Rantings of a Sane Man

Death's Door

2011-01-25T12:09:00.003-05:00

I recently enjoyed watching the Japanese film Departures. It's a story about a Japanese man who lost his job and, by mistake, found another job preparing bodies for burial. Watching how he and his boss reverently prepared the bodies was amazing. I'm not an expert on burial practices from around the world, but I have witnessed some foreign ways and was totally impressed with their care during the process and their sensitivity towards the bereaved family as they watched their loved one being prepared for burial. (Yes, Japanese families watch. Definitely not something done here!) However, in Japan, death is a very taboo subject to openly discuss and he had several obstacles to overcome in order to make money for his family. In the end, he was able to take pride in his work because of something a family friend told him:

Death is not the end. It is a door into the next life.

How true that statement is.

However, unlike most people's way of thinking today, the door of death only leads to two very different places. One is Heaven; the other is Hell. There are no other destinations. Most people today think that by being good, doing good works, helping the poor, being kind, etc. will help them cross this door into Paradise. Others believe that they will be reborn in another life and the type of life they have then will be determined by what they do in this present life. Sadly, these self-delusioned people find out quickly that they were wrong.

The only way to Heaven is through the shed blood of Christ and in Him alone. Acts 4:12 states, "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven, given among men, whereby we must be saved." Walking down paths of enlightenment, traveling to holy Meccas once a year, doing good works for your fellow humans, or coming back as anything better in another life are all paths that lead from Death's door into the place of everlasting punishment and torment. The only path that leads to eternal life is the narrow, blood-stained path of Jesus Christ. He is the only Way to spend Eternity with God the Father.

Have you chosen the path of Jesus? Or do you continue in your own way through Death's door to everlasting fire?

Why We Cry

2011-01-20T20:54:00.002-05:00

Crying is, in my opinion, a God-given way for humans to heal. The body uses it to release pain, guilt, frustration, and sadness. Some people wail; others silently shed tears. Each of us has our own way of expressing our feelings through tears. With each tear shed, the feelings slowly begin to lose their grip on us and we can begin to return to some sense of normalcy.

There are many reasons we cry. We cry when we are physically injured. We cry when someone hurts us emotionally through shame, disgrace, or downright meanness. We cry when we see or hear something sad, i.e. music, a movie, a story. We cry when we are angry and frustrated.

But I believe that one of the deepest and most lasting reasons we cry is when we lose someone very close to us. I believe it to be one of the greatest causes of weeping this side of eternity. When we lose a loved one, especially suddenly, a huge, gaping void is created in our lives and the only way to express that void is through crying. We realize that that person and the place he or she held in our lives can never be replaced. Their existence in our innermost being cannot be filled by any other person or thing no matter how much we try to make something else fill that void. The pain of losing it is as if part of yourself has been ripped out and thrown away.

The only thing that will calm the raw nerves is time. Yes, the hole will always remain. But with time, the edges will be softened and the pain will become less raw and more pensive and melancholy. And for those of us who know where we are going when we die, the pain becomes bittersweet and can contain a small amount of jealousy. Even though we are parted, we know we will see them again one day and will be able to spend eternity with them.

Tucson

2011-01-10T21:40:00.002-05:00

Yet another tragic event has occurred on American soil. We Americans, who pride ourselves on freedom and liberty for all, seem to be becoming more known for violent acts. Everyone else in the world seems to wait for the next such act and wonders in which part of the country it will occur next.

As usual, the media descends on the area like vultures to a freshly killed carcass. Each one wants to get the freshest scoop, the latest bit of new, in order to garner the most ratings. Sometimes I really wonder if it's about the news itself, the real people involved, or it is just for a higher Nielsen. Be that it may, one quote from Rep. Giffords brother-in-law, Scott Kelly, caught my eye. He stated from the International Space Station that he sees "a very beautiful planet that seems very inviting and peaceful. Unfortunately, it's not." He goes on to say, "These days, we are constantly reminded of the unspeakable acts of violence and damage we can inflict upon one another, not just with our actions, but also with our irresponsible words. We are better than this; we must do better."

While I understand his thoughts given the tragic events of this past Saturday, I must say that I disagree with him somewhat. We are not better than this act or any other wrong committed, whether intentional or unintentional. Mankind is full of sin. Jeremiah 17:9 states, "The heart is deceitful above all things, who can know it?" John 3:23 tells is that "all have sinned and come short of the glory of God."

Nor can we do better by ourselves. Nothing that we do in our own strength will make us or the world a better place. Contrary to popular belief and what is taught heavily in our educational system, mankind is not, nor ever will, get better by his own actions. He is getting more and more evil by the generation and, if God wouldn't intervene, he would eventually be nothing more than a putrid mass of humanity that thinks solely of himself and what pleases him.

Thankfully God had a different plan for this world He created. From the very beginning, He gave His Son to be the sacrifice for a sin-cursed world. All one has to do is believe that Jesus Christ died for his or her sins and gave His blood to cover all the sins of humanity past, present, and future. Nothing more; nothing less.

If this world would actually see and understand, then, yes, we can and would do better. But the only way it will ever happen is when the Lord returns in all His glory.

Until then, more Tucsons will happen all across this planet we call Earth.

Are you ready to meet Him?

Drugged

2011-01-06T20:09:00.003-05:00

I was sent an email today. It was from some Louisiana newspaper's editorial page with the following note from the editor:

The following letter has appeared on the internet and was viewed by many readers. Many felt it would be appropriate for the readers of Avoyelles Parish.

Here is the letter:

The other day, someone at a store in our town read that a Methamphetamine lab had been found in an old farm house in the adjoining county and he asked me a rhetorical question, "Why didn't we have a drug problem when you and I were growing up?"
I replied, "I had a drug problem when I was young: I was drug to church on Sunday morning. I was drug to church for weddings and funerals. I was drug to family reunions and community socials no matter the weather.
I was drug by my ears when I was disrespectful to adults. I was also drug to the woodshed when I disobeyed my parents, told a lie, brought home a bad report card, did not speak with respect, spoke ill of the teacher or the preacher, or if I didn't put forth my best effort in everything that was asked of me.
I was drug to the kitchen sink to have my mouth washed out with soap if I uttered profanity. I was drug out to pull weeds in mom's garden and flower beds and cockleburs out of dad's fields. I was drug to the homes of family, friends, and neighbors to help out some poor soul who had no one to mow the yard, repair the clothesline or chop some firewood, and, if my mother had ever known that I took a single dime as a tip for this kindness, she would have drug me back to the woodshed.
Those drugs are still in my veins and they affect my behavior in everything I do, say, or think. They are stronger than cocaine, crack, or heroin; and, if today's children had this kind of drug problem, America would be a better place.
God bless the parents who drugged us.
Submitted by a concerned citizen

Doesn't this little "rant" speak volumes?

Minnesota??

2010-12-27T20:14:00.003-05:00

All day long, I have been clicking the heels of my ruby slippers over and over and over again while wistfully chanting "there's no place like home...there's no place like home". I feel as if I have transported to Minnesota for the month of December and I want to take Toto and return home to Auntie Em. Raleigh has received four (Yes! Four!) snowfalls this month and three out of the four fell before winter officially began!! (OK! OK! I will concede that those three were just a dusting or a smidge more, but it's still not normal for here in December.)

To top off the month, we had our first white Christmas in 63 years!!! Yes! It snowed on Christmas in Raleigh. For countless native North Carolinians, a white Christmas was just something they sang about while knowing deep down they would never experience one. Well, that all changed this past weekend. Anywhere from 6-13 inches covered Eastern North Carolina with a lovely white blanket of frozen fluff. That amount was the largest since the "Storm of the Century" back in 2000 when we received around 22 inches of snow in one night.

(Now before all you Yankees and other assorted Northerners start scoffing and laughing your heads off, I will ask you to read here first.)

I did enjoy my first, and probably last, white Christmas. It was a beautiful sight! But I am ready for the North Carolina winter that I know and love to return. And I may get my wish because it looks as if my ruby heel clicking just might be working. The weather forecast for this weekend shows the temperatures in the 60s.

All together now (complete with fist pump)...

YES!!!!!!!!!!!

Adiós

2010-12-23T19:10:00.006-05:00

Adiós is the Spanish word for "good-bye". It literally means "to God". I think this word is very fitting for today because I have to say adiós to my best friend, Noel Toral Romero. He is now with his Creator and has left me here to grieve the loss of my best friend.

Never would I have thought when I first met him through a Christian pen pal website that we would quickly become so close. He lived in Xalapa, Mexico, and I lived in Raleigh, North Carolina. How can two people living in two very different countries become best friends? I have no idea how we did, but it happened. In December of the same year we met. I traveled to Mexico for the first time and met him face to face. I will never forget that time together. Since then I traveled there many other times and he also traveled here to visit me. Each time, it was like we had never parted and we enjoyed each others company. We were not alike in many ways but we complimented each other in a way I never knew possible.

Please bear with me as I go down memory lane...

Noel, I never thought I would have to go through this time so soon. You have left me here alone and have gone to a better place with our Lord and your mother. I will never forget our first meeting and my feeling of being greeted by a "sea of Mexican people" on my first visit. Thank you for making my first trip to Mexico a very special one. I will never forget all the wonderful Mexican dishes you shared with me. From now on, every time I eat a garnacha, arrachera, or taco al pastor or drink an horchata de coco, you will always be on my mind. Our trips to Catemaco, Veracruz, Naolinco, Mexico City, Cancun, Xico, and Coatepec will always be cherished memories. There are so many memories flooding my memory right now that I can't sort through them properly. Your family was always welcoming to me and made me feel like part of their family.

I will never look at Disney in the same way. You were so filled with love for all things Disney that I couldn't help but enjoy it along with you. You taught me that it's OK for a grown man to get caught up in the moment of singing "It's a Small World" and "Part of Your World".

¡Gracias por todos, mi hermano! Nunca te olvidaré. Siempre serás mi amigo mejor. ¡¡Te quiero mucho, hermano!! Siempre serás parte de mi mundo.

Noel Toral Romero
February 14, 1965-December 23, 2010

Baking Weekend

2010-12-14T21:57:00.004-05:00

May I please have a moment?

[pause]

[pause]

WHEW!!!!!!!

[pause]

[pause]

Thanks for allowing me a moment to collect my sanity.

This past weekend was busy!! It was the annual Fowler Christmas Bake-off where I don my chef's hat, cheerleader skirt and pom poms, and coach's whistle while arming myself with the tools of the trade and make my way down to the Fowler's chalet to begin the processes of measuring, chopping, beating, whirring, and baking individual ingredients into something that will be absolutely scrumptious.

This year was more of a challenge because a nameless someone wasn't very motivated (by her own admission!). After a few false starts and a few surprise realizations of forgotten ingredients where mad dashes to the grocery store had to be made, the baking was off at a good pace. However, because of school projects that happened to be due around the same time, the activities slowed somewhat and the first day ended up rather late into the night. After Sunday dinner, the kitchen again saw multiple activities and finally all baking was done and gift bags assembled and in the van before 9 PM.

Because of the slight delays in the weekend, the personal baking I had planned had to be delayed a day. When I came home from work yesterday, I started up the kitchen here right after supper and made 2 batches of cookies and a batch of fudge in the span of 3 hours. To get that accomplished, I had to employ the help of two sous-chefs. With their help, I was able to finish my task in a lot shorter time than if I had done it all alone.

As always, I had fun. Little talks along the way make the time together more enjoyable. One little question, however, sticks out in my mind as absolutely hilarious. While enjoying a rousing rendition of "I Want a Hippopotamus for Christmas," the question was asked if hippos really are vegetarians.

My response, complete with the appropriate eye-rolling, was "When was the last time you saw a hippo stalking prey???".

Infamous

2010-12-07T22:40:00.002-05:00

In the words of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, today was a "day that will live in infamy". Today marks the 68th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. The Japanese, in a surprise attack, flew over the Pacific Ocean and wreaked devastating results on the US Pacific Naval Fleet in a manner of a few hours before returning to their base. In a flash, the USA was plunged into a war that it has previously tried to avoid with a national policy of isolationism.

With that attack came the inevitable feelings of shock and disbelief. These feelings quickly turned into renewed sense of patriotism and anger, which was understandably directed towards all things Japanese. Unfortunately, this anger also took aim at the Japanese-Americans that were living here, in Canada, and even throughout Latin America. These American citizens were quickly rounded up in the early months of 1942 and taken to internment camps to stay for the duration of the war. Their only crime was being Japanese or of Japanese descent. In the wake of the Pearl Harbor incident, government-sanctioned racism, civil rights violations and just downright ugliness ran rampant throughout the United States.

Are these actions that much removed from the beginnings of Nazi persecution of the Jews? I don't believe that they were. Thankfully, we didn't keep going down that slippery path. But nevertheless, we were no less guilty as a nation than the Nazis. Of course, it was all seen as justifiable because of what had happened and because of the fear that the Japanese-Americans' loyalty couldn't be trusted. What about the loyalty of any other American? Does color or ethnicity really have anything to do with loyalty to a particular country?

Fast forward a few decades to September 11, 2001. We all remember that day. Did we learn lessons from World War II? Even after 9 years, how do we react to people of Middle Eastern descent? Do we make fun of them and their dress? Do we wonder if everyone of that ethnicity we meet is loaded with guns or bombs? Do we just plain distrust them because of their heritage?

Don't get me wrong. I have some of the same feelings. But I also realize that they are just as American as I am. Many were born right on the same soil where I was born. Many of my ancestors came from Germany. Does that make me guilty for the sins Nazi Germany? Should my family have been locked up in internment camps during World War II? I do understand that acts of war and war itself are very uncertain times where black and white does not always come into view. May we always try to keep an open mind during these trying times in order to make sure that all who are innocent not be punished or destroyed for being similar to the enemy of the time.

Zoological Inaccuracies

2010-12-04T22:20:00.003-05:00

There are some ideas about the natural world that "ordinary" people have that have always driven me crazy. They use incorrect words to describe animals without thinking what they are really saying. (Of course, that problem goes way beyond Zoology, but that will be another entry!) So without further ado, I will now list my pet peeves when it comes to biology and the common people. Take careful notes. One never knows when there will be a pop quiz!

1) Deer do not have horns; they have antlers!

2) There are no deer in Africa. The graceful creatures seen running around the savannas and creeping through rain forests are antelopes. They are not even in the same family as deer!!

3) All bugs are insects, but not all insects are bugs. Neither is a spider a bug nor a centipede, millipede, mite, etc.

4) No snake is poisonous. Poison is something ingested or taken on the skin. Hence the name for Poison Ivy or Poison Sumac. However, some snakes are venomous; venom must be injected.

5) Animals are not just 4-footed creatures that walk on land. Animals include birds, fish, insects, sponges, sea jellies, mollusks, echinoderms, and many other creatures.

6) Polar Bears (Ursus arctos) do not eat penguins. They do not live in the same place.

7) Bats are not blind. True, some do not have good vision, but they can see nonetheless. It would be better to use the expression "Blind as a cavefish".

8) Buffaloes have never roamed the prairies of the American West. Bison are the majestic creatures of western lore.

9) Cranes, storks, and herons are not the same bird!!!!!!!!! Big differences between them.

10) The Cheetah (Acionyx jubatus), the Leopard (Panthera pardus), and the Jaguar (Panthera onca) are very different from each other. They should never be confused with the other.

I will stop here for now. The list could go on and on and on, but I want each one of you to get a complete grasp on the simple concepts I have just listed without taxing your brains. :-)

Remember, a pop quiz can happen at anytime. Be prepared!!

Don't Feed The Geese

2010-11-23T23:36:00.002-05:00

This past weekend, I was chatting with a friend of mine from Nepal. He is single and is looking for a Godly wife for himself. He asked me if I was concerned about getting married. I told him that I wasn't really too concerned and that if God's plan for me is to be single, I am content with it. He then told me that living is not that easy in Nepal and it's always good for them to be married because they will take care of each other as they grow older. He said that it's not the same here because we have the government to take care of us as we age. (Ouch!)

Fast forward to today as I was leaving, and I again noticed the signs by the small pond at work. They read "Please do not feed the geese". A gaggle of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) make their home there and feel free to use it as they please. If the people there started feeding them, they would soon become more and more of a nuisance. They would start depending on the humans for more and more of the livelihood and really make a mess of things. We have to play Goose-Poop-Hopscotch enough now! Just think of Rock Pigeons (Columba livia) in a park or sheep in a pasture. If it weren't for the park visitors or the shepherd, they would not be as plump as they are.

As I left work today, I combined these two threads and thought about our own country. Are we feeding the geese? I believe we are. Everyone seems to want a handout from the government. No one wants to give up what is "rightfully" theirs because they "worked hard" to put that away. But did they really? Is it really wise to let a government use your money in such a manner? Perhaps if we as a nation learned to feed ourselves and ignore the temptation to accept free handouts that in the long run hurt more than they help, we would see a great change in the way this country handles itself. Yes, there are poor among us, but if we took care of them as a nation without governmental help, they, and we, would be the better for it.

Feeding the geese does not help the geese or the feeder. All it ends up doing is creating more poop. And believe me, we certainly don't need anymore of that!

Turkey Humor

2010-11-22T19:46:00.006-05:00

Today's post is nothing serious, thought-provoking, or rant-worthy. It's just plain silliness. I am posting it just because we all need a little silliness every now and then. I think some down time in the area of life helps us maintain our focus when life pops back into our line of vision. Oops...sorry...that was almost thought provoking!!

Enjoy!!

And you thought the scarecrow was the one without a brain!

Here's hoping the only big thighs are the turkey's!

Who says domestication makes animals dumb???

This picture made me laugh out loud.

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Random Thoughts

2010-11-14T20:34:00.002-05:00

I found this list this evening while updating some files. It was sent to me months ago and I was going to post it then, but I never did. So here we go...

1) Nothing hits the gut stronger than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong.

2) I totally take back all those times I didn't want to take a nap when I was younger.

3) There is a great need for a sarcasm font.

4) How in the world are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet??

5) Was learning cursive really necessary?

6) Mapquest really needs to start their directions on #5. I am pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

7) Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told how the person died.

8) I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least KIND OF tired.

9) Bad decisions make good stories.

10) You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

11) Can we all just agree to ignore what comes after Blue-ray? I don't want to have to re-start my collection...again!

12) I am always slightly terrified with I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my document that I swear I didn't make any changes to.

13) I hate when I just miss a call on the last ring and then immediately call back only to get no answer. What did the person do? Run away??

14) I hate leaving the house confident and looking good only to not see anyone important for the whole day. What a waste!

15) I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I will know not to answer when they call.

I think we call relate to these items at times in our lives. Don't you?

Me Me Me, More About Me

2010-11-11T21:52:00.004-05:00

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:30

2. How do you like your steak? Medium

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema? He's Just Not That In To You

4. What is your favorite TV show? Supernatural

5. If you could live anywhere in the world, where would it be? Right where I am.

6. What did you have for breakfast? Banana and granola bar

7. What is your favorite cuisine? Mexican

8. What foods do you dislike? Liver

9. Favorite place to eat? Angus Barn

10. Favorite dressing? Ranch

11. What kind of vehicle do you drive? Ford Explorer

12. What are your favorite clothes? Short and T-shirt

13. Where would you visit if you had the chance? The World!!!

14. Cup 1/2 empty or 1/2 full? Half-full

15. Where would you want to retire? Raleigh, NC

16. Favorite time of day? Night

17. Where were you born? Raleigh, NC

18. What is your favorite sport to watch? I'd rather watch mud dry.

19. Birdwatcher? Yes!!!

20. Are you a morning person or a night person? Night person.

21. Pets? None.

22. Any new and exciting news that you'd like to share? I'm not engaged; I'm not expecting a child; I'm not getting a huge raise. Well, I guess there's nothing to tell.

23. What did you want to be when you were little? Zookeeper

24. What is your best childhood memory? Growing up on a farm.

25. Are you a cat or dog person? Cat person.

26. Are you married? No

27. Always wear a seat belt? Mostly.

28. Been in a car accident? 2

29. Any pet peeves? I'm not sure there's enough room on this blog to list them all.

30. Favorite flower? Rose

31. Favorite ice cream? Butter Pecan (also Rocky Road, Triple Chocolate, Coconut, etc.)

32. Favorite fast food restaurant? Chick-fil-A

33. How many times did you fail your driver's test? None

34. From whom did you get your last email? Facebook

35. Which store would you choose to max out your credit card? Amazon.com

36. Do anything spontaneous lately? No

37. Like your job? Yes, except for the people.

38. Broccoli? Love it!

39. What was your favorite vacation? Do I have to choose?? I would have to say Mexico.

40. Last person you went out to dinner with? Parents

41. What are you listening to right now? Gaither Vocal Band on Pandora.com

42. What is your favorite color? Red

43. How many tattoos do you have? Zero

44. Coffee drinker? Yes

45. How many children do you have? Zero

Can You Hear Me Now??

2010-11-08T22:13:00.002-05:00

This slogan for a national cell phone company has been caught up into the everyday English language for usage as quips and funnies during times of being around friends. But there is a grain of truth to that statement. Case in point is what happened today at work. While I was filing the paperwork away at the end of the day, a co-worker asked me a question.

