this UP is confusing:

A drain must be opened UP because it is stopped UP

We open UP a store in the morning but we close it UP at night. We seem to be pretty mixed UP about UP!To be knowledgeable about the proper uses of UP,look the word UP in the dictionary. In a desk-sized dictionary, it takes UP almost 1/4th of the page and can add UP to about thirty definitions .If you are UP to it, you might try building UP a list of the many ways UP is used. It will take UP a lot of your time, but if you don't give UP, you may wind UP with a hundred or more.When it threatens to rain, we say it is clouding UP. When the sun comes out we say it is clearing UP. When it rains, it wets UP the earth. When it doesn't rain for awhile, things dry UP.One could go on and on, but I'll wrap it UP,for now my time is UP, so.............Time to shut UP.....! Oh...one more thing:

What is the first thing you do in the morning& the last thing you do at night? U P

"Listen to this. The New York Times is now reporting it's possible to catch the flu from money. They say the virus can live on a $20 bill for more than 10 days. So, not only is the virus contagious, it's also very frugal."

Treat each day as your last; one day you will be right.

I know a guy who is addicted to brake fluid. He says he can stop anytime.

Debtors Prison

Today is Throw Back Thursday. I made this video 2 years ago. Some things never change and some people never remember. This last weeks news included Link asking how they can spend an additional 400,000 funds they are again receiving-while we are warned how devastating it is to Link and other taxing districts who may have to pay back sales tax to a server farm? We had a mayor saying a part time police chief "may" work and save funds- while claiming his city is financially stable now but no mention of giving back extra taxes previously  imposed? We have a governor complaining how his appointees were fired but no mention of an elected official still serving while under federal investigation for criminal  charges? We have legislators offering salary raises to teachers while our local district is threatening to run another levy because the state is not fully funding basic education? One can only laugh.

Here is a news clip from 2001- sadly, a few years later the same mayor reinstated utility taxes and also included cell phones. No mention of a tax rollback still, while the city buys used gas stations for half million dollars, plans for a skywalk to a porn shop area, new snow plow trucks, new paint striper, and the 1% property tax increase each year as well as a 20.00 car tab for city residents.

I'm Watching You Dad

This video is not just for Dads- everyday someone is watching us, how we treat others, our work ethic, the time we spend with our children, how we stand up for what is right and the choices we make. I get so tired of only hearing of those men who make stupid decisions- selfish decisions and forget about the ripple effects so many innocent people- there are so many who we never hear of, who are hero's. I have many in my life who set an example for me. Thank You. I Am Watching You.

I received a devotional from Dennis Rainey that I would like to post below;

11 Rules on Marriage You Won't Learn in School by Dennis Rainey
For many years, e-mails have circulated the country with the outline of a speech attributed to Microsoft founder Bill Gates titled "11 Things You Will Not Learn in School About Jobs." It turns out that Gates never wrote these words or delivered the speech--it was all taken from an article written by Charles J. Sykes in 1996. And it really doesn't matter that Gates wasn't involved, because the piece does a great job of unmasking how feel-good, politically-correct teachings have created a generation of kids with a false concept of reality.

I thought I'd not only pass on these rules, but also make a few of my own--on life.
First, here are the 11 rules of life that you won't learn in school:
Rule 1: Life is not fair--get used to it!
Rule 2: The world won't care about your self-esteem. The world will expect you to accomplish something before you feel good about yourself.
Rule 3: You will not make $60,000 per year right out of high school. You won't be a vice-president with a car phone until you earn both.
Rule 4: If you think your teacher is tough, wait until you get a boss.
Rule 5: Flipping burgers is not beneath your dignity. Your grandparents had a different word for burger flipping--they called it opportunity.
Rule 6: If you mess up, it's not your parents' fault. So don't whine about your mistakes; learn from them.
Rule 7: Before you were born, your parents weren't as boring as they are now. They got that way from paying your bills, cleaning your clothes, and listening to you talk about how cool you thought you were. So before you save the rain forest from the parasites of your parents' generation, try delousing the closet in your own room.
Rule 8: Your school may have done away with winners and losers, but life has not. In some schools, they have abolished failing grades and they'll give you as many times as you want to get the right answer. This doesn't bear the slightest resemblance to anything in real life.
Rule 9: Life is not divided into semesters. You don't get summers off and very few employers are interested in helping you "find yourself." Do that on your own time.
Rule 10: Television is not real life. In real life, people actually have to leave the coffee shop and go to jobs.
Rule 11: Be nice to nerds. Chances are you'll end up working for one

Marriage Picture

 

One cannot go wrong with using the Bible as a guide for successful marriage. That only makes sense since God was the one who designed marriage.  I have a wide variety of marriage videos, with most based on scripture. No matter how wonderful your marriage is, we should always work to make it better. I find it ironic that people complain about the divorce rates- but will do nothing to strengthen and build marriages.

