Tuesday, February 24, 2009
10,000
If you count up 4 people from the bottom right corner of this photo that appeared on our local (Florida Today http://www.floridatoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/frontpage) newspaper's web site, you'll see my wife at last night's Town Hall Meeting with Brevard County's Legislative Delegation. Right next to her looking somewhat disinterested is a guy she knew and dated in College. Yes, that would be me and I was very interested. I was sending out one of many text messages to some of my colleagues who didn't make it inside the King Center due to the crowd size being 10,000!The subject of last night's Town Hall Meeting was the proposed $70,000,000 cutback to our County's School Budget from the State. One of the legislators had commented earlier that he would be surprised if 200 people showed up. He was only off by a mere 9,800 or so and he was one of the legislators that were late due to the traffic congestion.
As you can imagine, most of the night was consumed with ducking questions by the 2 State Senators and the 4 Representatives. That is, until they decided to whip out some mis-leading graphs about the amount of funding from the State Brevard Public Schools (BPS) has received over the last few years. Their chart showed Brevard's School funding from the State increasing when in reality BPS has had to cut $100 million over the past 3 years to 4 years due to funding being cut back from the State.
It was at this point that our Superintendent, Dr. Richard DiPatri unexpectedly took the microphone and called the State Legislators to task. In my 28 years for teaching I have never seen a group of teachers, administrators, parents, and kids give their Superintendent not one but several standing ovations. Perhaps his best moment was when he "reminded" the State Legislators that Florida's State Constitution mandates that public education is a "State Responsibility." He also reminded them that the "Class Size Amendment," which was a Constitutional Amendment voted on by the citizens of Florida, like many other mandates from Tallahassee, had not been funded by the State. The implementation was left to the local School Boards despite the State Constitution.
In fact, Florida is one of 3 states that did not qualify for Obama's Stimulus package due to the low percentage of the State Budget spend on Education.
In Florida, there are some solutions that do not involve instituting a State Income Tax or other drastic measures. Hopefully our Legislators heard their constituents and will take action.
Monday, February 23, 2009
Moronic Sermon Titles
The other day I drove by a local Baptist Church and this was on their sign advertising the upcoming Sunday Sermon:
“The Gospel for Morons.”
If I hadn’t had a “previous engagement” at my church, I might have visited to hear what is “so needed” in today’s world.
Would such a sermon interest you?
What other “catchy” (if you think the aforementioned qualifies as “catchy”) sermon titles have you heard, seen, or in some of your cases, preached?
Maybe I should rename my blog?
“A Blog for Morons.” What do you think?
I only say that because at times (as my Uncle would say) “I are one.”
“The Gospel for Morons.”
If I hadn’t had a “previous engagement” at my church, I might have visited to hear what is “so needed” in today’s world.
Would such a sermon interest you?
What other “catchy” (if you think the aforementioned qualifies as “catchy”) sermon titles have you heard, seen, or in some of your cases, preached?
Maybe I should rename my blog?
“A Blog for Morons.” What do you think?
I only say that because at times (as my Uncle would say) “I are one.”
Friday, February 20, 2009
A Hard Birth
Note to Brady - I tried to re-load your blog and I'm still getting a "404 Error" when I try to comment. Just wanted to let you know I'm reading but unable to comment. Anybody out there have a solution as Word Press has offered zero help. Thanks.
Steven was anticipating with “fret-ed” breath, the arrival of his new guitar, the coveted Schecter C-1 Classic. He had tracked it to Orlando early yesterday morning and anticipated it’s arrival before his Praise Band practice that night. When it didn’t arrive just after dinner, he began to worry. No, “worry” may be too harsh a word. How about “exclaim with righteous indignation?” J
A couple of phone calls to UPS and the company we bought the guitar from brought about the realization that for some reason, the address UPS had on their delivery form was “North Friday Circle.” Trouble is, we live on “South Friday Circle.” Fortunately this guitar crisis of “cat-a-stevens” proportion occurred as I was leaving the ball field from announcing my 3rd straight game of the week.