I had my back to her, and she was facing slightly away from me when she asked, "Kevin, have you ever heard of Allman Brothers?"

I responded, "Yes, I have. One of them married Cher."

"What?"

"I said that one of them was married to Cher" (And I was just getting ready to impress them by bringing up a nugget of trivia from my vast collection of facts [or empty knowledge?] and tell them that he was the father of her son, Elijah Blue.)

At this time, another co-worker let out a cackle under her breath.

"No, have you never heard of almond butter?"

"Oh!! Sorry, I thought you said Allman Brothers!"

The cackle gradually became louder.

"I know who Greg Allman was. I was asking about almond butter at Fresh Market."

At that revelation, I smiled. What else could I do? A case of what I thought I heard was as far from reality as me winning the Boston Marathon and coming in just under 1 hour and 26.53 minutes.

How many times have you responded to a question or statement only to find out that what you thought you heard was not reality? Unfortunately, it's a very prevalent occurrence between parties of people all over the world. One doesn't quite speak clearly; the other doesn't quite pay attention.

But it does make for some hilarity among all parties involved, huh?

Can you hear me now?

About Me (The Stolen Edition)

2010-11-06T17:54:00.003-04:00

Outside My Window - is a cloudy day wish occasional showers. Adding color to the gray are trees trying to reach their full color potential, and birds flitting hither and yon searching for a meal.

I Am Thinking - about what do put on my sweet potato.

I Am Learning - that some people who call themselves your friend really have no idea what that word means.

I Am Thankful For - common sense. It beats book sense hands down.

From The Kitchen - comes the smell of a freshly baked cheesecake cooling on the rack and the sounds of a steak dinner being prepared.

I Am Wearing - shorts and a shirt. Yeah, I know, wrong season...

I Am Going - to watch Sherlock Holmes later tonight

I Am Reading - Acts & Facts from ICR.

I Am Creating - absolutely nothing at the moment.

I Am Hoping - to travel again very soon.

I Am Hearing - the hum of the computer, the sizzle of steaks, and the roar of the ventilation fan.

Around the House - is fairly normal.

One Of My Favorite Things - is traveling to anywhere my feet, tires, or wings will take me.

A Few Plans for the Rest of the Weekend - are church, clean a bit, and get an extra hour of sleep!! My feet are doing the "Happy Dance" now.

A Picture to Share -my favorite fair food--Ostrich Burger!!!!!

I Wonder

2010-11-05T21:08:00.002-04:00

Lately, several questions have been popping up in my head. Questions that I am not sure there are answers for. So today, I thought I would share them with my legions of blog-fans. If any of you have the answers, please feel free to share.

1) Why does no one want to take a message anymore? Most people would rather tell you to call the missing person back instead of taking the responsibility of taking a message.

2) Why is coming back from vacation so difficult when one knows he has to refill the coffers with all the money that was spent on said vacation?

3) Why do people think that UPS and FEDEX ship over the weekend? Do they not understand the concept of a weekend?

4) Why do people love color in their flowers or on their walls, but not in people?

5) Why do men think it's OK to stand at a urinal and pass gas? It is still a public place!!!

6) Why do two people talking with each other in a hall or on a sidewalk move apart instead of closer together when a passerby approaches? They force the passerby to be rude by walking between them!

7) Why do we love to swim or relish taking a shower but hate to walk or run in the rain?

8) Why do people ask co-workers or friends what they had for breakfast or lunch? Can they not think of anything else to ask? Or are they that nosey?

9) Why do people with the same first name working in the same location fail to give their last name?

So there they are...I have been wondering about them for quite some time now. What do you think?

Cursed

2010-10-31T21:12:00.002-04:00

The world is cursed. It's noticeable everywhere. Plants and animals die, filling the air with the stench of rotten flesh and decaying fibers. Animals have fangs, claws, talons, venom, poisons, and sharp teeth. Plants have thorns, spines, noxious chemicals, and sticky resins. Anger and hatred living rampant among humans. When one thinks about all the natural weaponry that is found throughout the created world, the world just bristles with hostility. Yet, we think of it as natural, normal, just a part of nature. But it's not. It's sin touching every minute part of God's creation. The creation is groaning in anguish and torment under the curse.

Today, a thought struck me that had never crossed my brain before. While the choir was singing their song during the morning service, I realized that I had never put these seemingly disconnected bits of information together: The Curse, crown-of-thorns, God the Savior, the Cross. When He pronounced the Curse at the Fall, plants and animals began to change and parts of them actually degenerated into totally different structures than were originally created. Thus began the "natural" hostility that we see today.

Jesus Christ, the Son of God and Creator of the heavens and earth, bore the literal curse that He Himself had placed on His own Creation. The crown-of-thorns placed upon His head is a very literal representation of that Curse. The beatings, scourging, spitting, pulling of hair, and eventually the crucifixion come from the intense hatred Man has against their fellow men. All the force and ugliness of the Curse fell on the Creator Himself. He bore it, as only He could, to once and for all open the door to eventually reverse and remove the Curse brought on by Man's sin.

Hallelujah!!!! What a Creator/Savior!!!!!

Sure

2010-10-28T22:23:00.002-04:00

One of the lessons I have learned from being in the work I'm in is that one has to be sure of himself/herself during life. When one shows the least bit of hesitation or insecurity, the people around them tend to shy away from them and try to find someone else with a little more confidence. People don't trust someone that acts unsure and hesitant.

In my line of work, if you act unsure, the customer will give you a "look" and go on to the next available person that will help them with their problem. I learned long ago never to volunteer for anything where I didn't feel confident. Several times I ended up being forced to do something where I was not at all sure of myself and ended up making a fool of myself and creating animosity in the customer. From those experiences, I learned to act confident even when I knew I had no clue what I was doing.

My advice for people is to go out in the world full of confidence. Know you are you and convey that knowledge to the people around you. One doesn't have to lie about one's self to gain confidence. The lies will eventually find their way out of the facade of self-confidence that one wear and will shatter any trust that people had in the person. If you are not sure of an answer, still act sure but let them know that you can find out more about it for them. If you are unsure of a task, do it with confidence to the best of your ability. If something goes wrong with the outcome, you will have learned something in the process.

Together

2010-10-12T22:43:00.003-04:00

We all aren't good at everything. Some are good at most things; some are good at few things. Together we make a more well-rounded, functioning society where every melody and every harmony hums together to create the music of life. My sister's entry for today brought to mind that very subject for me.

Growing up, she and I were opposites in many ways. I was good in math, science, English, etc. while she struggled in math, didn't really get into science, and totally missed some simple concepts of life. I, on the other hand, was never a social butterfly, never wanted to break a sweat, and never confronted anybody about anything. My sister was one that flitted from flower to flower to see what she could find, was always climbing or running or skipping, and never backed down from any argument. But together, we complimented each other. We had fun together, fought each other, and most importantly, learned to love each other despite the differences between us.

I think that one of the most important concepts that anyone can learn is that it's OK for someone to be different from himself/herself. God made each of us and each of us is His special creation. With these differences, we get to learn more about each other and the world around us if we try to understand and catch a glimpse of the world through the other person's eyes. Granted, we will never completely understand because we are our own person. But if we take the time to listen and learn, we will become a better person and, as a whole, a better society.

Cheese Straws and Pain

2010-10-09T21:51:00.003-04:00

This just in:

Man's Sternum Almost Crushed by Cookie Press

A local man graciously helping his loving sister and precocious niece with their North Carolina State Fair entries today almost had to be rushed to the ER for a serious injury. The sister was courageously entering cheese straws into the fair culinary competition. She had never made them before and decided to be bold and aggressive in her drive to gain a blue ribbon. After placing the cheesy dough into her never-before-used cookie press, she found the task of pushing it out into lovely lengths of cheese straw potential somewhat more taxing then she had previously thought.

Upon seeing the cry of help forming on her lips, her noble brother leaped to his feet and, intending to show the batter who was the boss, grabbed the press from her quivering hands and set his mind to creating a lovely masterpiece. However, with the first press from his hands, he realized how much more difficult this task would be. With a beet red face, bulging veins, and straining muscles, he tried to figure out the best way to force the extrusion of the batter. Finally deciding to use his chest as the stop while pushing back with his hands, he soon found that his chest had several painful spots and felt as if his sternum would be crushed under the strain of trying to made the perfect straw.

Giggling beyond control and reprimanding her hero of a brother for breathing heavily on the newly formed straws, she suddenly gave in to pity and gallantly handed him a quadruple-folded dish towel to place between his sore chest and the offending culinary tool. Much needed relief soon followed, and he was able to work through the lingering pain and quivering muscles to conquer all of the offending dough. Upon sliding both baking sheets into the perfectly heated oven, the man was finally able to give his overworked muscles a much needed break. The ever concerned sister baked off the straws with a few time adjustments and finally placed the hot, crispy, delicate goodies on the cooling rack.

Time will tell whether these cheese straws will win a blue ribbon. If pain incurred while making them counts for any points, they should receive BEST IN SHOW!!!!!!!

PS The chest is still sore.

Fall

2010-10-07T23:32:00.003-04:00

Fall has officially been here for two weeks. What a welcome change it as been! Of course, there is always that initial shock when one walks out the door on the first cool morning of the season. Your body reacts with a visible shiver and chills quickly run rampant through every muscle fiber and nerve ending one has. However, those feelings are quickly replaced by a bodily sigh because gone are the days of oppressive humidity and high temperatures. It's so refreshing and enjoyable to feel the coolness caress your skin and yet there is still enough warmth left to be outside without losing weight on the Shiver Plan.

Fall also brings about beautiful colors. Reds, oranges, yellows, and browns all combine in a myriad of ways to produce a color palette that shouts praise and glory to their Maker and causes even the busiest of people to stop for just a moment to absorb all of their splendor.

Fall is also a time for comfort foods. Cooler weather cries out for them. Brunswick stew, pot roast, pumpkin cheesecake (actually any cheesecake!), and any other food that makes one feel fat and sassy are staples during the Fall season.

Lastly, but certainly not least, Fall is the time for the North Carolina State Fair. I pity those other states that have their fairs at such odd times of the year like February or July! Those months are just not fair-worthy. October is the best time! Deep-fried foods of all kinds, animals, competitions, rides, and games all combine to create one fun-filled whirlwind of a day! Soon, there will be pots and pans a-rattlin' as fair entries are made for this year. It's always fun to try new things and hope that they will stand up to the very subjective tastes of the judges.

Welcome, Fall!

It's so nice to see and feel you again!!

Frankly Frank

2010-10-05T23:45:00.002-04:00

There are some people in life who just do not pay attention whatsoever. I have shared this same theme before, but today was just the breaking point for me in one certain area.

Today, I had two, yes TWO!, people call me "Frank".

Why? you may ask...

I have no idea.

Yes, my last name is "Franks", but when my name is clearly displayed on a name badge on my desk or in my email signature or is distinctly stated on my voice mail or when co-workers and friends properly enunciate K-E-V-I-N near the person, why do people still call me "Frank"?

Is there a logical reason for such utter lack of attention?

Should I start calling them "Jones" or "Smith" or "Whitaker"? We are certainly not in the military nor on a sports team.

What will it take to make them grasp the concept of my proper given name? A sharp look? A swift kick in the rear? A quick reply?

Maybe...but what do I end up doing? Just mumbling "hey" as I pass by.

So much for my intense desire to correct their continuing error.

Or maybe, deep down, I realize that some people just can't be helped.

SIGH

Fear

2010-09-30T22:57:00.003-04:00

Fear reigns in many people's lives. They are always consumed with a fear of mice or other crawly creatures, fear of heights, fear of the number 13, fear of flying, fear of getting rid of clutter, fear of leaving the house, fear of this or a fear of that. They never seem to go through a day without some small fear creeping up on them with the possibility of growing into an incapacitating fear that leaves them incapable of living a completely fulfilled life.

For Christians, that isn't the way to live. God has not created us to live in fear. Fear is a tool used by Satan to keep us from accomplishing what God has for our lives. It may be as small as a fear of one of God's creatures or as large as a fear of leaving the home. Either way, those fears cause us to focus on ourselves and to never look outward and forward into God's will for each of us.

I readily admit that I have my own fears, but I purposely try to not dwell on them. Life is meant to be lived and not spent cowering in a corner. God is our Strength and Shield and is always going before us in everything we do. Nothing will happen to us that hasn't already come through His almighty hand first.

II Timothy 1:7
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Romans 8:15
For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear;
but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry,
Abba, Father.

Namby-pamby

2010-09-23T20:48:00.002-04:00

I absolutely love the Geico commercial with the former drill sergeant working in a new career as a therapist. For those who haven't seen it or taken too much notice in it, the "patient" is on a chair whining about how the color yellow makes him sad. The "therapist" then says, "You know what makes me sad? You do!" He then proceeds to tell him that they should proceed over to "Namby-pamby land" to find some self-confidence for him and calls him a "Jackwagon". After those loving words of support, he then throws a box of tissues at him while calling him a "Crybaby".

This commercial is me up one side and down the other. I, of course, mean the former drill sergeant turned therapist. I have the same feelings about most of the whining that goes on today. People just need to grow up. After all the drama of the teen years, one would think that people would learn that life will not always go their way. Yes, there will be hard times and unfair times and times when you wished you were dead, but when one starts wallowing in self-pity and despair and whines, cries, and yells "woe is me" with their hand placed dramatically upon their forehead, it becomes more than I can take. I have compassion, but my compassion only runs so deep. When my well of compassion has been tapped dry, I tend to want to tell the individual to grow up and then avoid anymore contact with that individual.

So, remember all you whiners, make sure you keep them down to a low sound around me. Once you've exhausted my day's supply of concern for your feelings, you will be in real danger of me buying you a one-way bus ticket to Namby-pamby land. Don't expect any tissues either.

Oh, one more thing...

Call me "Sarg".

Grandparents

2010-09-12T22:18:00.003-04:00

Today is National Grandparents Day. It's not very widely know nor celebrated as Mother's Day or Father's Day. There are no TV or radio ads touting huge sales. There are no special gifts. For most people it's just another day.

But it should be a special day. Grandparents are very special people and deserve some recognition. They are just as concerned about their grandchildren as they were about their own children. They aren't directly involved in their everyday lives for the most part, but they still love them very much.

Grandparents have a special role in the family. Sometimes, they are the calming influence in an otherwise stormy relationship between parents and children. They understand both sides and try to help negotiate an agreement. Other times, they spoil their grandchildren rotten and send them home to their parents. Two wonderful sides of the grandparent coin.

At times, I feel a twinge of regret or maybe even jealousy for kids with grandparents. I never really had them. My mom's mother died before I was born and my grandfather remarried not long after and my mom wasn't close to her step-mother. He then died when I was 8. My dad's mother died when I was 10 and his dad died when I was 13 after suffering from poor health for a while. Through circumstances in life, I never really had the chance to have grandparents to the fullest extent that their role could have played in my life.

So here's to all the grandparents out there today. God bless them all and here's to many more years of having them around.

They are a treasure!

Remember

2010-09-11T21:49:00.002-04:00

Anniversaries are usually special times that are looked back on with fondness. Weddings, graduations, birthdays, special dates are all remembered when the date rolls around each year.

Today's date is different.

September 11, 2001, is burned into the collective consciousness of every American alive and old enough to understand what happened on that fateful day. Even after 9 years, every time I see the combination of 9 and 11, I flash back to that day...

Where I was.

What I was doing.

The roiling feelings coursing through my entire being as I tried to grasp what had just happened and why it had happened.

I still can't quite understand why so much hatred exists among humans other than the fact that Satan is the prince of this world and likes nothing better than to cause strife and pain and anguish.

With a tinge of sadness and lingering pain on this date, it's also a time to honor and pay tribute to those men and women who died that day. May they always be remembered for the ultimate sacrifice they paid and honored for their unselfish and self-sacrificing bravery and commitment on a very emotionally wrenching day.

Imagine

2010-09-08T22:04:00.003-04:00

In 1971, John Lennon released the single "Imagine". It has become his most famous post-Beatles single and a rock classic. The lyrics are familiar to many people and it has continued to be covered my artists throughout the years. When one hears it, it brings feelings of good will, camaraderie, and peace. But upon closer inspection, the words end up being a delusional pipe dream that are not based on any kind of reality nor will they ever come true. The reason is that God has been totally removed from all aspects of this "peace". God is the only true source of peace and it will never occur until Christ reigns forevermore upon establishing His kingdom on Earth.

The first words, "imagine there's no heaven", set the tone for the whole song. John wanted us to believe that God doesn't exist. He doesn't want a heaven or hell, only sky. If they existed, that would mean there is a choice to be made. All he wants is "people living for today". I believe that he is getting is wish today. People go through life acting as if there is no heaven or hell. They only want to do it their way and have no thought of God. Satan is in full control of this thinking.

Next, he wants a world devoid of countries and religion. With those pesky restraints out of the way, people would have "nothing to kill or die for" and would be "living life in peace". But I disagree. People in the same "religion" and the same country kill each other and die everyday. War and death are part of this present life because of the curse. No releasing of such "boundaries" will cause peace to flood the earth. If anything, it could make things worse.

Lastly, he wants a world with no possessions. No one has anything but everyone has something. Excuse me, but that has been tried over and over again throughout the centuries and that type of living only ends up failing in the end. No matter what the situation, greed and selfishness will override the feelings of "brotherhood".

Yes, John. You were "a dreamer" and certainly "not the only one". I, myself, am also a dreamer. But my mindset is on another plane. I "imagine what it will be like when I walk by [His] side" and "what my eyes will see when [His] face is before me". I "imagine when all I will do is forever worship [Him]" and "to my knees [I will] fall" in awe and wonder of my Righteous God and Glorious Savior.

Now that's something to imagine...

Crying for Relish

2010-09-04T23:35:00.004-04:00

For all my devoted fans out there, I am sure you know me well enough by now to know that I strongly dislike when someone doesn't follow the simple instructions in front of them. It's really not that hard to do when they are plainly told to you or written down in plain English. Following instructions makes like simpler and all the complications resulting from not following directions will be avoided.

I reiterated all of that to admit that it happened to me today!!!!!!

YES!!! Kevin didn't follow instructions!!!

Today was another day to can and pickle for the fair and to eat this winter. I had to go purchase some produce such as pears, bell peppers, onions, apples, and green tomatoes. At first, I was just going to pickle the pears. But after a trip to the Farmer's Market where we purchased the peppers, we decided to go ahead with the pepper relish because the red peppers were not so good looking and needed to be processed today. When writing down the list of ingredients I needed, I read that I needed 24 green and 24 red bell peppers to make the relish. And of course, we purchased that amount after digging and digging and digging through boxes to find the best red peppers.

Upon returning home and much to my chagrin, I re-read the recipe and discovered that it called for 24 total red and green peppers, not 24 each!!! Mom rolled her eyes. I heaved a big sigh. Now it looked like I would have to double the recipe. But according to the recipe, it only made 4 pints. I could deal with 8 pints of relish.

No big deal...

Until we started grinding...

And grinding...

And grinding...

By the time we finished grinding the ton of peppers and onions, our eyes were full of tears. Grinding onions makes a lot of sulphuric acid!!! Upon throwing all the ingredients into the pot, we had a very large pot full of ground peppers and onions. Nope...it's going to be waaaaayyyy more than 8 pints.

Total: 22

Did Kevin learn a lesson?

Yes.

Yes, he did.

January People

2010-08-31T21:46:00.002-04:00

I know I am stretching the meaning of the word slightly, but it was the only image I could think of for today's thoughts. The month of January was named after the Roman god Janus. He was a two-faced god that looked into the past and into the future without turning his head. He is a fitting representation of the New Year.

But today, I want to share some thoughts about real two-faced people. There are many people today who wear whatever face gets their needs met at the present time. They are fake, phony, and are capable of stabbing you in the back while smiling a sweet smile in your face. I don't care to be around those kinds of people. After a while I can spot them a mile away. Granted, there are several pros in the world, but I am pretty good at weeding them out.

My question is this...

Why can't people just be themselves and be honest in everything they do? Why do they have to hide behind a mask or flip-flop like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde? There are several at work that I have to deal with on a daily basis. Sugary sweet one minute; telling something that you know isn't quite right the next. And even some outright stories are made up when convenient. All so the person-of-the-moment will look favorably upon them and give praise to the story maker.

I avoid most kinds of contact with these people. I only interact with them in the bare minimal essential tasks. No deep conversations; light humor; all superficial. I don't want to get entangled in their webs of deceit. I am sure there are moments behind my back where that icky smile turns upside down at the mention of my name because of my honesty, but I'd rather be known for brutal honesty than for sweet lies. Perhaps there would be fewer wars, bickerings, and malcontent between peoples and nations if everyone tried the tactfully honest approach instead of the deceitfully smiling approach when dealing with their neighbors.

English vs Spanish

2010-08-23T21:29:00.002-04:00

For the life of me, I can't understand the uproar over all the bilingual actions across the US these days. Why in the world does anyone want English as the official language of the United States of America? Have we forgotten our history? Do we not remember that Spain controlled a vast area of what is now the USA from the beginning of European exploration?