 

Every wrong behavior begins with believing a lie. by Bill Elliff 

Imagine meeting with an engaged couple a few weeks before they are married. With excitement they describe how they met and how their relationship developed. The husband-to-be proudly describes how he set up a perfect romantic evening so he could pop the big question.

Then they surprise you by saying, “We want to get married and have some children. At first we will feel a lot of love for each other. Then we’ll start arguing and hating each other. In a few years, we’ll get a divorce.”

Who would enter marriage intending to get a divorce? And yet, divorce is occurring at alarming rates. A large number of people in my church have been hurt deeply by divorce—they’ve been divorced themselves, or they’ve felt the pain of a parent or relative divorcing.

As common as divorce is, I’m convinced that most of them could be avoided. Mark this down on the tablet of your heart: Every wrong behavior begins with believing a lie. Our culture promotes many deceptions that can quickly destroy a marriage. Here are eight:

Lie #1. "My happiness is the most important thing about my marriage.”  

As a pastor, I can’t tell you how many people have justified breaking up their marriages by saying, “I have to do this. God just wants me to be happy.”

But according to God’s Word, a spouse’s individual happiness is not the purpose for marriage.

The Bible says in Colossians 3:17: “Whatever you do in word or deed,” do for the glory of God. While all parts of creation are to glorify God, mankind was made in God’s very image. Through marriage, husbands and wives are to reflect His character and have children who will reflect His character … all the way to the end of time.

Every marriage knows unhappiness. Every marriage knows conflict. Every marriage knows difficulty. But everyone can be joyful in their marriage by focusing on God’s purposes and His glory instead of individual happiness.

Lie #2. “If I don’t love my spouse any longer, I should get a divorce.”   

It’s a tragedy to lose love in marriage. But the loss of human love can teach us to access a deeper love—the very love of God Himself. That love is patient and kind … it never fails (1 Corinthians 13). It even cares for its enemies.

When human love dies in a marriage, a couple can enter into one of the most exciting adventures they’ll ever have: learning how to love each other with God’s love. Romans 5:5 tells us that this very love “has been poured out within our hearts, through the Holy Spirit.”

Lie #3. “My private immorality does not affect my marriage.”

A lot of people think, I can view pornography in the privacy of my home. It’s just me and my magazine, or computer … it doesn’t affect my marriage.

Oneness in marriage is hijacked by sexual immorality. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:15, “Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute?”

In the 21^st century, there are many ways to join oneself with a prostitute: physically, through the pages of a magazine, on a computer’s video screen, etc. Paul’s advice is the same today as it was thousands of years ago: Flee immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18).

If you take your emotional and sexual energy and spend it on someone else, there will be nothing left for your spouse. Those who continually view pornography or engage in sexual fantasies are isolating themselves.

Lie #4. “My sin (or my spouse’s sin) is so bad that I need to get a divorce.”

The truth is God can fix our failures—any failure. The Bible says to forgive one another, just as God in Christ has forgiven us (Colossians. 3:13).

“But,” you ask, “Doesn’t Matthew 19:9 say that God allows divorce in the case of sexual immorality?” Yes. I believe that it does—when there is an extended period of unrepentance. Yet, nowhere in that passage does God demand divorce. When there is sexual sin, we should seek to redeem the marriage and so illustrate the unfathomable forgiveness of God.

Some of the greatest life messages I know are the marriages of people who have repented from sexual sin and spouses who have forgiven them. Their lives today are living testimonies to the truth found in Joel 2:25: “… I will make up to you for the years that the swarming locust has eaten.”

Lie #5. “I married the wrong person.”