With Barbara working her magic from home, a massive dosage of Tylenol for Steven, and my proximity to the UPS Center in Rockledge, we began to have hope that all would not be lost. I arrived at the UPS Center and found 2 very helpful ladies. One of them had been on phone with Barb and get this; the other one had a son who has “the sickness!” Yes, she knew the pain and horror our family was going through with the prospect of being so close and yet so far to a Schecter C-1 Classic! You might say she was a “C-1 Angel.”
After a couple of searches, she returned with Steven’s guitar. I wanted to have “church” right there in the Customer Center! My mind began to wonder – how would I serve Communion, who would do the “opening prayer,” and where is that dad-gum song board to post our songs? I was brought back to reality with this sweet lady saying, “Sir, sir, is there anything else I can do for you?” I said, “No,” and bid her farewell.
I met Steven at Church. As we un-boxed his guitar I was reminded of how Howard Carter must have felt when he discovered King Tut’s Tomb. Steven carefully cradled this "new member of his guitar family" and said, "Baby, you were a hard birth." Steven hooked up his guitar and began to play. One of our church’s favorite songs is, “You Never Let Go” by the group, “Passion.” He played, we sang, and as I so often do when our church is worshiping, I thought about our journey.
We could not see where we are at now. What we could see was fear, retaliation, and as the Richland Hills Church is discovering, an attempt at isolation. But how many times do we read in Scripture of flawed, seriously flawed humans, being chosen by God to do something eternal? To almost a person, nearly each one of them doesn’t think they are up for the task and at times, tries to tell God He’s made a mistake. God has the vision and we need only to trust.
Steven playing a praise song on his guitar in our church with both of us singing – it’s a vision I won’t soon forget.
Steven was anticipating with “fret-ed” breath, the arrival of his new guitar, the coveted Schecter C-1 Classic. He had tracked it to Orlando early yesterday morning and anticipated it’s arrival before his Praise Band practice that night. When it didn’t arrive just after dinner, he began to worry. No, “worry” may be too harsh a word. How about “exclaim with righteous indignation?” J
A couple of phone calls to UPS and the company we bought the guitar from brought about the realization that for some reason, the address UPS had on their delivery form was “North Friday Circle.” Trouble is, we live on “South Friday Circle.” Fortunately this guitar crisis of “cat-a-stevens” proportion occurred as I was leaving the ball field from announcing my 3rd straight game of the week.
With Barbara working her magic from home, a massive dosage of Tylenol for Steven, and my proximity to the UPS Center in Rockledge, we began to have hope that all would not be lost. I arrived at the UPS Center and found 2 very helpful ladies. One of them had been on phone with Barb and get this; the other one had a son who has “the sickness!” Yes, she knew the pain and horror our family was going through with the prospect of being so close and yet so far to a Schecter C-1 Classic! You might say she was a “C-1 Angel.”
After a couple of searches, she returned with Steven’s guitar. I wanted to have “church” right there in the Customer Center! My mind began to wonder – how would I serve Communion, who would do the “opening prayer,” and where is that dad-gum song board to post our songs? I was brought back to reality with this sweet lady saying, “Sir, sir, is there anything else I can do for you?” I said, “No,” and bid her farewell.
I met Steven at Church. As we un-boxed his guitar I was reminded of how Howard Carter must have felt when he discovered King Tut’s Tomb. Steven carefully cradled this "new member of his guitar family" and said, "Baby, you were a hard birth." Steven hooked up his guitar and began to play. One of our church’s favorite songs is, “You Never Let Go” by the group, “Passion.” He played, we sang, and as I so often do when our church is worshiping, I thought about our journey.
We could not see where we are at now. What we could see was fear, retaliation, and as the Richland Hills Church is discovering, an attempt at isolation. But how many times do we read in Scripture of flawed, seriously flawed humans, being chosen by God to do something eternal? To almost a person, nearly each one of them doesn’t think they are up for the task and at times, tries to tell God He’s made a mistake. God has the vision and we need only to trust.
Steven playing a praise song on his guitar in our church with both of us singing – it’s a vision I won’t soon forget.
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Can I Share A Few Thoughts?
The pace of life has picked up here in the last few days so alas, I’ve been away from Blog World. This post will be a hodgepodge of thoughts, alliterations, filler, pontifications, and the epitome of a “bail out plan” blog style.