With the cessation of Florida to the US in 1819, the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago at the end of the Mexican-American War in 1848, and the completion of the Gadsen Purchase is 1853, the entire states of Florida, California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah, and Texas along with most of Colorado and some of Wyoming, Kansas, and Oklahoma became a territory of the United States. All of these territories would eventually become states. The people living there spoke Spanish as their native tongue! And Spanish is still very prevalent there today.

So why all the fuss? The Spanish language has played just as an important role in American history as the English language. Granted, the US government didn't have Spanish speakers at first, but when we as a country rode the wave of Manifest Destiny all the way to the Pacific, we opened the doors for Spanish to become an integral part of this great country.

I believe that we shouldn't have an official language. This country was founded by several groups of people all speaking different languages. Let's keep America a country of many tongues.

Culture Wars

2010-08-22T20:13:00.005-04:00

Throughout history, different cultures have come in contact with each other. Sometimes the encounters have been peaceful and mutually beneficial. Other times have seen one group dominate the other one and, at times, annihilate them totally from existence. It becomes a war of cultures. I believe that God is displeased with these meetings where one group takes advantage of and attempts to destroy the other group. America's own history is filled with just such meetings.

Native Americans in the US, First Nations in Canada, and Indigenous Cultures in Latin America were some of the most diverse and prosperous peoples in the world at the time of Columbus' voyage. Once the New World was discovered by Europeans at that time, they saw it as a new land to explore, conquer, and rake up treasures for themselves. Their mindset was one of absolute greed.

After the initial meeting of Columbus with the Tainos, the English, the French, the Dutch, the Swedes, the Spanish, the Russians, and the Portuguese all rushed to take what they could from this "new" land. After some bickering and cajoling, the English, French, Spanish, and Portuguese gained control of the whole Western Hemisphere. Gradually, each European power gained control of more and more land by outright lies, stealing, and forcing the people into indebtedness. Anything they wanted, they went after like King Ahab did in I & II Kings in the Bible.

When I look at our history, I sometimes become saddened by what we as a nation did. Yes, I believe God ordained this country and I am a proud American, but I believe that we could have handled the conflict a whole lot differently. The natives that first met the English befriended them and helped them to survive their first few years in this new world that they knew nothing about. In less than a generation after that initial contact, the English and other European powers were viewing the natives as savage, backwards, and not worthy of being considered equal with them.

Why that view so prevailed, I can't quite understand. Yes, they did things differently than the Europeans. Yes, they also initiated some terrible attacks against the settlers. But I believe that they were forced into those decisions by the way they were treated. The land they had always called home was being systematically taken from them and they were being forced onto inferior land where they could not live as they had always lived. Who wouldn't fight back? Are they any different than the rest of Europe when Hitler tried to expand his Third Reich? Adding insult to injury after the final tribe had been forced into a reservation, the natives were forbidden to speak their own language and were forced to learn English and act like a European. Even Christian missionaries, while preaching the gospel, left the impression that, in order to be truly saved, the converts must act and dress like a white man. When did Europeans have a corner on what God wants and expects?

I realize that it's all in the past now. Some cultures and languages can never be brought back. Some are trying to save what is left of their way of life including language revitalization. However, I think that we can now try to learn about our Native Neighbors at every opportunity and understand that, while they are Americans, they are not Europeans or Africans or Asians. They are truly Americans. Perhaps if we had tried to learn and truly befriend them for who they were then, we all would be in a better place now.

Butterflies

2010-08-09T22:51:00.002-04:00

We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the
changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty.
~Maya Angelou

The beauty of a butterfly (or flutterby as it was originally called in English) is unmistakable and breathtaking. All the colors of the rainbow and more are represented in these fragile, winged creatures. Their intensity of color brightens even the gloomiest of rain forests and deepest of valleys. Flitting hither and yon to find the next source of sweet nectar or a potential spot to lay their eggs, these graceful, fluttering rainbows delight us the world over and bring a smile to our faces and squeals to our lips while we watch them.

But they are not always so lovely. The first half of their life is spent as squishy, sometimes spiny, caterpillar that knows nothing but the gnawing in its stomach. They are destructive to plants and are a nuisance in the garden. People spend thousands of dollars to combat their activities. But once they reach that certain level, all eating and destruction stops and the transformation beings. Building a chrysalis, the satiated caterpillar enters inside and basically dies and becomes nothing but a mass of material that is then used to reform the creature into a beautiful insect. Once it is ready, it will break out of it's home with a mighty struggle. Without that struggle, it will not make it because the difficulty of leaving the chrysalis helps the fluid enter into the wing capillaries and helps the newly formed butterfly take its first flight.

This small part of creation is a lot like us. Before we are saved, we are a lot like a caterpillar--always hungry for more of the world, ugly, spiny, defensive. But once we accept Jesus as our Personal Savior, He molds us into a new creature and uses the difficulties and struggles of life to make us more like Him. Without those hard times, we would end up as useless as a new butterfly that was freed from its chrysalis by an outside source. God uses them to help us fly for His honor and glory.

The next time you see a butterfly, think of what it went through to become a beautiful flying insect.

And thank God that He is reforming you just like that butterfly. You will soon be one of His flying jewels.

Silly Laughs

2010-08-05T19:22:00.003-04:00

Today is one of those days that I needed to laugh. Certain people that would rather pile work on someone's desk instead of doing it themselves, heat and humidity, and just the general weariness of the week caused me to feel drained today. Thankfully, a customer called to ask a question and left me laughing. So without further ado, I will share some laughs here. Enjoy!

One day, group of marine biologists were out tagging dolphins when they found themselves with a porpoise as well. Upon inspecting the animal, they noticed several tiny feet on the flippers. Concerned, they contacted the head biologist and suggested that they quickly remove them before returning the animal to the depths. The head biologist quickly replied, "No! If you did that, you would be de-feeting the porpoise!"

Did you hear about the midget wizard that escaped from prison? The BOLO stated that there was a small medium at large.

How do you keep a blond in suspense? Give her a mirror and tell her to wait for the other person to say "hello".

If a man and a woman both jumped off a 10-story building at the same time, which one would land first? The woman. The man would get lost.

What happens when frogs park illegally? They get toad.

Thanks for sharing the laughter with me today. Laughter makes me relax and takes the edge off the day. I hope this silliness helped you as well.

Umbrella Figs

2010-07-31T20:42:00.002-04:00

Today was day two for preparing for the fair. These days are not consecutive, mind you. They only occur when the exact conditions are right for the product being made. Today was a day for pickled figs and apple chutney.

I've made fig preserves before and, since the figs are now abundant, I wanted to try something different. I found a recipe for pickled figs and thought I would try it. We went to the fig bush late morning and started picking them. It had been cloudy all morning. When we were almost finished, the clouds decided to let go of some of their pent up moisture in the form of rain. Thankfully, it was a slow rain as we made our way back under the fig trees. Once we were under the canopy of the spreading branches, we felt no rain. The leaves made a natural umbrella against the elements. It was nice to hear the raindrops hit the leaves and know that they were protecting us from getting really wet. When the rain started falling harder, we decided to leave the figs for another day and head back to the house.

Once we returned, we had to go to the grocery store to purchase a few items we didn't have for today's preserving. After returning home, the process of pickling began. During the cooking time for the figs, I also started preparing the ingredients for the next recipe--apple chutney. The total time for all that didn't really take as long as we thought considering that we started a little later. So far I am pleased with the results. We tasted the fig pickles and they were very good. We didn't taste the chutney yet, so I hope it came out tasting good. Time will tell.

OCD

2010-07-30T21:24:00.003-04:00

When I see the commercials for the A&E program Obsessed, I wonder how people can become so controlled by something that, for most people, is a seemingly innocent, mundane task. Things like washing hands, counting, checking the stove, and cleaning up are everyday jobs that most people take for granted. But for a few people these activities gradually take control of them until these people can't function in a normal setting. After a few moments of wondering, I come to the conclusion that I am not like them...no way...no how...

But am I?

Today, a co-worker asked me about my recycle bin and why I haven't emptied it. I told her that it was not the end of the day yet and that I always empty on the last day of the month. She then loudly proclaims that I am OCD. I laughed, but that began a trail of thought in my brain that maybe, just maybe, I have come compulsions in the infantile stages. Questions began to pepper my brain...

Do I always want my books to look as if I just bought them from the store? Yes

Do I always straighten up the paperwork at work when it gets misplaced? Yes

Do I like the forms filled out a certain way with the correct information on them? Yes

Do I ...

Then I couldn't really think of anymore that seemed borderline OCD.

With that realization, a small amount of relief flooded my brain and extinguished all the heat that the questions had produced. No, I wouldn't classify myself as OCD.

Organized? Yes

Want my possessions to remain in good condition? Yes

Want complete information available in order to understand a situation? Yes

So I guess that makes me an organized person that wants to keep his possessions looking nice and to be completely informed in all matters.

Sounds completely normal to me.

Right?

Vacation Observations

2010-07-14T20:01:00.003-04:00

Today I will share some thoughts and ideas that occurred to me while we were traveling last week...

1) One should always make sure the GPS is programmed correctly or one will waste their time driving around Baltimore.

2) One should make sure that he knows all about the key system on the rental. It's better to be educated beforehand than to think you are locked out of your vehicle when, in fact, you have the key all along.

3) Enjoy the Delaware scenery on I95 while you can...it doesn't last long!

4) Be prepared for toll after toll after toll after toll.

5) New York City needs to make an I95 bypass around or over the great concrete expanse...GPSs everywhere will rejoice.

6) Econolodges are not a very good place to stay, even for a single night.

7) Connecticut has a diner on every corner and all serve equally tasty food.

8) Rhode Island seems to be the hot spot for the rich and famous that want to be on the down low. A certain actor has his mansion for sale for a measly $10,000,000.00. Poor soul's taking a loss on it.

9) Two-thirds of Boston is built on landfill...nice, secure feeling when you're hurling through one of the many tunnels or are riding the subways.

10) Boston is the definitive place to be on July 4. No one celebrates it more or louder. Absolutely the best!

11) One needs to pack some numchucks or practice his karate moves to make it through the congestion and onto the free subway rides after the fireworks.

12) Women with large bags certainly know how to wield them efficiently. One needs to make sure he wears the appropriate battle gear.

13) Acadia National Park is filled with stunning scenery and breath-taking views.

14) Hot, humid air coming in close proximity to the cool waters of the North Atlantic makes for some very foggy conditions.

15) Thick fog rolling in is a wonderful sight to see.

16) There's nothing like eating a fresh lobster roll on a dock after consuming a nice cup of fresh New England clam chowder.

17) McDonald's frappés sure do make the return trip more bearable.

New England

2010-07-13T20:44:00.002-04:00

For this year's family vacation, I chose New England. I have always wanted to go there for a longer period of time since my day-trip to Boston in 2001. Since I knew that we couldn't cover everything there in a 10-day period, I decided to hit the high spots. I chose to go around July 4 because I had heard that Boston knows how to celebrate Independence Day.

We left on July 2 and spent the night in Connecticut. After breakfast, we drove the rest of the way across what I found was a surprisingly long trek in a seemingly small state. We arrived in Newport, Rhode Island in the afternoon and immediately toured The Breakers. It's an area where the Vanderbilts and other wealthy families from the middle 19th century to the turn of the last century spent their summers. The houses were huge!! Gold, platinum, jewels, and other assorted I-have-too-much-money-so-I-will-build/decorate-my-house-out-of-anything-that-costs-megabucks items were used inside and out. It was very impressive and reminiscent of the Biltmore Home in Asheville, but at the same time, it was a bit over the top. Even their habits were not typical of the average family, even by today's elevated standards. Changing sheets twice a day, changing clothes 4-5 times a day, girls not allowed in that room, boys not allowed in the other room, children confined to certain rooms only all sound very foreign to my way of thinking. But it was very interesting to learn a little about their lives.

After a seafood dinner in southern Rhode Island, we headed to Boston. We spent July 4 on The Freedom Trail and saw some of the items and buildings from the Colonial and early 19th century Bostonian periods. Later that night, we celebrated our independence Boston-style. It was a holiday I will never forget. After a mad "dash" through a ever-growing crowd trying to push, stomp, outmaneuver, and cajole their way into the free subway trains, we made it back to the hotel room after midnight.

The next day was spent at the New England Aquarium and walking around Boston again. We were able to see some other sights and also enjoy a nice Italian dinner at the North End. Tuesday found us at Plimouth. We toured the Wampanoag and English villages and boarded the Mayflower II. After an excursion to Cape Cod, we went back to Boston for the night. The next morning, we left for Salem and then on to Maine.

The trip to Maine seemed longer than it should be. I guess it's because there wasn't much traffic. But the scenery was beautiful! Nothing like it here in North Carolina. After we arrived in Bar Harbor that evening, we settled in for the night. The next day we went into Acadia National Park. WOW! Gorgeous!! Wild!! Rocky!! Green!! We saw a Peregrine Falcon (Falco peregrinus) chick on it's ledge nest (through a scope). Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) and Greater Black-backed Gulls (Larus marinus) were everywhere. Fog, wind, humidity, thundering water, bird songs and calls, brown rocks, and green trees all combined to fill our senses with wonder as we viewed this Wonderland up close. After a full day of exploring, we were hungry for more seafood. I tried my first ever full-belly clams. Tender, crispy, and very tasty pieces of bivalves sent waves of delight over my body. Topping that meal off with a piece of warm Maine blueberry pie a la mode made for one happy camper.

On Friday, the proverbial fly in the ointment tried to make an appearance. We were scheduled to go whale and puffin watching, but the ever-present fog and choppy seas caused the trip to be canceled. I was very disappointed because I had been dreaming of this adventure for many years. But we just decided to hike around Johnson Pond (looked like a lake to me!) for the morning and then were able to get on a boat tour of the lighthouses in the afternoon. The boat tour was nice even in the middle of the fog. We were only able to see 3 lighthouses and only one of those was very clear. We also saw more homes of the rich-and-famous. The highlight of the tour was an Osprey (Pandion haliaetus) feeding a chick on the nest, a Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) perched on a warning signal, and Harbor Seals (Phoca vitulina) taking a rest on a rocky island.

After a Lobster Roll for dinner, it was time to prepare to return home. As usual, it's a bittersweet time for me. We left early Saturday and drove, drove, and drove some more. After spending the night in New Jersey, we drove and drove again until the familiar sights and sounds of home awakened our road-weary senses.

Home.

Nothing like it.

I'm Back!

2010-07-11T23:14:00.003-04:00

Well, I have returned from my vacation to New England. I will be sharing stories and thoughts from the trip this week.

For now, let me give you a condensed version...

Long drive.

Good seafood.

Lots of Yankee accents.

Many crazy people driving the Interstates.

Some suspicious hotel rooms.

Hot weather.

Fog, fog, and more fog.

McDonald's Mocha Frappés

Details will be filled in.

I promise.

Mr. Perfect

2010-06-29T23:07:00.002-04:00

I am Mr. Perfect...

At least according to my co-workers. It's hard to live up to that standard, but I do my best. At least once or twice a week, I receive the sigh, the rolling of the eyes, and the line that "everybody makes mistakes...except you".

Why? Because I expect things to be done correctly the first time? Because I expect people to make sure that all I's are dotted and all T's are crossed before submitting papers? Because I actually expect people to remember something that I have already told them, not once, but several times before? Are all of these requirements too much to ask of supposedly responsible adults that shouldn't have to have their hands held or the corners of their mouths wiped after snack time?

Well, I'm here to tell you that I'm not perfect. I do, indeed, make mistakes. However, when I do make a mistake, I try extremely hard to remember the lesson and to learn to never repeat that same mistake. After all, isn't that part of growing up and becoming a mature adult?

So...

If those habits do, indeed, make one perfect, just call me...

Mr. Perfect Extraordinaire

Questions

2010-06-26T21:51:00.002-04:00

One of my pet peeves is when people won't let me finish with an answer or an explanation before they start asking me questions. If they would just let me complete my thoughts, their questions may be answered before they even realize it. All they would have to do is pay attention.

Case in point is this conversation from work yesterday. A man from Alabama had called in requesting availability and pricing for three different parts. I garnered the information for him and called him back only to find that he was out of the store at the time. I was then forced to leave the information with the man that answered the phone. Here's a paraphrase of the following conversation...

Me: "OK. Here is the information that he requested."

Man: "OK."

Me: "The first two parts (here I actually supplied him with the part numbers) are available in Pennsylvania and cost $9.19 each. The..."

Man: "What was the first part number?"

Me. I repeated the number.

Man: "And they were how much?"

Me: "$9.19. The third number..."

Man: "The first two are the same price?"

Me: "Yes. The third number is $18.71 and is also in Pennsylvania"

Man: "All three are in Pennsylvania?"

By this time, I wanted to reach through the phone and give him a genuine backhand across both sides. He was a infuriatingly frustrating man. And to top off this lovely conversation, I receive a call from the original man 2 hours later. He was upset because no one had called him back with his information. I minced no words and told him in no uncertain terms that I had left the message over and hour and a half ago with "Joe". He quickly got off the phone.

When you are listening to someone speak, actually listen to them and don't try to interrupt with questions until the speaker is finished. Not only is that common courtesy, but one will be surprised to find that many of those questions would have already been answered

Teaching How to Fish

2010-06-25T19:28:00.003-04:00

I try to live my life by the old Chinese proverb

Give a man a fish and feed him for a day.
Teach a man to fish and feed him for a lifetime.

At first glance, most people automatically think about the destitute and starving and how that can be a way to help their fellow man. But I apply it in more ways than just feeding the hungry. In fact, I use it for everything in life.

Most people nowadays want everything spoon-fed to them, handed to them on a silver platter, and coming completely assembled. According to them, they don't know where to look, don't know how to do it, have no idea where to look, or a myriad of other excuses for not doing something themselves. When I encounter such attitudes (which is frequently), I try to show them how to figure out their problem or how to search for the answer. I don't just hand the answer over easily. No one would ever learn if he or she is always given the answer straight out.

Not all people are fond of this method, but it doesn't bother me. I can see the look in their eyes or hear the tone in their voices when I refuse to satisfy their craving for an easy answer. But the attitudes don't affect me at all. I just keep right on teaching them. Some are thankful; others grumble and keep asking the same questions instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to learn.

The learners will grow from the learning and will then be able to disseminate their new-found knowledge to someone else.

The grumblers will stagnate in their own ignorance and will be reduced to nothing more than ignorant knowledge-beggars that suck the life of all those around them.

In the end, they are only hurting themselves.

Expecting

2010-06-16T17:48:00.002-04:00

I have high expectations for people. It was how I was reared. If you lower your expectations, people will meet them with gusto and you will be surrounded with mediocrity or, worse, downright stupidity. People should rise to the challenge of each others reasonable expectations and not settle for the quagmire of "middleness" that permeates our society.

My manager is constantly telling me that I am "expecting" again and that I shouldn't expect anything from people other than what I get from them, which is not much. I counter with the above argument while he cackles at my facial expressions, flailing arm movements, and commentary outbursts about how people are not rising to the challenge.

Is it too much to expect people to...

use the gray matter between their ears?

act courteously and without demands even when life isn't going as they planned or wanted?

listen the first time and not repeat the same question over and over and over again?

not act like a 2-year old pitching a fit on the floor and sounding like two toms fighting over a potential mate when told something they don't like?

actually pay attention to what they are doing and therefore eliminate the need to do things over again?

think about their actions and the potential consequences before implementing some asinine plan or procedure?

The answers to the above questions are not out of the realm of possibility. It only takes some forethought and concern for those around you.

Am I doomed to be repeatedly disappointed?

Unfortunately, I think I am...

Cock-a-doodle-doo

2010-06-14T21:34:00.002-04:00

Onomatopoeic words are words that mimic a sound made by something such as an animal call or a door slam. It's funny to me how certain onomatopoeic words for the exact same sound differ in other languages. We all hear the same sound, but the conditioning from our native language sounds causes us to render differently from one another.

Take for instance, the very common rendering of the well-known rooster call. In English, it's cock-a-doodle-doo. Now take a look at the same sound in several other language samples taken from many different language families...

Spanish: quiquiriquí or cocoricó
French: cocorico
Italian: chicchirichi
Norwegian: kykkeliky
Dutch: kukeleku
German: kikeriki
Russian: koo-ka-re-koo
Polish: kukuryku
Nepali: frootti tootti tu
Hindi: ku-kudu-koo
Hungarian: kukurikú
Estonian: kikerikii
Basque: kukurruku
Korean: gugugugu
Japanese: kokekokko
Mandarin: o o o
Thai: aek ee aek aek
Sinhalese: fuku fuk fu
Tamil: kokkara-ko-ko
Indonesian: kukuruyuk
Tagalog: tiktilaok
Turkish: ü-ürü-üüü
Hebrew: kúkuríku
Arabic: kuku-kookoo

Now, one can see the similarities between closely related languages, but when you look at others, you wonder if they are hearing the same sound as you! Language is funny that way!

I will leave you with a few more examples of this strange reality. See if you can "hear" how the other languages came to their own word.