Many people have told me, for example, that they are free to divorce because they married an unbeliever. “I thought he/she would become a Christian, but that didn’t happen. We need to get a divorce.” They recall that they knew it was a mistake, but they married anyway—hoping it would work out. Others claim that they just married someone who wasn’t a good match, someone who wasn’t a true “soul mate.”

A wrong start in marriage does not justify another wrong step. “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good,” says Romans 8:28, “to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.”

God tells us not to be poured into the world’s mold. Instead we are to be transformed and that begins in our minds. By doing this, God will give us exactly what we need for our lives. God’s will for us is good, acceptable, and perfect (Romans 12:1-2).

Here’s the key for those who are now married: The Bible clearly says do not divorce (with the exception for extended, unrepentant sexual immorality). God can take even the worst things of life and work them together for good if we will just trust Him.

Lie #6. “My spouse and I are incompatible.” 

I don’t know a lot of husbands and wives who are truly compatible when they get married. In marriage, God joins together two flawed people.

If I will respond correctly to my spouse’s weaknesses, then God can teach me forgiveness, grace, unconditional love, mercy, humility, and brokenness. The life of a person who believes in Jesus Christ is developed by responses to not only happy things, but also to difficulties. And those very difficulties include weaknesses.

That is why we are told in Colossians 3:12-13 to “put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other.” My spouse’s weaknesses are not hindrances. Instead, they are the doorway to spiritual growth. This is a liberating truth.

If I will respond to my spouse’s shortcomings with unconditional acceptance, my love won’t be based on performance. I won’t say, “You need to live up to these expectations.” I will be able to accept my spouse, weaknesses and all. And that acceptance will swing open the door of change for not only my spouse, but also for me.

Lie #7. “Breaking the marriage covenant won’t hurt me or my children.”

When divorce enters a family, there are always scars. I know this firsthand; although I was an adult when my father committed adultery and divorced my mother, decades later there are still effects. Many consequences of divorce never go away.

Blake Hudspeth, our church’s youth pastor, also understands the pain of divorce. He was 5 years old when his parents divorced, and it was hard for him to understand God as Father and to trust people. “The people I trusted the most split up.” He also found it difficult to accept love from others “because I didn’t know if they truly loved me.” And Blake developed a fear of marriage. “Am I going to follow the trend of divorce, because my parents and grandparents divorced?”

Blake’s father even wrote him and said, “This was the worst decision I made in my life. It was bad. It hurt you. It hurt our family. When I divorced your mom, I divorced our family because I broke a covenant that we were a part of.”

Blake says that his parents (who both remarried) have embraced the gospel, resulting in him readily accepting advice and encouragement from them. “Watching the gospel play out … with my mom and dad was huge,” he says.

Lie #8. “There’s no hope for my marriage—it can’t be fixed.” 

This may be the most devastating lie of all. Because in more than four decades of counseling couples, I’ve seen God do the seeming impossible thousands of times. In a dying marriage, He just needs two willing parties. God knows how to get us out of the messes we get ourselves into.

I tell these couples about people like Chuck and Ann, who were involved in drugs and alcohol before God restored their home. Or Lee and Greg, who were engaged in multiple affairs. God brought them back to Christ and to each other. Now they have six children and a marriage ministry. Or Jim and Carol who had taken off their wedding rings and were living in separate bedrooms and about to live in separate worlds when God redeemed them.

If you begin to think, There is no hope for my marriage, realize that, “With God all things are possible” (Matthew 19:26).

We must combat the lies about marriage. The truth will set us free (John 8:32). God can fix anything!

 Copyright © 2012 by Bill Elliff. Used with permission

 

Changing Tires Can Be Dangerous

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I once applied for a safety officer job and the final question was for me to explain how to change a tire? I never got that job, so must not have been that good at explaining. Perhaps I should have told them how not to change a flat tire instead, as in this video?  I have changed lots of tires, but always do it safely. Make sure you watch out for traffic- in fact having a spotter is good if you are along a busy highway. (just be sure you don't point your arms toward traffic)  I thought this video was cute and brings home a point.

Yesterday, I had a flat tire on the interstate. So I eased my car over to the shoulder of the road, carefully got out of the car and opened the trunk.

I took out two cardboard men, unfolded them and stood them at the rear of my car facing on-coming traffic. They looked so life like you wouldn't believe it! They're dressed in open trench coats that exposed their nude bodies and private parts to the approaching drivers.