Saturday I was stressing out over a situation close to my heart. The good news is that the folks that were involved showed up, allowed God to show up, and good things are happening. Can I get a witness out there!
When I was at my zenith of stressing, my son who has been infected by the “sickness” (a condition requiring mass quantities of guitars for an ever growing need for the release of endorphins) asked me to go with him to what these poor people consider the “New Jerusalem,” “Guitar Center Stores” of which this one happened to be in Orlando. When I sat down in Steven’s car he looked at me with amazement. I’m sure he was thinking, “How could one going to a GC / NJ be stressed?”
Whether he was or not is irrelevant because he looked at me and said, “Dad, why are you stressing? This is “Holy Ground” and we’re going to worship,” and that’s what we did for 40-something miles. He played a variety of Contemporary Christian Music, most of which we sing and play at church. We sang, we worshiped, and I felt God’s Spirit begin to calm me. I then received a couple of texts and phone calls that told me that God was at work.
What was really working was the face to face time Steven and I were having. Our schedules are so divergent that spending 4 hours with each other unless we’re both horizontal and its night, just doesn’t happen.
O.K., are you guys ready for a “Greg (http://gregengland.com/) kudo?” The guitar that Steven was looking (Schecter C-1 Classic) for, the one that G.C. always carries is no longer carried by G.C. Yes, there is a chink in the G.C. armor! There is sin in the Camp or in this case, a lack of certain guitars in G.C. Steven was disappointed but I told him, “Hey, if anyone can hawk down this
guitar, its your Uncle Greg. We called, Greg checked, he delivered, we ordered, and the boy is happy.
Anybody up for baseball? It’s not the Angels (http://intentionalwalk.blogspot.com/) Steve but it is baseball albeit High School baseball. I’ve been announcing some games already and I heard an interesting story. Without giving away too many details there was a baseball game in which some of the players were warming up near the bull pen without protective gear during a game. Neither one was a pitcher or catcher, just potential fielding replacements so they were warming up their arms. An umpire saw them and told them to get some protective gear on even though the activity they were doing didn’t warrant such action.
The good part – the Umpire then told the players' coach to “take a lap,” in the middle of the game. Fortunately the Coach thought he was kidding until the Ump told him again in a more demonstrative way. The Coach didn’t take the lap but can you imagine – how about a MLB Ump telling the firy Chicago White Sox’s Manager, Ozzie Guillen to take a lap? I hope my wife doesn’t get any ideas. “Honey, you forgot to take out the trash – give me a lap around the block and don’t stop until (a line an old coach of mine use to use) I throw up.”
Speaking of wife and squimish subjects– I’ll end with a first in her 28 years of teaching Kindergarten. WARNING – IF YOU’RE A BIT SQUIMISH – you may want to leave this blog.
She was walking her class to lunch which is tantamount to attempting to straighten famous the world's crookedist street, Lombard Street in San Francisco. As she was trying to get the troops in the back of the line to catch up with the folks in front, a student in the front of her line came up upon what appeared to be “black berries.” If you’ve ever owned rabbits you know what I’m talking about.
In a scene reminiscent of a scene from the 70’s T.V. show, “Kung Fu,” she saw the boy bend down and sniff the evacuated material. As she was running and yelling, “Noooooo,” the student put their tongue on the evacuated material. Now you might expect some “evacuation” might have taken place on this student’s part but it didn’t. When my wife asked this student the eternal (Why?) question that has gotten scores of men in trouble when asked by their wives, “Will you do so and so for me,” the reply was, you know, 3 words, “I don’t know?”
I’m happy to say the student is O.K., there are no coaches taking laps during ball games, and I’m somewhat at ease with the world.
Take care.
Saturday I was stressing out over a situation close to my heart. The good news is that the folks that were involved showed up, allowed God to show up, and good things are happening. Can I get a witness out there!
When I was at my zenith of stressing, my son who has been infected by the “sickness” (a condition requiring mass quantities of guitars for an ever growing need for the release of endorphins) asked me to go with him to what these poor people consider the “New Jerusalem,” “Guitar Center Stores” of which this one happened to be in Orlando. When I sat down in Steven’s car he looked at me with amazement. I’m sure he was thinking, “How could one going to a GC / NJ be stressed?”