Balloon bursting
Arabic: boof
German: peng
Hindi: thaa
Hungarian: pukk
Indonesian: dor
Korean: bbang
Navajo: dǫǫn
Spanish: pop
Thai: poh
Turkish: bom

Camera shutter
Bulgarian: shtrak
Danish: klik
French: clic
Indonesian: klik
Korean: chalkak
Russian: shcholk
Swedish: klick
Thai: chaeh
Turkish: şlak
Vietnamese: cách cách

Car horn
Czech: tu tu
Dutch: toet toet
German: tut
Hebrew: bip bip
Indonesian: din din
Korean: bbang bbang
Lithuanian: pyp pyp
Spanish: pi pi
Tagalog: peep peep
Thai: pin pin

Cry of pain
Czech: au
French: aïe
German: au
Hebrew: akh
Indonesian: aduh
Japanese: itai
Navajo: ayá
Nepali: bzzt
Portuguese: ai
Russian: oj

Cow lowing
Arabic: moo
Mandarin: mou
Czech: buu
Dutch: boe
Italian: mu
Japanese: mo mo
Korean: eum mae
Tagalog: unga
Tibetan: drip drip dröep
Vietnamese: ò ò

Kiss
Arabic: mwa
Czech: muck
Danish: smæk
Estonian: mopsti
Japanese: chuu
Korean: jjohk
Malayalam: umma
Russian: chmok
Thai: joop
Vietnamese: chut

Pig call
Czech: kvík kvík
Finnish: röh röh
French: groin groin
German: grunz grunz
Indonesian: grok grok
Korean: ggul ggul
Lithuanian: kvy kvy
Portuguese: ronc ronc
Tagalog: ngok ngok
Thai: ud ud

Sneeze
Bengali: hach-chu
Catalan: atxum
Cantonese: hat-chi
Mandarin: ah-ti
Dutch: hatsjoe
Hebrew: apchi
Japanese: hakushon
Romanian: hapciu
Tagalog: atsing
Thai: hud-chei

Seeds

2010-06-12T20:13:00.002-04:00

This time of the year is always exciting for me. We are now just starting to get the first fruits of all the preparing of soil and planting of seeds and plants. I am always amazed at how much plant comes from such a small seed. Little by little, bit by bit, cell by cell, a beautiful, productive green plant emerges from the small capsule and is soon bearing ripe, juicy edibles for us to enjoy.

Isn't that how we should be?

John 12:24 says that "except a corn of wheat fall into the ground and die, it abideth alone: but if it die, it bringeth forth much fruit."

We are like a corn (seed or grain). When we are unsaved, we are like seeds in a bag in a dark corner. We are shriveled, useless, and will eventually rot. Once we become saved, it's like we have been lifted out of the dark, dank bag and brought into the light. But the journey doesn't end there. Once the Master Gardener has us in His hands, He plants us in His thoroughly prepared and cultivated garden. Once in the good soil, it is up to us to do our intended job. The first step must be dying to self. Just as a seed must break apart the testa and die as a seed when the moisture and temperature are at the correct levels, we must break apart our own sinful covering of selfish will and desires under the loving conditions from our Father.

Next is the growing phase. By continuing to read and study God's Word, pray, and follow His commandments, our radicle becomes firmly grounded in Him and our plumule breaks out of the fertile ground into the Light of God's continued Presence. As we continue to grow and develop, we become a beautiful plant and will bear fruit for our Gardner to use in whatever way He sees fit.

Will you die as a seed and become a fruitful vine or bush? Or will you stay in the bag in the corner? Or will you just stay as you are in the ground and never grow?

The choice is yours.

Don't Assume

2010-06-02T22:30:00.002-04:00

1) Don't assume that I am color blind just because I can't tell the difference between beige and taupe or coral and scarlet. Do I really need a celery shirt??

2) Don't assume that I can use a hand tool well just because I have testosterone flowing in my veins. You just might get hurt and hurt badly!

3) Don't assume that I like to watch or discuss the latest NASCAR race just because I work in the auto parts industry. I do not!

4) Don't assume that I will eat and be happy about eating JELLO cheesecake. No way, no how.

5) Don't assume that just because I am a lover of all varieties of music that I want to hear your boom-boom da da da while sitting at a stoplight. My car vibrates enough on its own.

6) Don't assume that I will beg for your help when I am as busy as a one-armed paper-hanger while you sit there feeling your butt expand. I'm not a martyr, but I won't beg you either.

7) Don't assume that I will always have patience for your shenanigans or delays.

8) Don't assume that I want to hear all about your illnesses, infections, and body aches and pains. Take a pill and be quiet, please.

9) Don't assume that I want you to call me by my first name if I don't know you. If I don't give you permission in some way, don't use it.

Do you have a "Don't Assume" list? I am not assuming that you do!

Answers

2010-05-31T21:38:00.002-04:00

Here's the much anticipated answers for last week's after school pop quiz. How did you do? Will the scores be high? Or will the teacher have to grade on a curve? I am anxious to see how everyone did!

So here they are...

1) The sport is boxing. (I'll admit that I didn't get it correct. But then again, I'm not into sports that much!)

2) The American landmark is Niagara Falls. (A nameless someone should have gotten that one right!)

3) The two perennial vegetables are asparagus and rhubarb. (I get a half a point for this one.)

4) The seeds-on-the-outside fruit is a strawberry. (Uncommonly common answer, huh?)

5) The pear grew inside the bottle. They place the pear blossom in the bottle and tie it securely to the branch. The pear develops and matures inside the bottle. (Not too difficult to figure out.)

6) The dwarfs used to dwell by the river, but their population has dwindled lately. (I only came up with one.)

7) List of English punctuation: period, comma, question mark, exclamation point, quotation marks, hyphen, apostrophe, semicolon, colon, parentheses, brackets, dash, ellipsis, and braces.

8) The never processed, always served raw vegetable or fruit is: lettuce. (I guessed banana. I totally forgot about Bananas Foster!)

9) And last but not least, the "S" footwear: shoes, socks, skis, skates, snowshoes, stilts, sneakers, sandals, slippers, and stockings.

My score was about a 5. So much for common knowledge, huh?

Seven

2010-05-28T21:57:00.002-04:00

Today's easy entry is dedicated to my sister. She just "knew" that I would copy it for my own blog. Hey! It's free and I don't have to ponder for too long on it! haha

Seven Things To Do Before I Die (and in no particular order!)
1) See the Great Wall of China.
2) Go on a safari.
3) See all 15 species of cranes in the wild.
4) Win Best in Show ;)
5) Climb the Eiffel Tower
6) See the Scottish moors full of blooming heather
7) Take the Copper Canyon Train

Seven Things I Cannot Do
1) Use outside tools...pitiful, absolutely pitiful
2) Back smoothly into a parking space
3) Back up with a trailer
4) Run the 100-yd dash in under 5 minutes
5) Swim like a fish
6) Decorate
7) Design anything

Seven Things That Attract Me To...Traveling
1) Seeing new places
2) Meeting new people
3) Trying new foods
4) Experiencing different cultures
5) Broadening my mind
6) Making friends
7) Hearing different languages

Seven Things I Say Most Often
1) Have a blessed day.
2) Girrrrrrlll.
3) Oh, gooood night!
4) I-D-10-T
5) Don't make me...
6) What do you want? A twinkie?
7) What's for dessert?

Seven Books That I Love
1) Bible
2) The Zion Chronicles
3) The Zion Covenant
4) Twilight of Courage
5) Secret of the Rose
6) A.D. Chronicles
7) Secret of Heathersleigh Hall

Seven Movies That I Watch Over and Over Again
1) Dances With Wolves
2) Lord Of The Rings 1-3
3) Steel Magnolias
4) Slumdog Millionaire
5) Sound of Music
6) Phantom of the Opera
7) Hairspray

Questions

2010-05-27T21:32:00.002-04:00

Since this is the last day of school for some people (namely my sister), I thought it fitting to have one more pop quiz for the year. These 9 questions should be common knowledge, but you might be surprised!

See how many you can get.

1) Name the one sport where neither the spectators nor the participants know the score or the leader until the contest ends.

2) What famous American landmark is constantly moving backwards?

3) Of all the vegetables, only two can live to produce on their own for several growing seasons. All other vegetables must be planted every year. What are the only two perennial vegetables?

4) What fruit has its seeds on the outside?

5) In many liquor stores, you can buy pear brandy with a real pear inside the bottle. The pear is whole and ripe. The bottle is genuine; it hasn't been cut in any way. How did the pear get inside the bottle?

6) Only three words in standard English begin with the letters "dw". They are common words. Name two of them.

7) There are 14 punctuation marks in the English language. Can you name at least half of them?

8) Name the only vegetable or fruit that is never frozen, canned, processed, cooked, or is found in any other form other than fresh.

9) Name 6 or more things that you can wear on your feet beginning with the letter "S".

Answers are forthcoming.

Spelling

2010-05-26T20:44:00.004-04:00

Around the year 1440, Johannes Gutenberg invented the printing press. With that marvelous invention came the standardization of spelling in a written language. Prior to the press, each person would write as he spoke. People from another region of the country would not be able to understand the written form from another area because they didn't know the local script. With books now being able to be widely distributed, spelling in a particular language because standard and people from all different dialects were able to read a book or article, no matter the origin of the author.

With that bit of history in mind, it seems that, today, we are regressing to the days before the printing press. It absolutely drives me insane. People spell anyway they want. Schools teach "whole word" spelling. How about teaching and expecting the proper way to spell? I know that English spelling can be crazy at times. Partly because of the original standardization when words were pronounced differently and partly because of the propensity of the English language to borrow words from another language without changing to a more English-like spelling, spelling can be a challenge.

But all in all, spelling should be a priority in today's world, especially when there is a "spell check" at every turn. No one should have to scratch their head over a word or get some other meaning to a sentence because the writer failed to spell properly. Language is a form of communication. If the written form is not spelled correctly, then the idea trying to be communicated is lost and the exercise was for naught.

I will leave you with several recent, personal encounters with misspelled words from my work. These are not just one time occurrences, but an everyday repeat of the same misspelling. The intended word will appear beside each one. Now mind you, the words used in my line of work are nothing like sphygmomanometer or syzygy...

Toyoda (Toyota)
dudy (duty)
Jinna (Gina)
Hoza' (José)
Detoisa (Desoto)
Crig (Craig)
Jammie (Jamie)
Carrbarrow (Carrboro, NC)
Tory (Troy)
angle (angel)
Jone (Joan)
Susiki (Suzuki)
Darwin (Darren)
Cala' (Carla)
litter (liter)
Earnie (Ernie)

Proofread!!

2010-05-25T21:46:00.002-04:00

Today, I found this little message on the Raleigh Parks and Recreation page, a very public page representing part of our city government. It is copied verbatim...

Tuesday, May 25th
Fields are being assed at this time and the playing status is uncertain, please check back for further updatesfor today.

Isn't that the most professional message you've ever seen? Come on! This note is from a government website! Does anyone proofread anymore? I do realize that one can make mistakes while typing and some errors are hard to see even after proofreading, but this one looks to me like a total lack of trying.

The same goes for emails. Run-on sentences are rampant; commas are used for periods; capitalization is hit-and-miss. As far as I'm concerned, just because something can be sent instantaneously doesn't mean that one shouldn't take the time to make sure that all grammar, spelling, and spacing are correct. After all, aren't we supposed to be a well-educated people?

Or is that a myth?

Free!!!

2010-05-22T22:40:00.005-04:00

Today was another adventure in grocery shopping with mom. I love to go there to look for new items (Smucker's has maple syrup now!) Mom and I could spend hours going up and down the isles.

To give you a bit of a background on why we were there today, our next-door neighbor allowed us to pick some cherries from his tree this week. Last night after work, we went there to get a mess to eat, make pies, etc. Well, when we left with our booty, I began to think about what to do with them. I have tried to make cherry jam and it didn't turn out well because the fruit floated. I didn't want to try it again for now, so I thought about jelly. I came across a recipe for cherry-plum jelly. I told mom about it and since cherries are kind of perishable once removed from their loving home, she suggested that we go get the plums today. So off the the store we went.

First stop was Food Lion. I will go ahead and admit that I don't care for this place. But they had Propel for $3/pack. Savings beat preferences in this case. There were no plums there (I knew they wouldn't have them!) so we cruised on down the hill to the Harris Teeter (My insides were absolutely bursting with excitement.) Once inside and after tasting the bread samples of the day, we made our way to the produce. Lo and behold, Harris Teeter was out of plums too! The disappointment ravished my body. Then Mom happened to notice the apricots and voila, there was a plumcot (A cross between a plum and apricot)! Well, not one to be picky, we quickly grabbed the little jewels and stuffed them into a plastic bag. Mom found the scales and discovered that we didn't get but a pound of the 3.5 pounds we needed. So we stuffed more and more and more and more and finally reached the 3.5-pound mark on the scale.

We sauntered to the self-checkout line and began the process of paying for the fruit. We only had this one item. But there were no stickers on the fruit to give the code. And on the roll around produce code bar, no such thing as a plumcot was listed. So we asked for help. The lady didn't know so she called for some help and sent a guy to look. He never returned. Then she asked another lady and she brought back a code. When we entered it into the machine, it was for black plums, not plumcots. The first lady wanted to send someone else, but I volunteered to go and take a look. When I arrived at the stand again, there was no code on the container and I noticed that the price was 40 cents higher than what had rung up for the black plums. Upon returning to the checkout, I looked at the screen again and suddenly realized that we had 7 pounds of plumcots!!! The scales in the produce department were a bit off!!

All this time, people were standing in line waiting for an empty checkout. I am sure they were wondering what we were doing using a checkout with nothing there! When I told mom that we really had 7 pounds of fruit, she told me to bring the fruit. We went back to the first lady, and she did a wonderful thing...

She took a plastic bag, enclosed our fruit with it, and told us "Merry Christmas!" Mom, looking incredulous, said "What?" The lady apologized for all the trouble and said again, "Merry Christmas. Have a nice day. And enjoy the fruit!" Mom: "Are you sure I don't owe you anything? I feel funny walking out of here without paying." Lady: "No, ma'am. It's Harris Teeter's policy to give it to the person when no one can find an answer." Promising her a jar of the jelly, we headed out the door. Mom said she felt like she was stealing! I, on the other hand, felt joyous! We received double what we wanted and didn't have to pay a dime for it! WOW!

Cue the music...

I love my HARRIS TEETER!!!

(I at least owe them a small ad in exchange for the fruit!)

Therapy

2010-05-21T23:31:00.004-04:00

Leader: Group, we have a new member today.

Hello. My name is Kevin. And I'm an impatient driver. At least when it comes to the other drivers that are in my way.

All: Hi, Kevin!

Group leader: Welcome, Kevin! Please, tell us how you came to accept this reality in your life.

Well, this past week has solidified what I have really known all along but wanted to put the blame elsewhere.

Leader: What happened?

Well, there are several things? Should I recite them all?

Leader (looking at the clock): Well....maybe just one or two...

OK. (Taking a deep breath) Well, there were several people out for a Sunday evening cruise down a Christmas decorated subdivision street. The only problem with that was it was not Sunday, not Christmas, and they were on main roads during rush hour. (Arm movements begin in earnest) And then there was the guy that was going through downtown and when he came to the last stoplight before exiting downtown, he actually stopped when the light was still green because the timer on the pedestrian crossing was down to 5 seconds! And yes! I was behind him. Did I mention the light was still green and we could have all made it through the stoplight? And then there was the person who pulls out in front of me when I was going down the road at a nice pace and caused me to have to slow down quickly to avoid the nasty sound of crunching metal. And then there was the time that I was trying to change lanes, complete with appropriate signal, and not a soul would allow me a modicum of room in which to move my vehicle. And then there was all the traffic at the stop lights. Do all these people have to leave at the same time that I do? And then there was the...

Leader: AHEM...Well, it looks as if the time is all but over...

Oh, yes...I see that it is (looking sheepish while the others sigh deeply while looking at the walls with glassy eyes).

Leader: Thanks so much (rolling eyes) for such a riveting revelation. Group, what do you think the solution for Kevin should be?

All: Stay home.

Leader: Well, I think that is a fair resolution for your impatience. Try it for one week and come back to let us know how you fared.

Ummm...OK (staring incredulously) Thanks for your time (Mumbling on the way out of the building)

Together

2010-05-16T08:33:00.003-04:00

See that sun in the morning,
Peeking over that hill?
I'll bet you're sure it always has
and sure it always will.
That's how I feel about someone;
How someone feels about me.
We're sure we love each other.
That's the way we'll always be.

Oh, we ain't got a barrel of money.
Maybe we're ragged and funny.
But we'll travel along
Singing a song
Side by side.

Don't know what's coming tomorrow.
Maybe it's trouble and sorrow.
But we'll travel the road
Sharing the load
Side by side.

Through all kinds of weather.
What if the sky should fall?
Just as long as we're together,
It doesn't matter at all.

When they've all had their quarrels and parted
We'll be the same as we started
Just a-traveling along
Singing a song.
Side by side.

These lyrics to this well-known ditty speak about two people I know so well--my parents. They have lived this song for 46 years today. Today is their wedding anniversary. Their marriage has seen many tough times, but they are still together and always will be. Never was a couple more suited for each other. Whether it's washing dishes, pushing a wheelbarrow full of mulch, gardening, or just sitting on the couch after a long day, they are always together. Neither one does much without the other one in tow.

How many couples can say that today? Most married couples can't wait to get rid of the other for a few hours or days so they can do whatever they want. My parents are the exception to that norm. They have been and always will be together!

Mysophobic?

2010-05-15T16:34:00.002-04:00

Today's title contains one of those 50-cent words. Mysophobia is the fear of germs. People with this condition do not touch anything unless it has been "cleaned" beforehand. They constantly wash their hands so as not to be contaminated. Any contact with dirt or any other thing seen as "dirty" will send them over the edge and start a whole new bout of cleansing.

I wonder...

Are we creating more mysophobes today?

Everywhere you go there is someone with a bottle of hand sanitizer squirting it all over everything. People use sanitizing wipes, cleaners, anti-bacterial soaps, etc. and cannot leave home without them.

Now, I am all about maintaining a clean body and surroundings and informing people of some potentially deadly illness, but we as a society seem to have become obsessed with germs. When there is an outbreak of some disease, it's decried as an "epidemic" and everyone wears masks and avoids contact with their neighbors. When someone gets the least little bit of dirt on them, it's time for the HAZMAT shower.

Really now? Isn't that why we have an immune system? Isn't it perfectly capable of fighting off anything that would harm us? God created that marvelous system for our protection. When we help it too much, it suddenly finds itself without as much to do and could potentially start fighting the body it was designed to protect. And there is also the potential of isolating ourselves from enriching and much-needed physical contact with our friends and other fellow humans. When we stay behind closed doors for fear of being contaminated, we short change ourselves from a totally fulfilled life.

So I say, if you are healthy and fit, go ahead and get dirty. Don't fret if you haven't washed your hands before you eat that french fry. As long as they aren't caked in mud or show no signs of visible contamination, take a chance. Nor should you worry about the door handle or railing that other people have touched. Your body will take care of any invaders that happen to make it inside. And if one of those invaders does evade all the immune infantry and cavalry that your body throws at it, take the appropriate measures to ensure a speedy recovery.

Black and White

2010-05-12T20:17:00.003-04:00

Black and white are total opposites. Black is the presence or saturation of all color in one place; white is the absence or un-saturation of color in one place. Opposites that totally compliment one another, look good next to each other, and bring out the best in each other just by being together.

Black and white together create a dazzling, crisp image that is considered to be one of the top color combinations in high fashion. Anyone seen wearing a formal tuxedo to carrying a nice black and white Gucci or Gigi Chantel would be seen as sharp, well-dressed, and would garner stares from all nearby.

Black and white is also found throughout nature. Penguins are the most formal of birds in their eternal, tuxedo-looking feather-attire. Zebras display brilliant patterns with their black and white stripes. Giant Pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) would look like any other bear without their black and white pattern. Pin-tailed Whydahs (Vidua macroura), Zebra Swallowtails (Eurytides marcellus), Orcas (Orcinus orca), Sacred Ibis (Threskiornis aethiopicus), Black-and-white Ruffed Lemurs (Varecia variegata variegata), and an astonishing array of other creatures are all sharing this earth with some kind of black and white pattern.

So then why, oh why, can't Blacks and Whites in humans (or any other color in between) get along as well? Why can't they compliment each other? Bring out the best in each other? Why must there always be such bickering and biting and sometimes downright cruel behavior among us?

Yes, there are differences. We all don't look at the world the same or think exactly the same, but that's what makes each of us beautiful. Our differences. When we get along with each other as black and white does so well in nature and fashion, we are striking and eye-poppingly beautiful.

Let's take a lesson from the God-created colors...

Compliment each other.

Support one another.

Peacefully stand next to each other.

When we do, we produce a small, but breath-taking portrait of what God, through nature, is trying to show us.

Mom

2010-05-09T15:52:00.002-04:00

Today is the day when, once a year, we set aside a time to celebrate all things Mother. In reality, it should be everyday of the year, but at least this makes it just a bit more special every second Sunday in May.

There are not enough adequate words to describe my mother. She is one of a kind in every which way. She's funny, loving, caring, and easy going. But she can also be stern, forceful, and can take care of business when the need arises. She is one tough cookie that I always want in my corner. She's like a sow bear with cubs...never come between her and her children or grandchildren (no matter what age they are!). You will get hurt.