But to my surprise, cars started slowing down to look at my lifelike men. And, of course, traffic began backing up. Everybody tooted their horns and waved like crazy. It wasn't long before a state trooper pulled up behind me.

He got out of his car and walked towards me. I could tell he was not a happy camper!
"What's going on here?"
"My car has a flat tire," I said calmly.
"Well, what the hell are those obscene cardboard men doing here by the road?"
I couldn't believe that he didn't know. So I told him, "Helloooooo, those are my emergency flashers!"

 

Traffic Jam Prank

The other day I had my grandkids over to hot tub. I think Caitlyn has learned to tease, as I told her to get out first and I noticed she was trying to lock the outside door so I could not get in? Wonder where they learn such things? Someone sent me this video, and I realize Epic man has quite a few videos out just like this using hidden cameras. I think there are so many cameras out along the roads now- that I would easily make a video of flagging. People get so impatient and worked up over the silliest issues- will they matter two weeks from today? Relax, keep your blood pressure down, and have a good day- someone may be watching you when you least expect it.

An elderly woman decided to prepare her will and told her preacher she had two final requests.
First, she wanted to be cremated, and second, she wanted her ashes scattered over Wal-Mart.
'Wal-Mart?' the preacher exclaimed.
'Why Wal-Mart?'
'Then I'll be sure my daughters visit me twice a week.'

Bubbly

The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140 for a middle income family.. Talk about sticker shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition.

But $160,140 isn't so bad if you break it down. It translates into:

* $8,896.66 a year, * $741.38 a month, or * $171.08 a week. * That's a mere $24.24 a day! * Just over a dollar an hour.

Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be "rich." Actually, it is just the opposite. What do you get for your $160,140? * Naming rights. First, middle, and last! * Glimpses of God every day. * Giggles under the covers every night. * More love than your heart can hold. * Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs. * Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies. * A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate. * A partner for blowing bubbles, flying kites * Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said or how your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140, you never have to grow up. You get to: * finger-paint, * carve pumpkins, * play hide-and-seek, * catch lightning bugs, and * never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have a n excuse to: * keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh, * watching Saturday morning cartoons, * going to Disney movies, and * wishing on stars. * You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets and collect spray painted noodle wreaths for Christmas, hand prints set in clay or Mother's Day, and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For $160,140, there is no greater bang for your buck. You get to be a hero just for: * retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof, * taking the training wheels off a bike, * re moving a splinter, * filling a wading pool, * coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs, and coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat to history to witness the: * first step, * first word, * first bra, * first date, and * first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal. You get another branch added to your family tree, and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren. You get an education in psychology, nursing, criminal justice, communications, and human sexuality that no college can match.

In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God. You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, So . one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost. That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children (and  grandchildren)!!!!!!!

“Don’t worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.”

 “To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives today”

“If you want your children to improve, let them overhear the nice things you say about them to others.”

“Parents need to fill a child’s bucket of self-esteem so high that the rest of the world can’t poke enough holes to drain it dry.”

“The guys who fear becoming fathers don’t understand that fathering is not something perfect men do, but something that perfects the man. The end product of child raising is not the child but the parent.”

“If I had my child to raise all over again, I’d build self-esteem first, and the house later. I’d finger-paint more, and point the finger less. I would do less correcting and more connecting. I’d take my eyes off my watch, and watch with my eyes. I’d take more hikes and fly more kites. I’d stop playing serious, and seriously play. I would run through more fields and gaze at more stars. I’d do more hugging and less tugging.“

  

Old Barns, Old People

I often joke how everyone is getting old except for you and I, but deep down I know that is a joke and its no fun getting older. I often wish old houses (and barns) could talk, and to hear what they could tell.(the ones older than myself) This video is called old barns and old people- I am thankful for my family and friends who have weathered the storms of life and so encouraged me. Many have already gone on and others continue to stand by me and encourage me. So to those of us who are getting older, this video is for you.

 

'I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly.

 

Proverbs 16:31 Gray hair is a mark of distinction, the award for a God-loyal life.
Proverbs 20:29 Youth may be admired for vigor, but gray hair gives prestige to old age.