Whether he was or not is irrelevant because he looked at me and said, “Dad, why are you stressing? This is “Holy Ground” and we’re going to worship,” and that’s what we did for 40-something miles. He played a variety of Contemporary Christian Music, most of which we sing and play at church. We sang, we worshiped, and I felt God’s Spirit begin to calm me. I then received a couple of texts and phone calls that told me that God was at work.
What was really working was the face to face time Steven and I were having. Our schedules are so divergent that spending 4 hours with each other unless we’re both horizontal and its night, just doesn’t happen.
O.K., are you guys ready for a “Greg (http://gregengland.com/) kudo?” The guitar that Steven was looking (Schecter C-1 Classic) for, the one that G.C. always carries is no longer carried by G.C. Yes, there is a chink in the G.C. armor! There is sin in the Camp or in this case, a lack of certain guitars in G.C. Steven was disappointed but I told him, “Hey, if anyone can hawk down this
guitar, its your Uncle Greg. We called, Greg checked, he delivered, we ordered, and the boy is happy.
Anybody up for baseball? It’s not the Angels (http://intentionalwalk.blogspot.com/) Steve but it is baseball albeit High School baseball. I’ve been announcing some games already and I heard an interesting story. Without giving away too many details there was a baseball game in which some of the players were warming up near the bull pen without protective gear during a game. Neither one was a pitcher or catcher, just potential fielding replacements so they were warming up their arms. An umpire saw them and told them to get some protective gear on even though the activity they were doing didn’t warrant such action.
The good part – the Umpire then told the players' coach to “take a lap,” in the middle of the game. Fortunately the Coach thought he was kidding until the Ump told him again in a more demonstrative way. The Coach didn’t take the lap but can you imagine – how about a MLB Ump telling the firy Chicago White Sox’s Manager, Ozzie Guillen to take a lap? I hope my wife doesn’t get any ideas. “Honey, you forgot to take out the trash – give me a lap around the block and don’t stop until (a line an old coach of mine use to use) I throw up.”
Speaking of wife and squimish subjects– I’ll end with a first in her 28 years of teaching Kindergarten. WARNING – IF YOU’RE A BIT SQUIMISH – you may want to leave this blog.
She was walking her class to lunch which is tantamount to attempting to straighten famous the world's crookedist street, Lombard Street in San Francisco. As she was trying to get the troops in the back of the line to catch up with the folks in front, a student in the front of her line came up upon what appeared to be “black berries.” If you’ve ever owned rabbits you know what I’m talking about.
In a scene reminiscent of a scene from the 70’s T.V. show, “Kung Fu,” she saw the boy bend down and sniff the evacuated material. As she was running and yelling, “Noooooo,” the student put their tongue on the evacuated material. Now you might expect some “evacuation” might have taken place on this student’s part but it didn’t. When my wife asked this student the eternal (Why?) question that has gotten scores of men in trouble when asked by their wives, “Will you do so and so for me,” the reply was, you know, 3 words, “I don’t know?”
I’m happy to say the student is O.K., there are no coaches taking laps during ball games, and I’m somewhat at ease with the world.
Take care.
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Valentine's Day
So what are you doing on Valentine's Day? V.D. Eve found us decorating our Fellowship Room for our annual V.D. Banquet. Tonight we will be entertained by acts such as "Ray Orbison," "the Pointless Sisters," and "Los (with an extreme long "O" sound I'm told) Beatles." I guess the guys who make up our "Los Beatles" did not appreciate my "Las" during rehearsal. Yes, yours truly, a.k.a. "Mr. Microphone," has been selected to be the M.C. of this glorious event. Perhaps our annual visitors to our V.D. Banquet, "Dr. Love" and "Don Juan" will give me some advice to tell the difference from "Las" and "Los."
Well, "a-Las," I'm at a "Los" for more words.
Well, "a-Las," I'm at a "Los" for more words.