My mom should be put out as the example of what a wife and mother should be. She is very supportive of and submissive to my dad yet she is no shrinking violet. When she has had enough, you will know all to well that Mom is in the house. She takes junk from no one. She is proud but humble; she works hard and has finally learned to take a little time for herself.

There is not another woman even remotely close to her that I know. She is the best lady I know and I am proud to be her son. I wouldn't change anything about her.

Happy Mother's Day to my MOTHER!

I love you!

Dental Month

2010-04-30T23:17:00.002-04:00

The month of April seems to have been National Dental Month at work. Several people had dentist appointments and missed part of a day or a whole day depending on the situation. The most recent was mine. I just had a regular cleaning. Nothing was bad; nothing was out of place or ridden with holes. Just a normal, run-of-the-mill cleaning. I guess it's the "horse teeth" I have been blessed with. I still don't know how that moniker turned into something to be proud of, but nevertheless it is!

Most of the others were just cavities that had to be filled or refilled. One co-worker came into work looking like a twin of Governor Bev Purdue. Because of the Novocaine, her mouth was in the same posture as our illustrious governor's since she's had some sort of nip and tuck on her face. Trust me. It wasn't meant to be a compliment to the co-worker. Thankfully, her condition was temporary unlike Bev's plastic, line-in-the-sand puss.

The icing on the dental cake, however, was from another co-worker. She had been going through life for the past 3 months or so with a toothache. She kept saying she would tough it out. Well, last week, the tough left her. She didn't get any sleep that night and decided to go to the dentist to have it looked at. Come to find out, it had been somehow damaged and it needed to be pulled. So she had it pulled. Not that out of the ordinary. The next day was where the incident turned very strange. She returned to work and brought her tooth with her in an envelope!!! And then she showed it to everyone!!! An almost 50-year old woman bringing a pulled tooth into work to show her co-workers as if we had Show-n-Tell like first graders!! My boss declined her offer. I snidely glanced away. She thought it was grand! Whatever!

All in all, it was more than I could chew!

2+2=4

2010-04-27T21:48:00.002-04:00

I don't know about the rest of you out there, but in my own little world, the sum of 2 and 2 is 4. Time tested. Retested. Proven. Logical. But lately, I have noticed many people in the world that seem to lack that same logic. Today at work is a prime example.

Example 1: A certain individual in another state called to get tracking on a particular part. I looked at the paperwork for the order and noticed that it was ordered late in the afternoon last Thursday for second day air. Now logic should play a role here because when one places an order late in the afternoon, it is after the cutoff for shipping and therefore would not ship until the next day. In this case, the next day was Friday. Second day from Friday is Tuesday (shipping time, not real time!). I called him to explain that little timing issue and he was a bit ticked because I didn't have a tracking number. I explained to him that the part would be delivered today because today was the second day and that if he had wanted it Monday, it should have been ordered next day air. He still insisted on a tracking number.

Rolling my eyes, I hung up the phone and proceeded with a few more important demands cluttering my desk before getting his tracking number. Lo and behold! What did I find?? The package was out for delivery today! Isn't that amazing how that works??? I called him back to inform him of the package's imminent arrival and he explained (kind of sheepishly) that he wanted to show his customer some proof. Why? Did he think that because his logic was very faulty, that the customer's logic would be faulty too? Hmmm....scratch that question. Too obvious.

Example 2: Another individual called about an engine. He proceeded to tell me that his customer was ordering a regular Chevrolet truck engine but was putting it in a airboat. He knew there would be no warranty from the supplier because it was not being used for the correct application. Sound logic. However, the same individual's logic quickly eroded away to nothing with his next question. He said, "Can you find out how much discount on the price they will give because there will be no warranty?" What??? Why would anyone expect a lower price on an engine just because there is no warranty?? The customer is the one assuming all the responsibility for something that could go wrong when he chose to install it in a totally different application. The price for the engine is the same regardless of the vehicle where it's installed. Eyes rolled again.

As you can well see, the everyday reality of logic seems to be an ancient relict viewed by the outside world through a very narrow opening in the new exhibit at the museum. It's pretty to look at, but they can't quite reach out and grasp it. It's a shame. Logic is very much needed in everyday life. Without it, life makes no sense at all.

I wonder what color the sky is in their world...

True Reality

2010-04-18T12:31:00.002-04:00

Today's sermon was on the subject of Jesus raising Lazarus from the grave. It's a well-known story and even people that have no knowledge of the Bible are familiar with it. When the pastor was preaching about it today, one thought really stuck in my mind...

God's reality is not our reality.

When Jesus arrived in Bethany, the family was still grieving and were questioning why Jesus had taken so long to arrive. After all, Lazarus had been dead for 4 days. What could He do now? If he had only arrived sooner, He could have healed their brother. Their reality was death and stinking flesh. They knew there was nothing anyone could do to bring him back from the grave

But then Jesus told them that He delayed His arrival that they may know who He is. His reality was far different and the only real reality. After being taken to the grave, He commanded the stone to be rolled away. Martha, one of Lazarus' sisters, again questioned Jesus on His actions. He gently reminded her Who was in charge. After a short, thankful prayer, He called out in a loud voice for Lazarus to come out. What happened next was, I am certain, very shocking for all the witnesses. Lazarus, bound from head to feet in grave clothes, appeared at the door. He couldn't walk out because his feet were bound. I am sure it was a little frightening to them to see him suddenly appear in what I believe to be in a levitating state. But he was alive! Jesus Christ had reversed the decaying process. After four days of tissue breakdown, this man who was dead and rotting was now alive and well.

When we are going through life and storms suddenly blow out of nowhere to pelt us with high winds, stinging rain, and damaging hail, we only see and feel the storm and are frightened. When the sun shines brightly and everything is going "our" way, we are happy and content. When some tragedy strikes without notice, we become angry and bitter. That's our reality. But it's not the true reality. Only God in His infinite wisdom can see it now in its complete form. We focus on our circumstances whether they are good or bad but fail to see what is really happening or comprehend why it's happening and turn to despair or anger. When we allow God to work in and through the circumstance, we begin to trust in His reality and being to understand just a little more of who He is and what He wants for us.

Lazarus was brought back from being a rotten corpse to breathing air as a newborn. Do we expect less of God today? He's still the same. Let's being to see through the eyes of God.

Odd Cities

2010-04-10T17:35:00.002-04:00

In my line of work, I have to place orders and have them sent to several different towns and cities in the Southeast, Midwest, and in some of the Northeast. Most of the cities have "normal" sounding names like Marksville, LA or Richmond, VA. However, during these years of ordering, I have noticed some unusual names for towns and cities that is a part of my area. There is Weeping Water, NE (Wouldn't you want to live there? It sounds so inviting!), Red Cloud, NE, and Friend, NE. Kansas has Tonganoxie and Wamego while Mississippi has Yazoo City. Waumea is in Florida, as is Okeechobee.

But I have also noticed some very not-so-imaginative names as well. These cities and towns just sound ho-hum. Places like Paris, KY or Geneva, AL are deceptive really. The state with the most of these uninspired cities seems to be Missouri. They have Pacific, Louisiana, Mexico, Glasgow, Normandy, Milan, and Nevada. Were the founders of these places having a huge dearth of original ideas when naming these towns? Maybe the founders were from these areas and missed their homes? Who knows? Naming towns after other countries, world-renown cities, or other states just seems silly to me. (In Missouri's defense, they do have original or pleasant sounding names like Mountain View and Chillicothe.)

It would be interesting to find out the history of these town names, both original and unimaginative. Maybe there is an understandable reason behind naming a town Mexico...

Until then, check out Lizard Lick, Turkey, and Whynot, North Carolina!!

Pollen Central

2010-04-05T19:34:00.002-04:00

It's official! It's time again for the annual saturation of the air with millions of grains of pollen. And, believe me, it is not being timid at all this year! It seems that April 1 opened the floodgates and over the weekend, the air really filled with the tiny packets of sperm and covered every open surface whether inside a "closed" car, the sidewalks, or your nostrils.

We cough it. We hack it. We snort it. Everywhere you turn you see and feel them as they waft through the air like billowy, yellow clouds. Anyone that took notice of their surroundings knew it was coming because the male pine cones have been very visible for several days now. It was only a matter of time before they threw caution to the wind and released their half of the next generation into the warm breezes. The timing was spot-on with this unseasonably warm temperatures, breezy conditions, and no recent rain. A perfect combination for a liberal dusting of yellow.

Now many people are suffering from allergies and are looking for the most likely culprit. Since pine pollen is very visible, the blame always falls on it. Sorry! But it's not the cause of the allergies. The pollen is too big to cause an allergic reaction. The only sneezing caused by pine pollen is a normal reaction to an irritant to the nasal lining. The real allergic reactors are oak, hickory, and other hardwoods.

To those people who complain, complain, complain about the pollen, I say buck it up! Soon the male cones and catkins will spew the last of their kind into the air for this year and the rain will come to wash the rest away. Let the trees and other plants have their fun. After all, they only get to make love once a year!!

He's ALIVE!!!!

2010-04-04T14:08:00.002-04:00

Christ has risen from the dead!!!
HALLELUJAH!!

One of my favorite Easter songs is entitled "He's Alive!". Several different versions have been recorded over the years, but my favorite one is by David Phelps. Listen to it and praise our Lord that He has conquered sin, death, and hell!!

A Decade of Uncleness

2010-04-01T22:43:00.003-04:00

It's so hard to believe that I have been an uncle for 10 whole years!! It seems like yesterday that I was working when I received "the call". It was a little after noon on Saturday. I was behind the counter at CARQUEST impatiently waiting for 3 PM to chime so I could spin tires out of the parking lot. The telephone rang, and I, with my best customer service voice, answered it. Instead of an inquiry about the price of an oil filter or a belt, I was given the news by my sister that she was in labor and was about to leave for the hospital. She was chattering uncontrollably and could barely form words correctly, but she did get across that THIS WAS IT. Of course, I strongly suggested that she not have them until after I get off work because I had no choice but to stay till 3. She said she would she what she could do about it (tongue-in-cheek, of course!).

The afternoon crept along and finally I was released from my "prison" and motored down the highway at a fast clip. I arrived home, changed clothes quickly, and escorted Mom to Wake Med. We arrived on two wheels and finally found the room where Kellie and Steve were waiting. I will never, ever forget the next few moments...

The closer we got to the room, I heard a noise. It became louder and louder and louder. Mom knocked on the door and Steve answered it. Come to find out, the noise was being produced by my sister. It reached a crescendo when the door was cracked. A undulating, moaning sound emanated from the room

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

I can remember my eyes widening in surprise, Steve's face cracked in a huge grin, and this thought coursing through my brain...That's my sister making that noise!!!!! After telling them we were there, Mom and I went back to the waiting room and waited for the inevitable. Dad arrived a few minutes later along with other family members. We talked and waited and talked and waited some more. Finally someone came out to tell us that Wesley had popped out and she would come back with the rest of the story later. After another short wait, she returned to let us know that Mikayla had followed suit and that everyone was doing well.

Wow! What memories!!! I still can't believe they are 10 years old! During the time of their arrival into this world, Nickel Creek released a single entitled "When You Come Back Down". I have always loved the song and find it very fitting in describing part of what I feel about my nephew and niece. They are growing up so fast! I will end with the lyrics to this lovely song.

You got to leave me now;
You got to go alone.
You got to chase a dream,
One that's all your own
Before it slips away.
When you're flyin' high,
Take my heart along.
I'll be the harmony to every lonely song
That you'll learn to play.

When you're soarin' through the air,
I'll be your solid ground.
Take every chance you dare;
I'll still be there
When you come back down,
When you come back down.

I'll keep lookin' up,
Awaitin' your return.
My biggest fear will be that you will crash and burn
And I won't feel your fire.
I'll be the other hand that always holds the line,
Connectin' in between your sweet heart and mine.
I'm strung out on that wire.

And I'll be on the other end
To hear you when you call.
Angel, you were born to fly,
But if you get to high,
I'll catch you when you fall.
I'll catch you when you fall.

Your memory's the sunshine every new day brings.
I know the sky in calling.
Angel, let me help you with your wings.

When you're soarin' through the air,
I'll be your solid ground.
Take every chance you dare.
I'll still be there
When you come back down.
When you come back down.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WESLEY AND MIKAYLA!!!!

Palm Leaves and Asses

2010-03-28T12:34:00.005-04:00

In Roman times, palm fronds were used to celebrate victories in wars and games as well as for festive times. The Jews regarded the palm leaf as a symbol of peace and prosperity. Isn't it fitting that the people of Jerusalem waved and lined the street with these leaves as Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city?

The ass , when compared to a horse, is a lowly creature. The horse is more powerful, majestic, and bold. However, the horse is also used in war and was a symbol of victory when the king returned from battle riding high on his stallion. The lowly ass was a symbol of peace. Therefore, when Jesus rode in on an ass, He was coming in peace, not in war as the leaders of the day feared.

Why didn't the people understand?

The leaders wanted to keep the status quo. They wanted to stay in power and were determined to do anything to remain there. The people wanted change. They were tired of the Roman government and wanted their Messiah to come swooping in and obtain a physical, here-and-now victory over their enemies. All these ideas and prejudices blinded them to the truth--Jesus was here for all of them. He was entering the gates of Jerusalem as the first step to giving them what they most needed and, in truth, desperately wanted. He was giving Himself.

Just a few short days later, these same people that cheered and greeted Him at the gate turned on Him with venom and demanded that He be put to death. Unbeknown to them, they didn't really succeed in killing Him. He freely and willingly gave His life for all those people there, for all the people before them and for all the people after them forever. There was no way they could take His life if He didn't offer it to them.

That's why He rode on an ass in peace. He was peacefully taking our place at our judgment and sentencing.

That's why the palm leaves were unknowingly chosen by the people. They were forecasting a triumph that, at the time, even they couldn't possibly understand without truly believing in their hearts what He has said.

He triumphed over sin, death, and hell not by taking lives in a war, but by giving His own in our place.

Hallelujah!! What a Savior!!

It Was a Zoo!!!!

2010-03-27T23:17:00.002-04:00

Today was a very nice day. Wall to wall sunshine. Slightly warm temperature with a cool breeze. And a family trip to the North Carolina State Zoo! It's been several years since I have visited the zoo. I used to go fairly regularly and have been missing it. Since I was able to get free tickets, I told everyone we were going and set the date.

We set out around 9:30 and traveled the 75-mile distance to Asheboro, NC. After arriving at the zoo, we started at the Africa exhibits. We first saw the Reticulated Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata) and Ostriches (Struthio camelus). After admiring them for a while, we strolled over to the new Watani Grasslands to see African Elephants (Loxodonta africana) and White Rhinoceroses (Ceratotherium simum). I hadn't had the chance to see this newly redone exhibit and was excited to see the larger space for these massive pachyderms and the increase in the size of the herds. Next door was the African grasslands where we were able to pick out Gemsbok (Oryx gazella). Most of the antelopes were resting far away.

After a stop at the Hamadryas Baboon (Papio hamadryas) where we were able to get nice views of their daily lives (including some views that elicited some gasps and guffaws!), we viewed some of the tropical plants in the African Pavilion. Upon exiting, we headed towards the Gorillas (Gorilla gorilla) and Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) exhibits. Next came the Red River Hogs (Pomatochoerus porcus) and the Lion (Panthera leo). Unfortunately, the Lions were not out for us to see. They must have been resting in some corner. Mikayla was finally able to get a good view of "her" Grant's Zebra (Equus burchelli boehmi) before we headed back up the hill to North America.

Before crossing the border between the continents, we took a stroll through the aviary. I love this place!!!!!!! There was a little drama between two Chilean Flamingos (Phoenicopterus chilensis) as we entered the building. Feathers were flying and squawks were sounded! Wesley was able to see the Blue Poison-dart Frog (Dendrobates azureus) among other species as we went inside. Upon walking through the doors to the tropical aviary, we were able to pick out several of the species that were present there including the Pekin Robin (Leiothrix lutea), White-headed Mousebird (Colius leucocephalus), Victoria Crowned-Pigeon (Goura victoria), Scarlet Ibis (Eudocimus ruber), and Sunbittern (Eurypyga helias).

Our first North American exhibit was the Sonoran Desert exhibit. We were able to see a Greater Roadrunner (Geococcyx californicus) who didn't say "beep-beep", an Ocelot (Leopardus pardalis), North American Cacomistle (Bassiriscus astutus), a Pyrrhuloxia (Cardinalis sinuatus), Giant Hummingbird (Patagona gigas) and several desert reptiles including a Black-tailed Rattlesnake (Crotalus molossus) and a Gila Monster (Heloderma suspectum). After we exited the building, we had to hurry to see the Red Wolves (Canis rufus), Grizzly Bears (Ursus arctos horribilis), Black Bears (Ursus americanus), American Bison (Bison bison), and American Elk (Cervus elaphus canadensis). All of these animals are very impressive!

By the time we had viewed the bison and elk, the zoo had closed and we weren't able to see the Streamside exhibit or any of the Rock Coast exhibits or Cypress Swamp exhibits. Oh well! One can't do but so much in a day. We will just have to visit it again soon!

All in all, it was a grand day. I am looking forward to my next visit!

What God Wants

2010-03-21T20:05:00.003-04:00

Isn't it funny how two different people can read a book or article and come away with totally different meanings or ideas from it? Each person comes with their own preconceived ideas and thoughts that are based on their own personalities, their upbringings and their experiences. Each of those things colors their perception and allows for many different ideas that make the world a very interesting place in which to live.

One such Book is the Bible. It was finished several centuries ago and yet, even today, people still get it wrong. Some people see it as a book of stories or myths. Some people take certain portions of it as the truth and other parts they discard. Others see it as God's inspired Word.

Over the centuries, different groups of men have used the Bible to justify their actions. Europeans used it to justify the Crusades. Southerns used it to justify slavery. Northerners used it to justify abolition. Some anti-abortionists use it to justify killing doctors. Still others today use it to justify their worldly lifestyle while the people down the street seclude themselves from the rest of the world. These examples are among many such ideas that people have used God's Word to justify their actions that are very contradicting.

How can one group use the Bible to support an idea while another group uses the same Bible to support the total opposite idea?

The answer is very simple. Sinful Man with his own preconceived notions takes portions of Scripture that seem to support his idea out of context and uses it as a weapon, wielding it about to crush anyone that doesn't agree with his own personal ideas.

But is that what God wants?

NO!

God wants His children to use the Bible first and foremost as a personal letter of love from Him to His children. Secondly, He wants us to use it to learn more about Him and His nature. Thirdly, He wants us to grow in Him by reading His Word and learning from it. And fourthly, He wants us to use it as a weapon to defeat the forces of Satan and bring many lost souls to a true knowledge of Him.

How do we do that? By reading the Bible with open eyes, hearts, and minds and let God tell us what He means by each passage of Scripture. We need to throw away what we think we know and let God use His Words to mold us into being like His Son.

Yes, different people will always do God's will differently. He didn't make robots that have no control over their own thoughts and actions. But when we let God show us the true meaning of His Word, we will all start to become more and more like Christ and less and less like ourselves.

Faith

2010-03-14T22:06:00.004-04:00

I had a very important reminded today of what faith really is. It's not a feeling. It's not a hope. It's a strong conviction that God will do what He promises. When the way is stormy and rough but we do what He asks anyway, we show faith. Even when the odds are stacked against us or the way seems utterly impossible and foolish (especially to the world), we exhibit faith and please God by doing what He wants. Even in the ordinary, day-to-day tasks like working alongside someone that you can't stand or being happy when your plans fall through or not worrying about something that we can't control, we exhibit faith in God and His plans for our lives by our reactions to those circumstances.

What do you want to exhibit? Faith or faithlessness? Now, don't get me wrong. No human will ever have complete faith until he is in Glory. But for me, I want to strive to have complete faith in my God.

Mark 9:24
And straightway the father of the child cried out,
and said with tears,
Lord, I believe;
help thou mine unbelief.

Trust and Obey
When we walk with the Lord in the light of His Word,
What a glory He sheds on our way!
While we do His good will, He abides with us still,
And with all who will trust and obey.

Not a shadow can rise, not a cloud in the skies,
But His smile quickly drives it away.
Not a doubt or a fear, not a sigh or a tear

Can abide while we trust and obey.

Not a burden we bear, not a sorrow we share,
But our toil He doth richly repay;
Not a grief or a loss, not a frown or a cross,
But is blessed if we trust and obey.

But we never can prove the delights of His love
Until all on the altar we lay;
For the favor He shows, for the joy He bestows
Are for them who will trust and obey.

Then in fellowship sweet, we will sit at His feet.
Or we'll walk by His side in the way.
What He says we will do; where He sends we will go.
Never fear. Only trust and obey.

Trust and obey; for there's no other way
To be happy in Jesus but to trust and obey.

Driving

2010-03-11T23:14:00.002-05:00

Driving is such a freedom-fulfilling desire for many young people. We all remember well how excited we were to get our Learner's Permit and then finally our Driver's License! Oh, the places we can go! The things we can do! The sights we can see! And all we need to do is crank the engine, mash the gas pedal and take off down the road!

But can I offer a few observations I have made over the years that cause me to wonder where they learned to drive?