 

here is a list of Senior Discounts- gotta ask for them though;

RESTAURANTS:

Applebee's: 15% off with Golden Apple Card (60+)

Arby's: 10% off ( 55 +)

Boston Market: 10% off (65+)

Burger King: 10% off (60+)

Chick-Fil-A: 10% off or free small drink or coffee ( 55+)

Chili's: 10% off ( 55+)

Denny's: 10% off, 20% off for AARP members ( 55 +)

Dunkin' Donuts: 10% off or free coffee ( 55+)

Golden Corral: 10% off (60+)

Hardee's: $0.33 beverages everyday (65+)

IHOP: 10% off ( 55+)

Jack in the Box: up to 20% off ( 55+)

KFC: free small drink with any meal ( 55+)
Krispy Kreme: 10% off ( 50+)
McDonald's: discounts on coffee everyday ( 55+)
Mrs. Fields: 10% off at participating locations (60+)
Sonic: 10% off or free beverage (60+)

Subway: 10% off (60+)

Taco Bell : 5% off; free beverages for seniors (65+)

TCBY: 10% off ( 55+)

Village Inn: 10% off (60+)

Waffle House: 10% off every Monday (60+)

Wendy's: 10% off ( 55 +)

RETAIL & APPAREL :

Banana Republic: 30% off ( 50 +)

Big Lots: 30% off

C.J. Banks: 10% off every Wednesday (50+)

Clarks : 10% off (62+)

Dress Barn: 20% off ( 55+)

Goodwill: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Hallmark: 10% off one day a week (date varies by location)

Kmart: 40% off (Wednesdays only) ( 50+)

Kohl's: 15% off (60+)Modell's Sporting Goods: 30% off

Rite Aid: 10% off on Tuesdays & 10% off prescriptions

Ross Stores: 10% off every Tuesday ( 55+)

The Salvation Army Thrift Stores: up to 50% off ( 55+)

TRAVEL :

Airlines:

Alaska Airlines: 50% off (65+)

American Airlines: various discounts for 50% off non-peak periods (Tuesdays - Thursdays) (62+)and up (call before booking for discount)

Continental Airlines: no initiation fee for Continental Presidents Club & special fares for select destinations

Southwest Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

United Airlines: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

U.S. Airways: various discounts for ages 65 and up (call before booking for discount)

Rail:

Amtrak: 15% off (62+)

Bus:

Greyhound: 15% off (62+)

Trailways Transportation System: various discounts for ages 50+

Car Rental:

Alamo Car Rental: up to 25% off for AARP members

Avis: up to 25% off for AARP members

Budget Rental Cars: 40% off; up to 50% off for AARP members ( 50+)

Dollar Rent-A-Car: 10% off ( 50+) Enterprise Rent-A-Car: 5% off for AARP members Hertz: up to 25% off for AARP members

National Rent-A-Car: up to 30% off for AARP members

Overnight Accommodations:

Holiday Inn: 20-40% off depending on location (62+)

Best Western: 40% off (55+)

Cambria Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Waldorf Astoria - NYC $5,000 off nightly rate for Presidential Suite (55 +)

Clarion Motels: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Comfort Suites: 20%-30% off (60+)

Econo Lodge: 40% off (60+)

Hampton Inns & Suites: 40% off when booked 72 hours in advance

Hyatt Hotels: 25%-50% off (62+)

InterContinental Hotels Group: various discounts at all hotels (65+)

Mainstay Suites: 10% off with Mature Traveler's Discount (50+); 20%-30% off (60+)

Marriott Hotels: 25% off (62+)

Motel 6: Stay Free Sunday nights (60+)

Myrtle Beach Resort: 30% off ( 55 +)

Quality Inn: 40%-50% off (60+)

Rodeway Inn: 20%-30% off (60+)

Sleep Inn: 40% off (60+)

ACTIVITIES & ENTERTAINMENT ;:

AMC Theaters: up to 30% off ( 55 +)

Bally Total Fitness: $100 off memberships (62+)

Busch Gardens Tampa, FL: $13 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

Carmike Cinemas: 35% off (65+)

Cinemark/Century Theaters: up to 35% off

Massage Envy - NYC 20% off all "Happy Endings" (62 +)

U.S. National Parks: $10 lifetime pass; 50% off additional services including camping (62+)

Regal Cinemas: 50% off Ripley's Believe it or Not: @ off one-day ticket ( 55 +)

SeaWorld, Orlando , FL : $3 off one-day tickets ( 50 +)

CELL PHONE DISCOUNTS :

AT&T: Special Senior Nation 200 Plan $19.99/month (65+)

Verizon Wireless: Verizon Nationwide 65 Plus Plan $29.99/month (65+).