Monday, February 09, 2009
The Lid Part 2
It took "Part 2" of my "Lid" series long enough to get here. One more delay:
Our youth group at church performed the "Who Am I / White Glove Skit" at our church yesterday. They were outstanding. This is the link to view it on You Tube. Kudos to "Miss Lee / Elly Mae" as we fondly call her at our church. She is the creative engine behind these teens and there is no end in sight as to what she and the teens can do at our church and other venues with drama. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dWFg0UI-m8
Kind of a nice transition for what I want to write about. Drama being performed at our church a few years ago would have been taboo. The "lid" was on at our church and I think the best way to explain what I mean as well as my other post concerning the Richland Hills Church being "voted off the Island" would be to look at Mark 5.
21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.
On the way to heal Jarius's daughter, Jesus has this encounter with a woman who has at least a couple of marks (no pun intended) against her with respect to seeing, approaching, and touching Jesus. First, she is a woman and second, she is unclean due to having a blood issue. All the rules, teachings, and traditions of the Pharisees and even in some cases, Scripture states to her - stay away and certainly do not touch. It goes without saying that Jesus' is on "official business" as he is on the way to Jarius' home, the home of a man who knows religion, knows the rules, and more importantly, plays by them.
With the lid of orthodoxy and legalism on the box, this woman takes a number with respect to Jarius' daughter and many of those present including Jesus' Disciples might say she doesn't get a number. This is not how we do ministry around here. But ministry breaks out and it does so in the guise of healing and power from Jesus himself! Look at what Jesus says in verse 30. He was being touched by a lot of people but some how, this woman, had physically and spiritually by faith - broken through the barriers of people and orthodoxy to claim healing and even power.
I believe the same thing can happen with churches. What has happened at Central is more than just a change in worship style. I believe we like many churches, have come to realize that orthodoxy limits ministry and ultimately the life changing, life bringing, and life sustaining power of Jesus. There have been numerous creative people at our church, touched by the Holy Spirit to start a ministry only to be told:
1. We can't do that here.
2. We can't do it that way.
3. We can't partner up with those people or that church.
But now it seems ministry is breaking out at our church because people realize what Jesus can do for not only their lives but the lives of others. I think they also realize that if they can dream it, pray it, and conceptualize it - if it is a way that we can reach out in the name of Jesus the only "club rule" is - do it! Do it to whom ever, ask any one any where to help, and don't limit what your God given talent will allow you to do.
The operative statement here is when the woman says, "If I just touch him, I'll be healed." To boil it down further, in the name of Jesus, "If I ........," can happen at our church and it can happen at yours, when the walls of orthodoxy come down and the power of the Word and the Lord are released from the traditions of men.
Our church isn't perfect, not even close. But what I love about our church is that we know it, we embrace it, and we strive to depend on the Lord to use the talents of any one, in any way, to heal with power of the risen Christ.
Do not be afraid of being "voted off the island." Like the woman of Mark 5, push through the crowd even if that be another church, churches, para-church organization, or even a publication listing you as one of their own. In the end, it will be the "final exam" of Matthew 25 that matters the most.
Have a blessed day.
Our youth group at church performed the "Who Am I / White Glove Skit" at our church yesterday. They were outstanding. This is the link to view it on You Tube. Kudos to "Miss Lee / Elly Mae" as we fondly call her at our church. She is the creative engine behind these teens and there is no end in sight as to what she and the teens can do at our church and other venues with drama. The link is http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dWFg0UI-m8
Kind of a nice transition for what I want to write about. Drama being performed at our church a few years ago would have been taboo. The "lid" was on at our church and I think the best way to explain what I mean as well as my other post concerning the Richland Hills Church being "voted off the Island" would be to look at Mark 5.
21When Jesus had again crossed over by boat to the other side of the lake, a large crowd gathered around him while he was by the lake. 22Then one of the synagogue rulers, named Jairus, came there. Seeing Jesus, he fell at his feet 23and pleaded earnestly with him, "My little daughter is dying. Please come and put your hands on her so that she will be healed and live." 24So Jesus went with him.