1) Why do people use the passing lane as if they are on a Sunday drive?
2) Why do people not use their turn signals at all or only right when they are making a turn?
3) Why do school buses and semis pull out in front of you? Do they really think they can accelerate that fast? Or is it just to tick you off?
4) Why do people only get into a turn lane in the last 10 feet and do it veeeerrrrry sllloooowwwwly? Isn't there a whooooole lot of turn lane before that?? Isn't the reason for a turn lane to not cause an interruption in the flow of traffic on a busy street?
5) Why do people rubberneck at other collisions on the road? Are they taking notes on how to do the exact same thing?
6) Why do people drive like maniacs down the road when the other people are going the speed limit or slightly over? Do they really need to be that aggressive?
7) Why do people drive down the road with their turn signal still blinking? If they are that blind and deaf, they do not need to be behind the wheel!
8) Why do people ride their brakes? It really confuses the person behind them.
9) Why do people speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down, speed up, etc? It is sooooo annoying!
10) Why do people always brake around nice curves? It hinders the people behind them that want to slide smoothly through the curve at a nice rate of speed.

These are just a few of the many observations over the years. Are there any answers?

What do you think?

All About Me

2010-03-07T22:45:00.003-05:00

OK. So I'm not feeling as inspired now as I was earlier this afternoon. But these little blogonaires (I maybe have just coined a new web word!) are fun and give a little more insight into my personality. So here goes...

1. What is your name spelled backwards? Nivek Sknarf (Sounds like some Russian spy name).
2. What did you do last night? Watched TV and had a steak dinner.
3. What was the last thing you downloaded onto your computer? An update for RealPlayer

4. Have you ever licked a 9 volt battery? Ummm...No
5. When was the last time you swam in a pool? I can't remember
6. What are you wearing? House pants and long-sleeve shirt
7. How many cars have you owned? 2

8. What is the type of music you dislike most? The noise that is called hard rock and techno.
9. Are you registered to vote? Yes
10. Do you have cable? No, satellite.
11. What kind of computer do you use? Dell
12. Have you ever made a prank phone call? Yes. Once. Mom and Dad weren't happy. End of story.

13. Would you go bungee jumping or sky diving? No
14. What is the furthest place you ever traveled? So far, Albania.

15. What's your favorite comic strip? Calvin and Hobbes
16. Do you know all of the words to the national anthem? Yes
17. Do you shower in the morning or at night? In the morning.
18. What is your favorite pizza topping? Do I have to choose? I guess I could narrow it down to Canadian bacon (Pea Mill bacon for all my Canadian fans! ;-) )
19. Chips or popcorn? Again, do I have to choose??
20. What cell phone provider do you use? Verizon.
21. Have you ever smoked peanut shells? Why would I?
22. Have you ever been in a beauty pageant? Hahahahahahahaha
23. Orange juice or apple juice? Apple
24. With whom were the last people you sat at lunch? My family.
25. Favorite chocolate bar? These choice questions are killing me! I would have to say Hershey's Special Dark!!!!!!
26. Who is your oldest friend and how long have you known each other? My sister. Since she came down the "Suez Canal"!

27. When was the last time you ate a homegrown tomato? Last summer from our own garden.
28. Have you ever won a trophy? Yes. For piano and AWANA.

29. Favorite arcade game? Never played many.
30. Ever ordered from an infomercial? Yes. It was for a piece of exercise equipment that was supposed to make me do crunches while sitting. The rubber band broke and the plastic part collected dust until I threw it away.

31. Sprite or 7-UP? Sprite
32. Have you ever had to wear a uniform to school/work? Yes. We all look like navy blue and khaki drones.

33. Last thing you bought at Walgreens? Never shopped there.
34. Ever thrown up in public? Never. But I have fainted several times. Talk about embarrassing!
35. Would you prefer being a millionaire or finding true love? True love.
36. Do you believe in love at first sight? No, I don't think true love at first sight is possible.
37. Spongebob or Jimmy Neutron? Neither
38. Did you have long hair as a young kid? No.
39. What message is on your voicemail? All erased.
40. Where would you like to go right now? Mexico!!!!!!!!!!!
41. What's the name of your pet? Petless for now.
42. What kind of back pack do you have, and what's in it? Don't have one.
43. What kind of tennis shoes do you have? New Balance

She WILL Be The...

2010-03-06T16:18:00.004-05:00

Next Food Network Star!

So says Mikayla this afternoon.

After several good intentions, Mikayla is finally going to supply the family with Sunday dessert. I just returned from taking her to the grocery store to get the necessary ingredients. It's a simple Apricot Ginger Parfait. But she will do it herself and she is super excited about making it. I really didn't think there would be fresh apricots in the store in March, but to my surprise, they had some.We also picked up the gingersnaps that we will need to complete the scrumptious fare. While there, we had to taste the bread samples and Mikayla also made her rounds in the produce department tasting oranges and cantaloupe.

On the way back home, she was chatting about this and that when she suddenly declared her dream for when she was older. I will recount the conversation here. It wasn't recorded and will not be verbatim but you will get the gist of it:

Mikayla: I want to be the next Food Network Star when I grow up. And then I will famous...but if I have a husband, I won't be able to spend much time with him.

Me: Why not?

Mikayla: Because I will always be on shows all the time.

Me (smirking): Well, they may not have the show when you get older.

Mikayla: I really hope they do because I want to be on it and have my own show. I really like to cook.

Oh the dreams of youth! I am going to do all I can to encourage her in this direction. It's nice for me to be able to share my love of cooking with someone. I hope that she will keep this love all her life and turn out to be a very good cook/baker. And be on the lookout! In the next 10 years or so, you may very well be hearing about Mikayla, the Next Food Network Star!

Whew!

2010-03-05T22:47:00.002-05:00

I'm glad this week is over.
I'm glad this week is done.
If I had even one more day,
It certainly wouldn't be any fun.

No more special orders.
No more "where's my part?".
No more silly questions.
No more answers tart.

Help returns on Tuesday.
Only one more day of this.
But in between those two hectic days
Are two whole days of bliss.

Happy Weekend!!!

Animals and Humans

2010-02-27T21:09:00.002-05:00

Animals and humans either directly or indirectly interact with each other every day. Both of us are part of this world and will come in contact somehow sooner or later. Most of the interactions are harmless. Pets, farm animals, birdwatching, veterinary medicine, and hunting/fishing are just some of the myriad forms of interactions between animals and humans. Most people have only casual interactions with animals, but for those that work with animals, it goes beyond a simple interaction. It's a calling. When one has that calling, he or she will do anything to to heed that call. Working with animals takes a lot of time, hard work, dedication, sweat, and at times can be dangerous.

With all the talk surrounding this week's tragic incident at Sea World, many people were talking about it and, in the human way, made assumptions and incorrect statements about Tilikum and the incident. Yes, it is a tragedy and a shock that this young woman lost her life, but no, the Orca (Orcinus orca) is not a vicious, bloodthirsty creature. There has never been an attack on a human from these beautiful dolphins (It is the largest dolphin in the world). Compare that to some land creatures such as the Lion (Panthera leo) where there have been several documented "man-eaters" that have, through unusual circumstances, started relying on humans as their food source.

Any time someone works closely with animals, domestic or wild, there is a chance that something bad will occur. The chance increases greatly as the size of the animal increases. Working with these large dolphins (and with any animal) is, I am sure, very rewarding and pleasing, but one must always be on the watch to make sure everything goes right. When incidences like this happen, we must always look to the human side first because we are the one's with the most reasoning skills and the ones that are charged by God to look after His creation. When we take it for granted and are not careful, then the possibility of a tragedy can occur and ends up with tragic results for human, animal, or both.

I am not casting blame on any of the parties involved in this incident anymore than I cast blame in the Steve Irwin incident or the Roy Horn attack. I am just saying that there will always be just such tragic events because of the inherent danger in working with animals (especially large, wild animals) and the fact that the Prince of peace has not yet set up His earthly kingdom. Won't that be a wonderful day!! We can walk with the Lion and swim with the Orca and not worry about anymore such tragedies.

Eŋglish Alfabet

2010-02-23T21:47:00.006-05:00

One of my many interests is languages. I love to see how related ones are different and the same. I love to see how other languages influence a language. I find everything about them so fascinating.

It's amazing to me how much English as changed since the Angles, Jutes, and Saxons first came to what is now England. The British Isles were populated by Celts before the arrival of those tribes. The language of those Germanic tribes became Old English and is considered a foreign language for modern English speakers rather than a descendant. The influences from the languages of the Celts, Norsemen, and finally the Normans radically altered Old English over time to what is now Modern English.

With that bit of history in mind, I have thought over the years about how to make English more "English". My proposal is to change the alphabet to more correctly reflect the modern language and at the same time take away some redundancies found in the corresponding alphabet. Now mind you, I am no linguist nor have I ever taken a course in language other than a few Spanish and German classes. And I do admit that there are some unresolved issues, i.e. vowels, with my list. However, I feel that this change would benefit everybody in the long run. So without further ramblings, I give you my new and "improved" English alphabet.

Aa-pronounced in all ways as the current "A"
Bb
Cc-pronounced like the current "CH". Letter name would be "chee".
Dd
Ee-pronounced in all ways as the current "E" and keeping the silent "E"
Ff-pronounced like the current "F" and taking over for "PH". Examples: elefant, fantom, fase
Gg-hard sound only as in "girl". Letter name would be "gee", not "jee"
Hh-no silent "H"
Ii-pronounced in all ways as the current "I"
Jj-pronounced like the current "J" and taking over the soft "G". Examples: jiraf, jerbil, genuflekt
Kk-pronounced like the current "K" and taking over the hard "C". Examples: kat, kut, kurtin
Ll
Mm
Nn
Ŋŋ-pronounced like the "NG" in "sing". Examples: siŋ, fiŋger, riŋ. Letter name would be "eŋ".
Oo-pronounced in all ways as the current "O"
Pp
Rr
Ss-pronounced always as the soft "S", never like "Z" or "ZH"
SHsh-pronounced like the current "SH" acting as one letter, not two. Letter name would be "esh".
Tt
THth-pronounced like the voiceless "TH" in "thick" acting as one letter, not two. Letter name would be "eth".
Þþ-pronounced like the voiced "TH" in "this" Examples: þis, þer, þey. Letter name would be "þee".
Uu-pronounced in all ways like the current "U"
Vv-pronounced like the current hard "V", never like "F"
Ww
Yy-pronounced like the current "Y" and still sometimes a vowel. Inserted in places where now pronounced as in "cute" Examples: kyut, pyuk, Kyuba
Zz-pronounced like the current "Z", never like "S" or "ZH"
ZHzh-not found in many words, but the need is still there, ie plezhur. Letter name would be "zhee".

Well, there it is. My "new and improved" Eŋglish Alfabet.

Notice the absence of "Q" and "X". Redundancies that are not needed. Examples: kwik, kween, zylafone, taks

Disagreements?

Opinions?

Should I forward this alphabet to Congress and the President? Do you think it would be voted on this year??

Let me hear what you think!

PS I chose not to write this blog with my new alphabet because I want people to get used to the idea first and actually understand what I am writing without getting a headache!

Grunts and Acceptance

2010-02-22T22:45:00.005-05:00

Today was memory lane for my sister and how she and her husband first met. I must admit that I had something else planned for today's entry. But after reading her blog today, I felt that I must also tell my side of the story which actually starts way before that momentous day.

Kellie was always a dreamy kind of child. In her mind, she was always somewhere else instead of where she was physically. When her teen years rolled around, all I can say is wooooowwweeeeee!!! Most boys didn't want to date her because, in my opinion, they had to ask Dad first. That was fine with me. I was going to have to be the choosy person when it came to my sister's date. Not that she wasn't choosy, but you know how older brothers are...

Fast forward a few years...Thanksgiving in Holly Springs...a highly forgettable time in our family's history. We were invited by my aunt to go to my uncle's side of their family for Thanksgiving. They always play music, sing, etc and we thought it would be a fun change. Well, when we got there, Kellie and I knew no one but my aunt's family and we pretty much stuck together like we had been glued that way in a kindergarten art class.

As we were enjoying the meal, my sister and I turned towards the door as someone enters. All three sets of eyes met in one fateful moment. My sister's eyes were popping out of her head. My eyes observed with casual coolness. The person entering the door would have walked into a pole if there was one there. He couldn't take his eyes off my sister. As has happened several times during our life, when he saw me, he thought Kellie and I were dating because we look nothing alike. Too bad that idea didn't manifest itself in his head forever...but I get ahead of myself.

I'm a bit fuzzy on the details for the next few days, but eventually, he asked my Dad to take my sister on a date. My Dad consented and off they went. For my sister, it was looooooove. Christmas gifts were exchanged; time alone was spent; dates were frequent. For me, the honeymoon quickly faded into a pile of rotten roses that lifted its stench to the heavens.

When he came over, I grunted hello. When he asked a question, I grunted the answer. When he left, I grunted goodbye. And all responses came with a granite face. The rest of the time, I was as scarce as hen's teeth. I will let Kellie share the rest of the details if she so chooses, but suffice it to say, the relationship ended none too soon! I still have the feelings of floating on cloud 9 when I remember that glorious day.

The next boyfriend was waaayyyyyy better. No grunts at all, but it really wasn't meant to be and after a short time, they parted as friends.

After that, the fateful day mentioned in her entry for today arrived and I was happy. He seemed like a nice guy and he was, again, waaayyyyyy better than the first one. As I got to know him and he came around more and more and more and more (did I say more???), I found myself actually staying around when he was here with nary a grunt escaping my lips and smiles were plenteous. After a little over two years of dating, they were married in a packed church where I felt as if I was a shuttle service moving people up and down the aisle (But that discussion could be another blog entry!).

So there you have it. My part in my sister's dating is, in my opinion, one for the record books. Maybe I should write a book on how to help one's sister realize she's dating a jerk. Hmmmm...Best seller???

Stay tuned!

George and Weezy

2010-02-20T14:31:00.002-05:00

Recently, two Muscovy Ducks (Cairina moschata) found there way to our campus to join the other myriad of feathered fowl already living there. Now we have Mallards (Anas platyrhynchos), Canada Geese (Branta canadensis), Bufflehead (Bucephala albeola), and Hooded Mergansers (Lophodytes cucullatus). The Buffleheads and mergansers will move on in the spring, but for now they are fun to watch as they dive under the water and pop up like corks a few feet away from their diving spots.

No one knows for sure how the newcomers came to be there, but they have created a little controversy among the employees. Some people like them; some hate them. They are really friendly and will look up at you as if they are trying to carry on a conversation with you. For those reasons, we seem to think they were on someone's farm or home and they dropped them off there. In fact, they are so charming, we in the DC office have named them "George" and "Weezy" after The Jeffersons because they "finally got a piece of that pie" and have moved "up to the East Side" (East Millbrook Road).

For a while, they were standing at the front door all day and sometimes would even block the door. Sometime, they would even chase after someone coming up the walkway and once one of them flew up into the face of an employee exiting the building. She is a slightly snooty individual and that scene didn't set well with her. I think she probably just startled the duck when she opened the door. I can understand why the company would not want them at the door because they could create a bit of a mess. There was talk of giving them to an employee that has a small farm, but as of Friday, they were still there. They haven't been near the door lately. Mostly I have seen them grazing on the dam. I think that the reason they were at the door was because it was a new place for them. Now that they are familiar with their new home, they are mingling with their feathered neighbors more.

Personally, I really hope they are able to stay. They add some character to the assorted bird life living on campus. It's not everyday that one finds a feathered creature willing to cavort with us humans and seems to want to be in close contact with us. The people that don't want them there need to take a second look and learn to appreciate them for what they are and what they give us in return.

Adrift

2010-02-15T20:32:00.004-05:00

Sometimes I feel as if I am adrift in a sea of ignorance. No one seems to be able to figure out seemingly simple, everyday concepts without someone holding their hand and showing them each step of the way. Isn't that one of the reasons children go to school? Don't kids these days get taught basic steps and then learn how to apply those same steps in every aspect of daily life in order to be able to function in a rapidly changing world? Unfortunately, it appears as if none of this is the case.

Many times during the day I receive either a blank stare in person or a blank voice on the phone and have to "patiently" explain simple ideas such as "yes, the parts are listed in the catalog" or "did you not hear about the 4 feet of snow hence the delay for your part". I freely admit that, sometimes, my patience runs a bit thin and I supply them with an answer saturated with sarcasm. With the little amount of patience I have left, I try to educate them on something they should have either known already or been able to figure out by adding 1+1. I do have more patience with a new person because I can tell they are struggling and I remember well my first days in the business. But when someone has been there for several years (and many have been there longer than I have!), I expect the silly questions to fade into the past.

Is there any hope? Sadly, I think not. It seems that the world is destined to keep producing people that can't seem to find their way out of a wet paper bag. My only hope is to bump into someone adrift in this same sea and cling to them for dear life. After all, misery loves company!

Love

2010-02-14T12:35:00.002-05:00

How many ways can you say "I love you"? Here are some from around the world...

N ba='aba (!Xoo)
Muferare (Yoruba)
Ami mbuma fi (Swahili)
Ilolenge (Maasai)
Ina sanki (Hausa)
Ani ohev otakh (Hebrew)
Me shen miqvarkhar (Georgian)
Main tumsa pyar karta hun (Hindi)
Doostat daaram (Farsi)
Se agapo (Greek)
Je t'aime (French)
T'estimo (Catalan)
Te amo (Spanish/Portuguese)
Ta gra i mo croi agat (Irish Gaelic)
Jeg elsker dig (Danish)
Eg elska þig (Icelandic)
Ich liebe dich (German)
Tave mylitu (Lithuanian)
Ya lyublyu tebye (Russian)
Ja çie kocham (Polish)
Szretlek (Hungarian)
Mina rakastan sinua (Finnish)
Seni seviyorum (Turkish)
Bi chand hairtai (Khalka)
Nanun tangainngul salanghapnita (Korean)
Watashiwa anataga sukidesu (Japanese)
Asavakkit (Greenlandic)
Wo ai ni (Mandarin Chinese)
Ngoh oi lei (Cantonese)
Chit deh (Burmese)
Hlub koj (Hmong)
Anh yeu em (Vietnamese)
Pohm ruck kunh (Thai)
Mahal kita (Tagalog)
Aku cinda bada mu (Indonesian)
Yokwe yuk (Marshallese)
Au ia 'oe (Hawaiian)
Ga timerek gig (Taulil)
Ayo'o' ni'i'n'shni' (Navajo)
Nin sâgiiwe ki (Ojibwa)
Hnqheminchm (Coeur d'Alene)
Wasté cilake (Lakota)
Gvgeyu (Cherokee)
Ece noke cvke (Creek)
Nimitzlacʔtla (Nahuatl)
Agama tutana (Comanche)
Rohtyu (Guarani)
Marworno (Galibi)
Maite zaitut (Basque)
Mi laikim yu tumas (Tok Pisin)

All of these different words and sentences represents a different culture and a different way of expressing the emotion called love. Several cultures differentiate between the different types of love by using different words or phrasing; others, such as English, use one word to cover them all. But when it comes to the real, true meaning of love, no one else expressed it more willingly or more fully than Jesus. And He did it all without saying a word.

I Peter 5:8.
But God commendeth His love towards us in that
while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Amazing Love!
How can it be
That thou, my God,
Shouldst die for me?

North Carolina

2010-02-07T22:12:00.002-05:00

I am very proud to be a North Carolinian! I found this list online and although some do not apply directly to me, the majority of them make me swell with pride. Yes, North Carolina is a Southern state and I wouldn't change it for the world! Enjoy the reading and laugh as I did. NC natives know all about it.

You know you're from NC if:

1. You've gotten used to the smell of cow manure on a car trip to Raleigh.

2. Saying "y'all" isn't just a cute expression; it actually means something.

3. There are big Labrador retrievers in the back of every truck.

4. You give directions using KFC and Waffle House as landmarks.

5. You still see Dale Earnhardt tributes on cars.

6. You can't imagine life without Bojangles' sweet tea.

7. Your annual church fundraiser always deals with BBQ and potato salad.

8. You have a sunburn from May to October.

9. Your 'heavy winter clothing' consists of some turtleneck sweaters, a fuzzy jacket, and your daddy's boots.

10. Your family has fried chicken once a week.

11. You can tell the difference between cotton fields and tobacco fields while driving.

12. One of your neighbors has a confederate flag hanging on their front porch.

13. Those "damn Yankees" are taking over your school/church/workplace/neighborhood...

14. You've been "properly raised", and Yankees love it when they hear you say "ma'am" and "sir".

15. You get your carbs from biscuits, rolls, pancakes, and grits.

16. You know the difference between a "redneck" and a "hick".

17. You own at least one t-shirt from Bert's Surf Shop, AB Surf Shop, or The Sanitary Fishmarket.

18. No matter what those people in Ohio say, we are still "first in flight".

19. The Coca-Cola 600 is as big as the Super Bowl.

20. You prefer Chick-fil-A to KFC.

21. You know pastry is a chicken stew, not a dessert item.

22. Every time you visit someone you’re offered something to eat and a glass of tea.

23. Your granddaddy always wore overalls and your grandma always wore an apron.

24. In summer, you have home-grown tomatoes with every meal.

25 When it rains and the creek rises, everyone gathers to see how high it rose.

26. You know that to chunk the ball means to throw it.

27. You've had a burger "all the way" - chili and slaw on it.

28. You can recognize a copperhead and your heart drops when you see one.

29. You have at least one relative that grows collards.

30. You know Krispy Kreme makes the best doughnut.

31. You have an opinion about UNC. You went there and loved it, or you hate everyone who did.

32. You know the difference between eastern BBQ and western BBQ (see number 85).

33. You would rather eat at Bojangles than McDonald's.

34. You have actually uttered the phrase "It's too hot to go to the pool".

35. You faithfully drink Pepsi, Mountain Dew, Sundrop or Cheerwine everyday of your life.

36. You have your own secret BBQ sauce.

37. You or your neighbors have more hunting dogs than you have family members.

38. You know Pepsi originated in New Bern, Cheerwine in Salisbury, and Sundrop in Gastonia.

39. You know Coke tastes better in the little bottles and that peanuts make Coke taste even better.

40. Your folks have taken trips to the mountains to look at leaves.

41. Your school took a field trip to the State Fair in Raleigh.

42. You would elect Richard Petty or Ric Flair for governor if either ever ran.

43. You watched as Dale Earnhardt was the only man who ever lived who could go 200 mph, spin somebody out, call them a you-know-what, and win the race, all in the last lap.