MISCELLANEOUS:

Great Clips: $8 off hair cuts (60+)

Supercuts: $8 off haircuts (60+)

 

Meet John Daker

Who says church cannot be funny? It does not take much to make me laugh though. I admire people who can use humor as they bring home a point- not only the power of laughter, but the power of leaving an impression- still trying to figure out what kind of impression I will leave by posting this video. All I can say, he sings better than I do. Enjoy the video, Meet Mr. Daker.

For those who cannot view the video- my point below is the importance of laughter in our lives and need to laugh more- I hope you have laughed 7 or 8 times today already. I copied below for you;

Homegrown laughter may be what ailing couples need most. Uniquely human, laughter is, first and foremost, a social signal--it disappears when there is no audience, which may be as small as one other person--and it binds people together. It synchronizes the brains of speaker and listener so that they are emotionally attuned.

These are the conclusions of Robert Provine, Ph.D., a neuroscientist who found that laughter is far too fragile to dissect in the laboratory. Instead, he observed thousands of incidents of laughter spontaneously occurring in everyday life, and wittily reports the results in Laughter: A Scientific Investigation (Penguin Books, 2001).

Laughter establishes--or restores--a positive emotional climate and a sense of connection between two people, who literally take pleasure in the company of each other. For if there's one thing Dr. Provine found it's that speakers laugh even more than their listeners. Of course levity can defuse anger and anxiety, and in so doing it can pave the path to intimacy.

Most of what makes people laugh is not thigh-slapper stuff but conversational comments. "Laughter is not primarily about humor," says Dr. Provine, "but about social relationships."

Among some of his surprising findings:

- The much vaunted health benefits of laughter are probably coincidental, a consequence of it's much more important primary goal: bringing people together. In fact, the health benefits of laughter may result from the social support it stimulates.

- Laughter plays a big role in mating. Men like women who laugh heartily in their presence.

- Both sexes laugh a lot, but females laugh more--126 percent more than their male counterparts. Men are more laugh-getters.

- The laughter of the female is the critical index of a healthy relationship
- Laughter in relationships declines dramatically as people age.

- Like yawning, laughter is contagious; the laugher of others is irresistible

Secrets 0f Old Age

Someone did a great job on this video, it was sent to me, and I had to share it with you today. It is an old song by Don McClean called Starry Starry Night- sometimes we forget to enjoy each day and each moment- we are too busy? In fact it took me several times to watch this video to the end due to distractions?

Without Money- We would All Be Rich!

No one Falls in Love by Choice, It is by Chance.

No one stays in love by Chance, it is by Work!

Happy Moments- Praise God

 Difficult Moments- Seek God

Quiet Moments-Worship God

Painful Moments- Trust God

Most seniors never get enough exercise. So, in his wisdom, God decreed that seniors would become forgetful that they would have to search for their glasses, keys, and other things misplaced and move around more. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God saw there was yet another need. So God in his wisdom made seniors lose coordination that they would drop things, which would require them to bend and reach and stretch. And God looked down and saw that it was good.

Then God considered the functioning of senior bladders and decided that in His wisdom there might be calls of nature more frequently, requiring more walking to the relief station, which would burn calories. God looked down and saw that it was good. Seniors were obliged to exercise more from

these senior shortcomings and did become more active as a result.

So if you find you are required to get up and down more as you age, remember it's God's will and in your best interest, even though you mutter under your breath.

Amen! Let it be! And it is good. *

-Author known only to God-

Beautiful In My Eyes

It was around this date 42 years ago I started dating Janice. We attended state basketball tournament in Tacoma, she was staying with her sister at McChord and we double dated. I first met her in my history class when I moved to Coulee Dam in Sept. of 1971. We got to walk down the graduation isle together and then she would attend Eastern Washington University and I would attend Northwest University. I could see I was running out of money and figured with the phone bills, it would be cheaper to get married?? I did drop out after first semester and set a April 13th wedding date in 1974. that was the smartest move I made and do not regret it. I made this video several years ago to the song called Beautiful In My Eyes.