A large crowd followed and pressed around him. 25And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for twelve years. 26She had suffered a great deal under the care of many doctors and had spent all she had, yet instead of getting better she grew worse. 27When she heard about Jesus, she came up behind him in the crowd and touched his cloak, 28because she thought, "If I just touch his clothes, I will be healed." 29Immediately her bleeding stopped and she felt in her body that she was freed from her suffering.
30At once Jesus realized that power had gone out from him. He turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my clothes?"
31"You see the people crowding against you," his disciples answered, "and yet you can ask, 'Who touched me?' "
32But Jesus kept looking around to see who had done it. 33Then the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came and fell at his feet and, trembling with fear, told him the whole truth. 34He said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering.
On the way to heal Jarius's daughter, Jesus has this encounter with a woman who has at least a couple of marks (no pun intended) against her with respect to seeing, approaching, and touching Jesus. First, she is a woman and second, she is unclean due to having a blood issue. All the rules, teachings, and traditions of the Pharisees and even in some cases, Scripture states to her - stay away and certainly do not touch. It goes without saying that Jesus' is on "official business" as he is on the way to Jarius' home, the home of a man who knows religion, knows the rules, and more importantly, plays by them.
With the lid of orthodoxy and legalism on the box, this woman takes a number with respect to Jarius' daughter and many of those present including Jesus' Disciples might say she doesn't get a number. This is not how we do ministry around here. But ministry breaks out and it does so in the guise of healing and power from Jesus himself! Look at what Jesus says in verse 30. He was being touched by a lot of people but some how, this woman, had physically and spiritually by faith - broken through the barriers of people and orthodoxy to claim healing and even power.
I believe the same thing can happen with churches. What has happened at Central is more than just a change in worship style. I believe we like many churches, have come to realize that orthodoxy limits ministry and ultimately the life changing, life bringing, and life sustaining power of Jesus. There have been numerous creative people at our church, touched by the Holy Spirit to start a ministry only to be told:
1. We can't do that here.
2. We can't do it that way.
3. We can't partner up with those people or that church.
But now it seems ministry is breaking out at our church because people realize what Jesus can do for not only their lives but the lives of others. I think they also realize that if they can dream it, pray it, and conceptualize it - if it is a way that we can reach out in the name of Jesus the only "club rule" is - do it! Do it to whom ever, ask any one any where to help, and don't limit what your God given talent will allow you to do.
The operative statement here is when the woman says, "If I just touch him, I'll be healed." To boil it down further, in the name of Jesus, "If I ........," can happen at our church and it can happen at yours, when the walls of orthodoxy come down and the power of the Word and the Lord are released from the traditions of men.
Our church isn't perfect, not even close. But what I love about our church is that we know it, we embrace it, and we strive to depend on the Lord to use the talents of any one, in any way, to heal with power of the risen Christ.
Do not be afraid of being "voted off the island." Like the woman of Mark 5, push through the crowd even if that be another church, churches, para-church organization, or even a publication listing you as one of their own. In the end, it will be the "final exam" of Matthew 25 that matters the most.
Have a blessed day.
Thursday, February 05, 2009
Taking The Lid off a Cat
I haven't forgotten about my 2nd part of my "Remember When / the Lid or Ceiling" series but I feel the need to tell you about another kind of "lid" or in this case, the door to a cat-carrier.
3 days ago, we found some (cover your blog eyes if you're squeamish) throwup in our Study from our Cat. I assumed it was the Cat and not Barb. Any way, in it was a worm which meant our cat had worms. Brilliant, yes? Buddy, our cat, was exhibiting the signs of having a worm such as drinking a lot of water and being somewhat lethargic. I know, how can a cat be diagnosed as lethargic when they already sleep 95% of the day? Lets just say the percentage when up to 97%. Now a note about Buddy.
Buddy is the cat that even (yes Judy - there are some out there) cat-haters like. Buddy as I've chronicled in the past, is the smartest cat we've owned. He will sit and shake like a dog for treats. He (in the presence of witnesses) has opened doors by grabbing and pulling down on handles, he has turned lights on in the middle of the night when he wants attention, and he pretty much plays with anyone who comes over, like a dog. He even will lick you, over and over like a dog.