44. You skipped school or work to go to Dale Earnhardt’s memorial service.

45. A toboggan to you means a knit cap, not a sled.

46. You sold Krispy Kreme doughnuts for a school or church fundraiser before those glazed doughnuts went global.

47. When you're traveling out of state, people ask if you're from Mayberry.

48. You remember watching the ACC Tournament on television at school.

49. The local newspaper covers state, national and international news in one page, but sports requires six pages.

50. Most men in town consider the first day of deer season a national holiday.

51. Fifty degrees Fahrenheit is “a little chilly."

52. You have no problem spelling or pronouncing “Conetoe", “Topsail", or “Beaufort."

53. You know it’s pronounced APPALACHIAN and not “App-a-lay-shun."

54. Your school classes were canceled because of cold.

55. Your school classes were canceled because of a chance of snow.

56. Your school classes were canceled because of heat.

57. Your idea of a traffic jam is ten cars waitin’ to pass a tractor on the highway.

58. Your school classes were canceled because of a hurricane.

59. Your school classes were canceled because of hunting season.

60. Your school classes were canceled because of a livestock show.

61. You’ve ridden the school bus for an hour...each way.

62. You know more about ACC basketball than professional basketball.

63. You know the Carolina League is the greatest baseball league in the country.

63. You know that "Carolina" refers to UNC-Chapel Hill, while "State" refers to NC State.

64. You think South Carolina was dead weight well shed.

65. You know tea is served sweet unless you specifically ask for unsweetened.

66. You’ve ever had to switch from “Heat" to “A/C" in the same day.

67. You think ethanol makes your truck run a lot better.

68. Stores don’t have bags...they have sacks and are called Piggly Wigglys.

69. You see people wearing bib overalls at funerals.

70. You see a car running in the parking lot at the store with no one in it, no matter what time of the year.

71. Most of the festivals around the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, tobacco, or seafood: Seafood Festival (Morehead), Mullet festival (Swansboro)...

72. Priming was your first job...and you know what it means.

73. Your idea of a really great tenderloin is when the meat is twice as big as the bun and comes with cole slaw on top.

74. You say cattywampus, yunto, ill-ass and ah-ite.

75. You know the difference between a deer dog, a bear dog and a coon dog by the way they bark.

76. You put security lights on your house and your garage and leave both of them unlocked.

77. Your four seasons are almost summer, summer, still summer, and highway construction.

78. You can tell if another North Carolinian is from Eastern or Western North Carolina as soon as he opens his mouth.

79. You can spell words such as Ocracoke, Fuquay-Varina and Chocowinity.

80. When asked how your trip to any foreign, exotic place was you say, “It was different."

81. Hyde County is considered a foreign or exotic place.

82. In the Piedmont, you see all the grown-ups go out and play in the snow.

83. Schools and churches hold barbecue fundraisers with banana puddin’ as the dessert.

84. After church you either stay for the barbeque lunch or the pig pickin'.

85. You know that barbeque is a food, not an occasion, and it applies to pork, not hamburgers or hotdogs. You also know that the best of any version, whether chopped or pulled, vinegar or tomato, can be found somewhere in NC.

86. You know what a "pig pickin" is and you can't wait to go.

87. You consider being a “Pork Queen" an honor.

88. You carry jumper cables in your car.

89. You know what “cow tipping" is.

90. You've driven with "Carolina Hurricanes" flags on your car because WE WON THE STANLEY CUP!!

91. You dip.

92. You've seen One Tree Hill and/or Dawson's Creek being filmed in Wilmington.

93. Pop refers a lot of things, not including soda.

94. You learned ALL about The Lost Colony in 4th grade...(and you know where Blackbeard's treasure really is ; )

95. You listen to beach music and you can shag.

96. You can pay the mechanic who worked on your truck with a quart of moonshine in return.

97. Your school was declared a "Tobacco Free Zone", but there are tobacco fields right outside.

98. You constantly see signs for tractor pulls and turkey shoots while driving through eastern NC.

99. You mash buttons and eat creamed potatoes.

100. You show this to some Carolina friends ‘cuz ya know it’s true, darlin'!

Text Speak in the Real World

2010-02-04T21:50:00.003-05:00

On the way into work this morning, I hear a radio commercial for a local sandwich shop that prides itself on delivering their orders very quickly. The customer was calling in to place an order and the shop worker was explaining how quickly she could have her sandwich. Both were speaking with initials, i.e. LOL, IDK, ASAP, BLT, for well known English phrases as if they were texting back and forth instead of speaking on the telephone. It was a funny ad and made me think about our customers at the good old call center.

For those of you who aren't tech-speak savvy, techies shorten most of what they say into abbreviations. Here is a short dictionary:

IDK = I don't know
LOL = laugh out loud
TTYL = talk to you later
BRB = be right back
NM = never mind
TMI = too much information

HRU = how are you

TNX = thanks

I was thinking that my day and the day of my co-workers would go much more quickly if the customers started using these same abbreviations when they call in with questions and we would respond in like fashion. Below is a typical call during a day in the call center with the new speaking system...

Agent: Thanks for calling CQ! How may I help U?

Customer: HRU?

Agent: Fine, TNX. HRU?

Customer: I'm good. I need a part ordered.

Agent: OK. What's UR CN?

Customer: 1234

Agent: No. That's UR GL. I need UR CN.

Customer: IDK

Agent: I have to have UR CN to order the part.

Customer: OK. JAM. BRB. (Long waiting period)

Agent: (Sigh) (8-|)

Customer: SRY. My number is 5555555555.

Agent: TNX. How may I help U?

Customer: I need a CYL HON345A

Agent: SS, we are out.

Customer: OIC. Does NE1 have it?

Agent: No. It is a SPO.

Customer: How long?

Agent: Do you want it NDA, SDA, GRD?

Customer: GRD

Agent: 2-3 days.

Customer: OK. Please SPO it for me.

Agent: OK.

Customer: TNX for UR help.

Agent: YW. TNX for calling CQ.

Customer: TTYL

Now, I think that would speed up the process (except for all the time we have to wait for the customer to come up with his CN or any other information we need. But that's another blog entry!). But then again, there would need to be a very large dictionary and a language class for everyone to be fluent in text speak. Hmmm... What do you think?

Groundhogs and Weather

2010-02-03T22:04:00.003-05:00

Why does everyone make such a big deal about Groundhog Day every February 2? Punxsutawny Phil is the most famous prognosticator. However, after doing a little research, I found out that there are actually several more weather-predicting rodents across the USA and Canada.

So now the question really begs to be answered! Why, why, why??? Well, here's my take on the "why".

The tradition actually started in ancient Europe when the locals would use a European Badger (Meles meles) or Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) to predict whether winter would last more weeks or spring would make an early appearance. Fast forward a few hundred years to 18th century southeastern Pennsylvania where the Pennsylvania Germans settled after leaving their homes to escape persecution. Since there are no native badgers in southeastern Pennsylvania, they continued the tradition with the closest substitute they could find--the Groundhog or Woodchuck (Marmota monax). Several Pennsylvania German communities had their own squirrely forecaster and the tradition spread over time to other regions of the US and Canada.

How did it get to be such a big deal? My guess is it started out as a curiosity when visitors would happen upon a local celebration and, being curious, would stop and watch. Over the years, news of the celebration spread and finally in 1886, Punxsutawny Phil gained enough notoriety to now have his own annual country-wide celebration of his weather "predictions".

Now should anyone put any stock into these predictions of the rodent kind? No. It's really a bunch of hooey. Groundhogs just want to sleep till spring arrives. Out of the kindness of their hearts, they accommodate their daft fellow earthlings and let themselves be used to determine how soon spring will show herself. After that day, they go back to their slumber and await the day when they can resume their normal everyday warm-weather activities of eating, sleeping, and mating. After all, Groundhogs must do what Groundhogs were created to do.

I do, however, have to give a shout-out and a very big YES! to Raleigh's own Sir Walter Wally. He predicted an early spring!

Can I get an AMEN????

Southern Snow

2010-02-01T21:14:00.004-05:00

As I mentioned here, Raleigh received measurable snow this past weekend. Several comments over these past few days have made me giggle. Of course, there were the obligatory snide remarks about the city shutting down, the roads not being scraped fast enough, and schools being closed for a "dusting" of snow. One friend even said she is amazed how the South deals with snow. It's like we sit by and watch it melt instead of removing it.

Well, honey. Yes we do!

You are in the SOUTH now, Sugar. Bless your heart, you just don't know a "thang" about how we Southerners do it 'round "hea". Most of you transplants came here to escape all things Yankee, ie snow, traffic, unfriendliness, etc. But lo and behold, what do you do when you come down here?? You try to make it just like it was back home. We were doing fine on our own before you invaded our territory and began the rescue of a people you perceived were slow, dimwitted, and out of touch with reality. Y'all marched down here in droves with all your Yankee ways of doing life and tried to reform us backward souls into the glorious being that is a Yankee.

Well, let me tell you one thing. A Yankee ain't all that!

So, yes, we will definitely sit and watch the next snow melt while our Yankee neighbors fume and fuss. My advice to all of you? Go back where you came from. We will definitely survive without you and might even be able to intelligently make it through a day without any advice, tips, or ideas from your collective northern intellect.

For all my friends from the northern areas of this vast country, please don't take offense at this posting. After all, friends are made for teasing, right? :-D

Snowed In

2010-01-31T19:35:00.003-05:00

Yes, it's true. Raleigh finally received a good amount of snow this winter. It started Friday night and lasted until Saturday morning before turning over to sleet. The snow wasn't very packable; therefore, it wasn't good for snowballs. Normally, snow in Raleigh makes for some good fights.

So during the whole weekend, I was holed up in the shelter of my humble abode. Mom and I sat and slept and watched TV and anything else we wanted to do that didn't require going outside (except to feed Brittany and Bob). Dad, being the caged animal he is, couldn't just stay inside and went to work. People were slipping and sliding all over the area these past two days. I laugh at them because they act like the world will come to an end if they have to stay in their house during bad weather. It has never bothered me one ounce! Take the time to just relax and enjoy the time to take a break from the everyday stress.

I guess work will beckon tomorrow morning. I did find out that there is a 3 hour delay but I wasn't sure if that included us in the DC. Whether it does or doesn't will not matter to me either. I will get there when I get there even if it is 3 hours late. I really don't want to end up on top of some Carolina pine tree trying to get to work to place a special order for a person that wouldn't appreciate the sacrifice I just made to get there to order his part.

I still think I have been transported to a northern state because of this winter! It makes me want to click my heels three times and say,

"There's no place like home! There's no place like home! There's no place like home!"

Unfortunately, ruby slippers don't come in my size. I wonder if the same thing could be accomplished with Skechers? Hmmm...I might have to test that theory...

Go to the Source

2010-01-25T21:19:00.002-05:00

One thing that chaps my hide worse than riding on a horse naked is when people that have a problem with someone don't go directly to the source of the problem. Instead, they get other people involved and create a sticky web of entangled threads that takes a double degree in physics and chemistry to break through.

Case in point: Work....always work!

I arrived this morning to another wonderful week full of special orders and stupid questions. Not long after the day started, my boss asked me about an order that my co-worker placed on Friday. The customer wanted it delivered on Saturday, but the order failed to show up. Instead of waiting till Monday to ask the person that placed the order, he called up some other individual that had no idea about the order to begin with and that phone call started a flurry of emails back and forth questioning our special order procedures and why it wasn't ordered as wanted by the customer. By the time this morning rolled around, everyone was buried under an avalanche of emails.

The simple solution was to call myself or my co-worker directly. No one could have done anything about it during the weekend anyway because the supplier was closed. When I was asked, my first thought was that the little town didn't get Saturday delivery. But then I called the supplier and found out they had shipped the order ground instead of next day Saturday delivery. Case closed. Yeah, the customer still didn't get the part today, but at least the blame now rests squarely on the shipper, not the person that placed the order. But to melt down the large snow drift piled high on the call center, more emails and phone calls and faxed proofs had to be made in order to "prove" that we were blameless.

What a way to start off a week! I hope I heal before tomorrow and I won't have a repeat of the "chapped hide syndrome".

Fun Fluff

2010-01-24T22:50:00.002-05:00

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you eat it? It was Saturday morning around 1 AM while watching the movie Flywheel. It was peanut butter and yes, I did eat it even though I had already brushed my teeth. The craving would have only gotten worse. I only had a heaping teaspoon full! :-)

2. M & M's or Skittles? M&M's (Peanut!!)

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through? Yes, I have.

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning? If I am going to work, I am awake right after the shower. However, the shower may be longer on some days! On days off, I lay in bed till I am awake and then take my time finishing the wake up process. Total time depends on the hour I went to bed.

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? No, but I would love to go on an Alaskan, Mediterranean, or similar cruise. I'm not one for 24/7 parties in the sun.

6. Who is your favorite actress? I really don't have a favorite actress. I just like the movie and don't go see a movie based on who stars in it.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand. Ignorance

8. How much of a technology junkie are you? I would say a semi-junkie. I don't have to have the latest or greatest gadget out there. However, I do like to stay as current as I can.

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you? I used to get cards all the time because I wanted to, but lately I don't do it because I feel that they end up mostly forgotten and I'd rather show it in my life daily as only I can. :-)

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut? It's been about two years, I would guess. Basically, I changed how much was cut off and how it was cut off and then started combing it straight down. I still have a difficult time with my natural part sometimes. I can still remember Kellie's look...

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most? Gifts for my family.

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house? I hope I beat the White Pickup-driving Maniac to the stoplight or else he will push me down Penny Road.

Control

2010-01-23T20:08:00.003-05:00

Every human being alive wants to have control of their lives. I believe that is a natural part of human nature because we want to make sure our lives are governed by us and not anyone else or other outside force. Unfortunately, life will not let us always have control. In fact, there are times in our lives when we have no control of the situation and find ourselves floating in a rushing torrent that seems to never end. We then are fearful and will lose hope if the situation or our attitude doesn't change.

I have known several people during my life that are, for lack of a better phrase, control freaks. Everything and everyone has to be tightly controlled by them so that they can make it through the day. Others I have known like control but are not as obsessed with it and, in my opinion, lead a happier life because of it.

Control people are always planning every detail and try to control every aspect of their lives as if their very lives depended on it. They are the ones that set goal after goal after goal, manipulate every situation to their benefit, and will use whatever means they have available to make sure no one stands in their way. They will not let go of anything and can end up harboring resentment, bitterness, and anger at anyone or anything that gets in their way, including God. One of the hardest things a control person has to do is to let go.

Letting go is very scary. It's the fear of the unknown that can paralyze anyone, and control people fear that emotion the most. This fear causes them to cling all the harder and wrestle the control back into their possession. But when they start trying to regain control, fighting against anything in their path, they being to push away the people that are closest to them and even try to push God out without being totally conscious of such actions.

When life doesn't go their way, they get angry and look for ways to make themselves regain control of their plans. The more they try to regain control, the more frustrated and angrier they become. Woe be to anyone near them at the times when they feel the most out of control. Bad choices are made. Angry words are spoken. Resentful silence is enacted. A small, but very powerful, wedge is slowly hammered into place between the controller and the people they love.

God never wants us to live in that manner. His plan for all our lives is to let Him control our lives and let Him be the originator of the outcomes. Several people from the Bible exhibited such traits--Lot and his family, David, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob. All tried to handle life their own way and control their own destiny, so to speak. But in the end, they made a complete mess of it and God had to intervene to get them back on track.

Why not just let God have control at all times? It certainly is the less complicated way. Yes, there will be times of uncertainty and feelings of floating in a raging river, but when we rest in the knowledge that our omniscient, omnipotent God is in control, then we will have no fear of the outcome and can begin to enjoy the journey. Life's too short to keep clinging to the bondage control forces us into.

God says, "Let Me handle all your concerns."

In doing so, we will end up being a more balanced, happier person that enjoys every aspect of life. And that, my friend, is the way God intends it.

Small Word

2010-01-19T21:06:00.002-05:00

A few weeks ago, I wrote here about how I started walking in laughing. Today, I ended up walking out laughing. The day started normal enough with a few orders. Not long after the day began, I received an email from my boss informing me that I needed to take a required e-learning course on hazardous materials. Every year we have to take these same lessons over again and I have arrived at the point of just going through the motions without paying much attention to the material. There is always a short quiz at the end to see how well you know the material. I wasn't worried. There would be no problems since I have taken them so many times before.

Wrong.

One of the quizzes had 4 questions on it. I breezed through the first 3 questions and passed them with flying colors and was ready to conquer the last one and finish this hindrance to my day. The question was easy enough. It was testing me on the three ways of gaining exposure to a hazardous material. Simple, I said. Inhalation. Ingestion. Absorption.

I read the question as choosing the three correct answers, leaving the incorrect answer blank. So I clicked on the first one (Inhalation). Immediately, the question was finished and told me in no uncertain terms that I had missed it. WHAT???? How can that be??? Of course, inhalation is a valid means of being exposed to a chemical. There is obviously a glitch in the program for this question.

Upon speaking to my manager, he said he would take care of it and called the proper people. I went on with my day knowing that I could return to that particular section to retake the quiz and finish the module. After lunch, I retried it with the same result...TWICE!!! So I again told my boss, and he told me to call PC help. With a quizzical look in my eyes, I said OK and proceeded to do just that. After talking with the help maven, I was still coming across the same problem. She then asked to connect to my computer and she went through the quiz with me. After answering the same question for a fifth or sixth time the same way, she pointed out to me a little word I was missing. Do you know what the word was???

NOT

Yes! That little word was a thorn in my flesh all day long! I was reading the question as I was supposed to choose the 3 ways of exposure when I was really supposed to choose the single way of not being exposed.

Well, I felt like an absolute idiot! Here I am ranting each and every day about people not following instructions or not reading the words in front of them or for just being plain dumb when I follow right in their footsteps over an ever so small, but extremely important, word!! Of course, when I actually understood the question for what it really was, I answered it correctly and passed the exam and the course. I then, somewhat sheepishly, thanked the maven and went about my merry way. When my manager asked what the problem was, I evasively answered that it was because I couldn't read correctly and dropped the subject. His response was a very slow roll of the eyes.

What more can one do after such a huge blunder?? Laugh. And laugh is what I did. Not a guffaw that would awaken the curiosity of my fellow co-workers. No! Never! More like a internal chuckle that wouldn't end because of the absolutely inane problem I had with my grasp of the English language. Oh well, I guess we all have those moments in time and today was certainly mine.

Here's hoping this moment won't make a return visit to me for a very, very long time.

Teaching Outdoors

2010-01-16T16:06:00.005-05:00

Lately, I have been catching up on some magazine reading that I have neglected for way too long. One article that I read tells about a kindergarten teacher who is an outdoorsman. He brings his love of the outdoors into his classroom and uses everything about outdoors to teach his students everyday concepts from math to science to language to word recognition. Using various tools such as deer antlers, turtle shells, track imprints, skulls, feathers, and more, he opens the eyes of the children to the outside world around them and causes them to being to appreciate the beauty of the natural world around them. Several times a year, he takes them on short field trips to pick strawberries at a local farm, to walk through the woods searching for items left behind by nature, or just to be outside soaking in the possibilities of learning there. He routinely mentions his love of hunting and fishing without forcing it onto their impressionable minds. He also has future plans to build an elevated blind on a piece of nearby property where the kids can just watch silently and observe nature going about its normal routine.

I am really impressed by his methods of teaching. His love for the outdoors shows in everything he does. Most of the parents are supportive of his methods but there are a few who are concerned that their child will be negatively affected by them, especially when he mentions hunting and fishing. He listens to their concerns and then explains that he doesn't focus on the killing aspect of a hunt. He just shows hunting and fishing as a natural part of the environment. I agree totally. The more humans remove themselves from any interaction with nature, the more they want to just ignore it and act as if they can live without it. One doesn't have to actually kill an animal to interact with it. There are always other ways such as birdwatching, kayaking, or hiking that can keep us in contact with the natural world.