I have bad luck with women. A woman I was dating told me on the phone, “I have to go, there’s a telemarketer on the other line.”

It costs a lot of money to date. I took a girl out to dinner the other night. I said, “What’ll you have?” She said, “I guess I’ll have the steak and lobster.” I said “Guess again.”

A girl brought home her fiance, a theology student, to meet her parents for the first time. Her father was keen to learn what prospects the boy had.  "How do you plan to make a living?" asked the father. "I don't know," said the student, "but God will provide." The father raised his eyebrows. "Do you own a car?" "No," said the student, "but God will provide." "I see. And where are you thinking of living once you're married?"  "No idea, but I'm sure God will provide."  Later the mother asked the father what he thought of their prospective son-in-law.  "Not a lot, really," sighed the father. "He's got no money and seems to have given precious little thought to the future. But on the other hand, he thinks I'm God!"

What is the Church

 We started attending our church home here the evening after Christmas Sunday in 1987. That was almost 28 years ago. I am so thankful for our pastor and family we have there. This is a great time to start attending church if you are not already! 

You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ...

the finance committee refuses to provide funds for the purchase of a chandelier because none of the members knows how to play one.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... people ask, when they learn that Jesus fed the 5000, whether the two fish were bass or catfish, and what bait was used to catch 'em.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... when the pastor says, "I'd like to ask Bubba to help take up the offering," four guys stand up.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... on the opening day of deer season the church is closed.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... a member of the church requests to be buried in his 4-wheel-drive truck because "It ain't never been in a hole it couldn't get out of"
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the choir is known as the "OK Chorale".
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... in a congregation of 500 members, there are only seven last names in the church directory.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... people think "rapture" is what you get when you lift something too heavy.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the baptismal pool is a #2 galvanized "Wheeling" washtub.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the choir robes were donated by (and embroidered with the logo from) Billy Bob's Barbecue.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the collection plates are really hubcaps from a 1956 Chevy pick up truck.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... instead of a bell you are called to service by a duck call.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the minister and his wife drive matching pickup trucks.
You Know You're in a Redneck Church if ... "Thou shall not covet" applies to huntin' dogs, too.
You know You're in a Redneck Church if ... the final words of the benediction are, "Y'all come back now, Ya hear."

6 Tips on Joining a Church Community

Getting involved in a solid church is critical for a married couple.

by James Lepine

Two years ago I moved to Denver.  I was pursuing the woman who is now my wife.  She was starting at Denver Seminary, pursuing a master's degree in counseling.  I was working from home at the time, so finding work wouldn't be an issue.

I arrived in town on a Sunday, and that night EA and I took off to try the first church on our list.  Being new to town, we ended up driving around for 30 minutes without any luck in finding it.  We threw up our hands and gave up.

The next week I think we ended up perusing websites, and eventually decided not to go anywhere.  We were 0-2.

The following Sunday we were determined.  We drove downtown, and after finally finding a parking spot we showed up for our first Sunday morning service.

This particular church was celebrating its fifth birthday, and—this being our first visit—we sort of felt like we'd shown up in a living room with a bunch of people we didn't know as they reminisced over the past five years.

The next week we showed up at our current church—Park Church.  About 30 minutes into the service, I leaned over to EA and said, "I think this is the one."  She nodded her head in agreement.

After the service, we went to the quick “Introductions Meeting” and learned more about the church.

That Thursday night, we showed up at one of the many small groups happening around the city.

The next Sunday, I played bass guitar with the worship band.

The Sunday after that, we greeted folks as they walked in the door and we administered the elements during Communion.

And we haven't looked back.

I'm now a music deacon at Park Church, and EA is heavily involved with all things aesthetic … so when we want things to look dark and heavy on Good Friday, or full of life and light on Easter Sunday, EA is a
big part of making that happen.

Two years ago, we had no idea that we would end up buying a condo in Denver—that we would love this place and feel so committed to it.  And joining a church community has been the driving force in that, without a doubt.

A church community is important

For some couples, especially when they show up in a new city, it's easy to go into isolation mode and not meet any new people.  I want to strongly encourage you to avoid that temptation; getting involved in a solid church community is critical for any married couple.