It's a shame that there are not more like him in our schools today, not just in the USA but worldwide. I see a growing general trend across the globe (especially in urban areas) where most people have no knowledge of the outdoors nor do they have one ounce of interest in learning anything about it. I am constantly amazed at the ignorance out there when it comes to common facts about nature. People can't tell the difference between well-known animals like deer and antelope let alone something as obscure as a Dusky Wood-swallow (Artamus cyanopterus). If it's not a video game, a club, or any other venue of entertainment, people could care less about their surroundings. I realize that not everyone has a great interest in the outdoors. We are all diverse in our likes and dislikes. However, I am convinced that if children are shown how to appreciate nature and to learn from it, they will grow to be more responsible adults and think twice about their actions before doing them. God has commanded His children to care for His creation as a loving father would care for his child. Have we really followed that commandment?

Nice

2010-01-14T21:34:00.003-05:00

One of the facets of working with people that really gets under my skin is the excess niceness of some individuals. I am all for being nice and genial and a respecter of persons, but when one carries it to the extreme, it leads to a general feeling of falseness. Given enough emphasis, the person will eventually scream "I'M FAKE" from every pore of their being.

Lately, I have been experiencing this facet first hand at work. This particular person seems to be one that strongly desires affirmations from others. I am not sure of the reasons behind such behavior, nor do I want to try to plumb their depths by nosing into this person's business. However, some days, it's all I can do not to just slap the "nice" out of her. Many of the customers "love" her and are always calling for her because they believe she is "looking out for them". In reality, she wants to be their "hero". I used to think that of her when I was in the store, but when I began to really work around her, I noticed a lot of inconsistencies. She is always "nice" and "helpful" when on the phone, but when you are around her for a long period of time, you realize that it's all a show to get people to like her.

Less anyone misunderstands me, I am all for being nice and helpful but for the right reasons. Don't act nice to someone's face and then turn around and talk about them. Be honest and forthcoming. Some things can't be sugar-coated with icky false sincerity. If Cinderella's shoe hurts her ingrown toenail, she still needs to wear it because it's her shoe. And lastly, if more people practiced letting people like them for who they are and not for the front they put up, this world would be a little "nicer" place.

My Humor

2010-01-08T21:19:00.002-05:00

I have often self-described my sense of humor as a little left of center. There are quite a few things that many people are hooting and hollering about that I find no humor in whatsoever, but in other things where the same people see no humor, I am giggling like a school girl.

While working today, a scene played out that epitomizes my brand of humor to a T. To some, it might not be funny because sometimes it's all about location, but allow me to replay it here.

The setup: Everyone was working except for one co-worker (Marie) who had gone to lunch. Since it was cold, she was warming soup in the kitchen. Another co-worker (Donna) went to ask her a question for a customer that was on the phone. I was feverishly ordering parts and filling out paperwork at my desk when Donna walked back into the office.

The scene:

Donna: "She's in the kitchen."

Me: "Is she with Dinah?"

Donna: "What?"

Me: "Is she with Dinah?"

Donna has a very confused look.

Me: "Who's in the kitchen?"

Donna: "Marie."

Javier (the boss): "You're confusing her, Kevin."

Me: "Is she in the kitchen with Dinah?"

Donna (light clicks on): "Uh, Kevin!"

Me (laughing): "Is she strummin' on the ol' banjo?"

I still chuckle thinking about it. It has always been a hoot for me to bring something into a conversation that is linked to the topic in some small way but really has nothing to do with it. I love to see the reactions from the people involved. Some are very confused; some shake their heads; some laugh with me (I say, those people get it!)

To end this humor-filled entry, I will share one of my favorite "pull-ins" for this time of the year. It goes something like this:

Person: "It certainly is chilly outside today."

Me: "Yes, it is! And I like mine with beans!"

Me, Myself, and Ice

2010-01-06T20:50:00.002-05:00

Well, the New Year has certainly started off with a couple of bangs! The first two days back at work were some of the busiest days I have ever had because my co-worker took two days of vacation.

I was alone.

By myself.

Solo.

I knew it would be hectic, but I didn't think crazy hectic would come into play in the coldest month of the year. I came in on Monday already behind because of the orders placed last week that couldn't be processed because of suppliers being closed for the holiday. While trying to quickly handle them, new orders began pouring in and I was soon inundated with paper that weighed my inbox down. My boss (bless his heart!) kindly offered to take all the requests for freight, availability, and prices while I only concentrated on placing the orders. When I left Monday night, I had a stack of orders in my box that was over 1/2 inch thick. Tuesday morning started with a repeat of Monday and didn't let up until this morning. I can hardly wait until the busy season when it's fully expected that orders are coming in from every which way. (I really hope my loyal followers can pick up on the sarcasm that is heavily dripping from every word of that last sentence.)

The second big bang of the new year is the cold weather. Most of the nation is in a below normal winter weather pattern that has it's icy grip on everything. The Triangle has had daily highs below 40°F for the past week with most of those days not getting above 32°F. Lows have been in the low 20s or upper teens!! With so much constant cold temperatures, local ponds and lakes have started freezing over. The pond at work is almost a solid sheet of ice with little free water open for anything to swim. Granted, the ice layer isn't that deep, but it's still impressive for central North Carolina. It's been fun watching to geese react to the ice. Some just stand on it like it's dry land. Others slowly step, slide, step, slide their way across to more pleasant surroundings like the open water. Every now and then, one of them will make their way across a thinner patch of ice and break through with a splash. Watching them try to escape their icy trap was a highlight of lunch time for me. Today, wind-driven dry leaves imitated crabs at the beach as they skittered across the icy surface of the frozen pond while small balls of fluff made like tumbleweeds tumbling across the desert floor.

Hmmmm...did anyone notice how my analogies are from warmer climes???

I think I will rewrite Irving Berlin's "White Christmas"...

I'm dreaming of a hot July.
Just like the ones I used to know.
Where the sunlight shines,
And children pine
To eat icy balls of snow.

I'm dreaming of a hot July
With every shiver that I form.
May your days be merry and warm.
And with heat, your Julys just swarm.

2010

2010-01-01T21:35:00.002-05:00

2010

A very hearty welcome to a brand new year!
January 1 is a time to cheer!
You arrived on time and full of potential
That lasts for twelve months sequential.

Everyone greeted you with such delight
As they rang you in loudly throughout the night.
All the while they were making a brand new decision
That will usually end up marred by spiteful derision.

We all want to be treated with tender, loving care
And to be given our desires with hullabaloo and flare.
But sometimes God has something else in mind,
And gives us our needs with the purpose He designed.

He uses those plans to shape and to mold,
And when we're hardheaded, He sometimes will scold.
As your days pass by, us He will guide
And show us that in Him is where we need to abide.

So thank you in advance for what you will soon teach us.
I am hopeful we will learn without too much of a fuss.
For all that is to come in this new decade, year one,
I pray we will grow to be more like the Son.

Year in Review

2009-12-31T18:30:00.002-05:00

Well, 2009 is now in the past. It's hard to believe we are beginning a new decade! It's been a hard year in many ways, but God was always there to uphold me and my family in ways we never dreamed. Through all the economy woes, H1N1 "pandemic", wars, attempted bombings, and political unrest, God has again brought us full circle to a new year where we can see how far we have grown and how far we still need to grow.

Several things come to mind as I look back over 2009, and I would like to share them in this year's last entry...

1) God loves us so much and never keeps or uses our sins against us. Once we confess our sins, it's over. God does exactly that and remembers them no more. The only one that keeps holding on to them is Satan and he then uses them to torture us and keep our eyes on ourselves instead of where God wants them.

2) No matter how much we worry, God is always there to make sure we are never in need. It's amazing to me how many times I didn't think a need would be met, but God never failed me. When life is always at its darkest, God shines His eternal "flashlight" into it and dispels the darkness for us to see our way out.

3) Great memories are always made when a family is as close as mine. No matter if we are speeding down the road in a rented vehicle going to some unknown or known destination or donning cheerleader outfits and aprons for a marathon cook fest, we always know how to have fun together and laugh till our sides hurt.

4) And last for this entry, I honestly believe that people are becoming more dumb the more educated they become. Here are a few examples that happened while at work just for today...

People didn't understand why their packages hadn't arrived. Yes, they did order it
last Thursday, but it was Christmas Eve, nothing was shipped that day. And there
has also been a lot of snow. Weather does play a large part in the ability to ship!

One guy called us to find out tracking instead of the place where he ordered it!!

Another guy actually had the audacity to ask if I had really asked the availability on a
part he wanted when I told him it wasn't available. No, I asked about a totally different
number...

It seems as if the days where people can actually have 1 and 1 and end up with 2 are long gone. And it drives me absolutely bonkers!

There are several more things that could be said here, but the blog would be waaaayyyy too long. So without further ado, I bid 2009 a fond farewell and wish 2010 all the best. I am sure there will be more lessons learned and more memories made. I, for one, am looking forward to all that this new year holds for me.

Traditions 2

2009-12-19T23:55:00.007-05:00

Today was another day of Christmas traditions for me. It was my day of making cookies and other goodies. This weekend we are keeping the twins because my sister and brother-in-law are out of town. I thought it was very appropriate for this weekend because I could now have my sous chef to help me bake. Of course, she was all over that idea and was eager to help me.

For this year, I chose to make 3 kinds of cookies--Cranberry-Orange Cookies, Ginger Cookies, and Creamy Cashew Cookies. Since the dough for the Ginger Cookies had to be refrigerated for a while, I made it first and then went on to the Cranberry-Orange recipe after lunch. That recipe is chock full of fruits and nuts and is a definite winner in my book. After those were baked, recipe number 3 was started and finished before moving on to the last batch of thoroughly chilled dough's time in the oven. Each step of the way, I tried to help Mikayla understand the why and how for baking and reading a recipe. In fact, come of her tasks were to run back and forth to the computer to relay the ingredients or instructions back to her uncle. She also measured ingredients, added ingredients, putting sheet pans in the oven, rolled Ginger Cookie dough into balls, and any other task that the "head chef" asked of her. Occasionally, I had a "junior" sous chef who helped with the sheet pans, but he wasn't very interested in the whole process. Besides, sometimes he makes me nervous carrying sheet pans filled with cookie dough! haha I would be having visions of dancing balls of dough instead of sugar plums.

Mikayla was with me for most of the steps but there was the occasional game of Hall Hockey with her brother or a bit of piano practice or any other thing that could possibly distract a 9-year old. Over all she did well and I hope that she was able to learn something from this venture. (I do know that she learned well not to touch a sheet pan straight out of the oven!) After all, traditions can only be continued into the next generation if they are learned from this present generation.

Until next time, anyone want a cookie?

Traditions

2009-12-13T20:00:00.002-05:00

Most families have certain traditions that are kept each year for the Christmas holiday season. These activities and ideas are brought out every year because "it's what we do". The same decorations, the same gatherings, the same music, etc are enjoyed over and over again with the new season. Why? Because they keep a sense of continuity and security in our lives and let us have a little bit of control over our immediate future. Besides, they are just plain fun!

This past weekend was just such a weekend for my family. It started off with the annual cook/bake off at Fowler Hill. This year was a little less hectic here at the "last minute" because we had already made some of it this past summer. Since this year's theme was "Breakfast", she canned several types of jams/preserves/butters while the fruits were fresh and already had them waiting to be "wrapped". When this weekend rolled around, all that remained was baking the bread and making the pancake mix. We spent a lot of the day Saturday baking the breads and she also made some brittle. This afternoon was spent making the rest of the mix and packing all the goodies into bags for tomorrow.

In between, we went to the annual local production of Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol. We have been going for about 15 years and wouldn't miss it for the world. It is one that will take you from outright belly laughs to tears in a few short moments and is filled with a wonderful message that never gets old or tiresome. It's always one of the highlights of our Christmas traditions.

As this season gets closer to Christmas Day, there will be several more traditions carried out in my family and I am looking forward to them. In fact, I am already looking forward to the beginning of next year's Christmas traditions! There's nothing on earth like them! So enjoy your traditions and make sure to make the most of each one every time!

Christmas List

2009-12-09T20:57:00.002-05:00

One of the most exciting things for a kid to do around Christmas is make his or her list. Some children write lists a mile long; others ponder a while and narrow it down to a few choices. As we get older, the list becomes less important and the joy of giving takes its place. But there will always remain a little bit of the "list making" in an adult because, after all, humans do love to receive!

One of the Christmas songs that gets a lot of airplay during the holiday season is "Grown-up Christmas List". In case you haven't heard it, here are the lyrics...

Do you remember me?
I sat upon your knee;
I wrote to you
With childhood fantasies.

Well, I'm all grown-up now,
Can you still help somehow?
I'm not a child,
But my heart still can dream.

So here's my lifelong wish,
My grown-up Christmas list.
Not for myself,
But for a world in need.

No more lives torn apart,
That wars would never start,
And time would heal all hearts.
And everyone would have a friend,
And right would always win,
And love would never end.
This is my grown-up Christmas list.

As children we believed
The grandest sight to see
Was something lovely
Wrapped beneath our tree.

Well heaven surely knows
That packages and bows
Can never heal
A hurting human soul.

What is this illusion called the innocence of youth?
Maybe only in our blind belief can we ever find the truth.

This is my grown-up Christmas list.

Some people may think of this list as a piece of fluff that was written by a person living in a fantasy world and not totally in touch with reality. But I disagree. This list provides a very powerful look into the thoughts and feelings of a truly caring person who wants nothing more than for everyone in the world to be happy, loved, and well-adjusted.

But in reality, we know that this list will not be fulfilled on this earth until the Lord Jesus Himself returns for the second time to erase all sin and the sorrows that are associated with it. Only then will "love...never end" and "a hurting human soul" will finally find comfort. Jesus' first coming was to provide the way for all humans to walk the path to heaven. His second coming will be to rid Creation once and for all of sin, death, and decay. Truly then, we can and will sing "Joy to the world! The Lord is come!"

Even so, come, Lord Jesus! Revelation 21:20

Aliens and UFOs

2009-12-05T21:29:00.004-05:00

One day this past week, a local morning radio show had a short segment on UFOs and aliens. One of the hosts said that he thinks there is probably life on other planets because of all the anecdotal evidence of UFO sightings and such and because it's very pompous of humans to think that we are the only intelligent life in the universe. The other person said the jury was still out on a verdict for her because she just can't quite believe that it's true. I, of course, begin thinking of all the reasons why I believe there is only life here on earth...

1) Nowhere in the Bible does it say that God created life anywhere else. The main reason people today believe in aliens is because of evolutionary ideas running so rampant through our world. If life can evolve here, then why not anywhere else?? Well, life didn't evolve here and it certainly didn't evolve 10,000,000,000 light years away from here either.

2) If there was life on other planets, why haven't they really made contact with any of us? Surely if they are as intelligent as people think they are, they would have attempted communication way before now. Where are they? Why have they never landed?

3) After the billions spent over the years investigating all the reports of UFOs and aliens and sending signals out into space to intercept "communication" from intelligent life, not one shred of real evidence exists to support the claim.

But after I thought about all those reasons, I finally came to the conclusion that there really is intelligent life outside of this earth's physical boundaries.

Confused?

Yes, Virginia. There really are aliens out there. But not like you think.

Intelligent life outside of this earth exists in the forms of angels and demons. God created them too. They are probably not what we would think of as "living" but they are nevertheless creatures of God. (Yes, God created demons but not in their present state. Demons are nothing more than fallen angels.) They have been communicating with humans for eons. Of course, most of the time, we are very unaware of such communication, but it's nevertheless very real. And they have also made several earthly landings since the beginning of time.

So after all the musings those few words brought upon my mind this week, I ended up agreeing with the original host.

Life is funny that way, isn't it?

PETA-ful

2009-12-04T20:19:00.003-05:00

PETA is known for it's shocking tactics and it doesn't disappoint in its latest go at it. The newest ad isn't as bold as throwing red paint or blood on people walking by in fur coats or having celebrities posing au natural letting everyone know that they would rather be naked than walk around in clothing made from animals. Rather it screams all the louder because of it's subtlety.

The main action is in a restaurant where a lady is leaving with her alligator purse. Suddenly, she hears a voice behind her and, turning around, she is confronted by a live alligator that has been skinned from the neck back. The alligator is accusing the woman of taking something that didn't belong to her while the woman haughtily lets it be know that she paid a lot for her latest accoutrement. In the meantime, a man comes along to get his wife's coat when a skinned rabbit comes in shouting that the man has stolen his coat and tries to grab it from the stunned man. I don't know about you, but if some animal that had been skinned came after me, I would let it have whatever it wanted!

The point of the ad is simple to understand. Humans should never kill another living creature for clothing or accessories.

What does Kevin say about this latest scare tactic?

Hogwash!

Has anyone ever noticed that the only killing that God has forbidden is the taking of another innocent human life. Nowhere in the Bible does He say that we are never to kill any of the creatures that live with us on this earth. In fact, God killed the first animal (Most scholars believe it was a lamb. One can't get more innocent than a little lamb!) in order to cover Adam and Eve after they had sinned in the Garden of Eden.

What does God say about our fellow creatures and our responsibility towards them? In Genesis 1:28, "God blessed them (Adam and Eve), and...said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living that moves on the earth'." (NKJV) Subdue does not mean "conquer" here nor does dominion mean "domination". Both of these words imply a loving care for the creatures where mankind studys and learns from them and then uses that knowledge to improve their lives and ours.

This twisted mindset that no animal should ever be killed or used by humans is a by product of the evolutionary ideas that have permeated our culture in the past 160 years. Instead of truly learning about the Creation, mankind has studied it through the cloudly lens of Evolution. This distorted view in turn causes us to twist other thoughts around and has lead to something akin to an animistic religion where we now worship the animals instead of the Creator of them. The only difference that I can see is that, while so-called primitive cultures worshipped creatures, they still didn't hesistate to use them for their own needs. (In fact, when the killing was finished, there was usually some kind of thanks-giving ceremony to thank the animal for being willing to sacrifice it's life for the well-being of the people. Isn't that something that is lacking in today's world?)

While we laugh and roll our eyes at PETA and its foolish ideas, they are very clever in their tactics. The will use whatever means they can to pull at our heartstrings and make us question our way of dealing with our fellow creatures. I am in no way condoning animal cruelty or the mass slaughter of animals for the sheer fun of it, but one needs to be careful that one does not become twisted in their thoughts and starts worshipping the "innocent" of creation instead of their Maker.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T19:29:00.002-05:00

T is for the time I have spent with family and friends.

H is for the health that is given without end.

A is for the air I breathe each and every day.

N is for the needs that are met all along the way.

K is for the kisses given from the ones I love.

S is for the salvation from the Almighty Lord above.

G is for the groceries that are stocked within these walls of mine.

I is for the interlude of rest from the daily grind.

V is for the victory over sin while I'm still here.

I is for the increase in knowledge every single year.

N is for the never-ending love that God showers down on me.

G is for the grace of God that allows me to live eternally.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING TO ALL!!

Vindication

2009-11-23T23:53:00.002-05:00

It is official as of today...

The long-awaited email finally arrived...

I can just feel your anticipation pulsating through the air like a current of electricity...

"Tell me!! Tell me!! Tell me!!," you cry...

OK...

Here it is...

No more placing of special orders on a stock order by me or my co-worker!!!

YYYYYEEEEEEEEEEEE HHHHHHAAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!

Not only is that one less task during the course of the day, but my claim that it would never work was utterly and thoroughly vindicated! Oh the joy that coursed through my veins with the latest update on placing special orders! The total feeling of being right and it now being proven beyond a shadow of a doubt was such a happy moment in my day. Right now, my feet are doing the "Happy Dance" while I sit in the chair. (And, yes. I do understand that it's not really that important in the grand scheme of things. But, hey! Allow me my small moment in the sun! OK?)

Now that I am soaring in the air on cloud 9 or 10 or 11, I plan on enjoying this moment for as long as it will last. Because I know it won't last. Some other "sunny" proclamation will come down and burn the cloud out from underneath me, and I will plummet back to reality faster than Rachael Ray can chat.

Until then, I'll wave as I pass over.

Forgiven and Forgotten

2009-11-16T22:18:00.003-05:00

When I was a child, it was always hard to go to someone I had offended because I was never sure if they would forgive me. With lots of fear and trepidation, I approached the offended and nervously ask their forgiveness, waited impatiently on pins and needles for the response without looking them in the eye

Guess what?

I always received it.

It didn't matter if the offense was deliberate and intentional or unwitting and unintentional; I was always forgiven. It didn't matter if the offense was something that was under my control or out of my control; I was always forgiven.

Now if someone who is human and very flawed can forgive me of all my transgressions against them, how much better and certainly easier can it be for God who knows our hearts and minds (for He created us and knows our sin nature) to forgive all!

Isn't that the most wonderful news?? God continuously forgives us!

And even more wonderful is the fact that God forgets our sins. He even forgets sins we never knew we committed!! Wow! If only us humans were more that way! Many times with our own past failings, we continue to bring them up and dwell on our past sins and mistakes and even on some moments when choices were made for us that were really beyond our control.

How great is our God!!! He knows that we are sinners but still chooses to forgive and forget our sins and bring us into a closer relationship with Him.

I John 1:9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.