Just last night, we had about 20 people over to our house for our small group meeting.  After discussing the sermon, we broke into a guys' group and a girls' group.  We talked about what's going on in our lives and prayed for each other.

One of the guys who has been showing up for about a month spoke up.  "Last year was one of the darkest years of our lives," he said.  "I was working nearly 80 hours a week, and my wife started having serious panic attacks.  We've grown a lot, but I would never wish the year we had upon anyone."

But then he said that the past month had been one of the best months of their lives.  "Since we started showing up here, my wife hasn't had a panic attack.  And as I enter another year of teaching, I'm determined not to let it take me over like it did last year.  And I need you guys to call me out if I stop showing up here."

Now you might be thinking, That would never happen to me!  And you might be right.  But I hope that story highlights the importance of having others around you who know and love you—who will keep you accountable and seek your best.

Here are a few tips on getting established in a new church, based on our experience:

1. Dive in and serve. There's a tendency among church-goers to consume and complain.  Meaning, they sit in the pews and listen to the music and the preacher and then find things to nitpick about.

This is my charge to you:  Don’t fall into that trap.  Get involved.  Serve.  If you don't like something, find a way to respectfully bring it up with the leadership.  And come to the meeting with a solution (that you can implement) in mind.

2. Show up consistently. Film director Woody Allen once said, "Seventy percent of success in life is showing up."  The same could be said about building community at your church.

Make church a priority.  If you have to schedule a flight home a little earlier to make it to church, do it.  If you have to come home early from camping, do it.  If you're tired and overwhelmed, go to church anyway.  In fact, go because you're tired and overwhelmed.  And if you go to a church where you can't show up tired and overwhelmed … it might be time to switch churches.

Hebrews 10:23-25 tells us, “Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who
promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” It's important that we are reminded of the gospel on a consistent basis—in the songs that we sing, the messages we hear, and the elements we consume. 

So show up.  On Sundays.  To other events, too.  It's important.  So act like it!

3. Invite people into your home (even if you only have 600 square feet). Our first apartment was tiny—only 600 square feet.  But definitely enough room to have a couple over for dinner. 

Often, we'd have 10-20 folks over on the weekend, too.  We found a way to make it work.  And we all grew closer together because of it.

There are conversations that will happen in your home that will never occur at church.  Inviting people over provides a context for them to open up and share their lives with you … and for you to do the same. It provides a context for you to not only get to know each other better, but also to speak truth to each other.

Having people over gives us the opportunity to live out the things we hear taught at church on Sunday.  It gives us the opportunity to help each other transform into the type of people God wants us to be.

4. Invite friends to join you. Not long after moving to Denver, I started recruiting my friends from Arkansas to come join me. About nine months later, one of them came. Three months after that, two more moved.

And I'm working on another two.

If you have close friends who are able to relocate, ask them to come join your community.  It's important to have close friends around, and it often makes building that community that much easier.

5. Do it even when you don’t want to. We host a small group on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m.  And without fail, every Tuesday at 4 p.m. I I start thinking, Man, I really don't want to have people over tonight.  Maybe we should cancel.

And then, every Tuesday night at about 8:30, I start thinking, I'm so glad we did that.  My soul is refreshed.

There will be days when you want to quit.  To burrow into a hole and isolate yourself.

Resist the urge.  Realize that community is hard, but community is good.  As Hebrews 13:1-2 says,
“Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares.”

6. Do it with others in mind. We have a newly-married couple in our small group.  They first came to our group about a month before getting married.  I still remember their first week back after the honeymoon.

When we split into groups of guys and girls for personal discussion and prayer, I asked this new husband how married life was treating him.  He answered, "Not great.  We had a huge fight yesterday.  We're almost back to normal, but not quite there yet."

All the married guys in the group smiled knowingly, and I told him, "I'm really glad you're here, man."  We did our best to speak truth into his life and pray for him.  I think he left feeling encouraged.

Philippians 2:4 reminds us, “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.”  Keep this in mind: If you're hosting a small group at your house, it's not primarily about you.  It's about the folks showing up every week and what they're struggling with.   It's about listening to them and praying with them.

It's not easy, but it's good.

Copyright © 2013 by James Lepine. Used with permission.