In fact during Super Bowl Sunday, one of my good friends, Bret, an avowed Cat-hater and highly allergic to cat, played with Buddy! He got up several times to wash his hands and then he went back for more play time with Buddy. Yes, Buddy is a good natured cat unless you do certain things to him.
Such as, try to take a stool sample. When I took him to the Vet on Tuesday, the Vet Tech told me she needed a stool sample even though I had the worm remains in a zip lock bag. I relented and told her that he might not like this procedure as I forced back the use of the colloquial phrase, "Duh." She asked if he would bite? I thought to (I think this statement drives Greg crazy but will use it anyway) myself, "Hummm, if someone would stick something up my hind in, would it put me in a bad mood, yea, even bad enough to bite?" I began to think about the laws of Physics and how the digestive system is basically a one way street so I answered in the affirmative. Then came dumb question #2:
"Would you mind holding him?" Now this is a dumb question because I answered, "Yes." It reminded me of how my wife sometimes asks me to do things. She'll say, "Honey (that would be me), would you LIKE to take out the garbage?" Now when she asks me in that manner I'll probably think (but never say mind you), "Sure, just as much as I enjoyed Buddy biting me during his stool sample."
Yes, he bit me! The little stick thing went in, Buddy got this blank look on his face like, "That doesn't feel right," he hissed, and then he whirled on me and tasted human flesh. Then to add insult to my injury, the Vet Tech who stepped back from the procedure said, "Its still in him" referring to the (I don't know the medical term) "stool stick." Now I had the blank look on my face as I said,"I think he won't mind if it goes out the usual way."
So the stool stick came out and Buddy was somewhat happy again. Then came the Vet with the shot. Now being a trained professional he was much smarter than the Vet Tech and me because he brought backup. They held Buddy down , the shot went in, and there was no loss of human flesh. Then came the really good news. I would have to bring Buddy back the next day for another shot. There must have been fear in my eyes because he told me, "Oh, sorry about the bite but we really didn't need the stool sample since you had the worm." Now he tells me!
The next day didn't start too bad. Buddy has a curious nature and actually crawled into the cat carrier with out coaxing. However, the hissing began the moment I lifted the carrier up and put it into my car. After being in the waiting room for a few minutes, two different "VT's" came to get him. They told me they would take Buddy in the back and give him his second shot. I wanted to say, "You'll be sorry," but I figured they knew what they were doing, right? No!
A few moments later brought a loud hiss, an inaudible human vocalization, and a comment from the Receptionist who said, "Sounds like someone is getting bit." A few seconds later with most limbs still attached, both now wiser VT's asked, "Can we gas your cat?" You don't know how I wanted to say, "No," and then follow that up with a "West Cocoa," "When you're dumb, you've got to be tough," but I didn't.
I gave my permission, Buddy was gassed, another shot was administered, and I went home with all of my outer layer and a drunk cat. Buddy was back to his old self this morning and hopefully this story will give this blog a shot in the arm and no where else!
3 days ago, we found some (cover your blog eyes if you're squeamish) throwup in our Study from our Cat. I assumed it was the Cat and not Barb. Any way, in it was a worm which meant our cat had worms. Brilliant, yes? Buddy, our cat, was exhibiting the signs of having a worm such as drinking a lot of water and being somewhat lethargic. I know, how can a cat be diagnosed as lethargic when they already sleep 95% of the day? Lets just say the percentage when up to 97%. Now a note about Buddy.
Buddy is the cat that even (yes Judy - there are some out there) cat-haters like. Buddy as I've chronicled in the past, is the smartest cat we've owned. He will sit and shake like a dog for treats. He (in the presence of witnesses) has opened doors by grabbing and pulling down on handles, he has turned lights on in the middle of the night when he wants attention, and he pretty much plays with anyone who comes over, like a dog. He even will lick you, over and over like a dog.
In fact during Super Bowl Sunday, one of my good friends, Bret, an avowed Cat-hater and highly allergic to cat, played with Buddy! He got up several times to wash his hands and then he went back for more play time with Buddy. Yes, Buddy is a good natured cat unless you do certain things to him.
Such as, try to take a stool sample. When I took him to the Vet on Tuesday, the Vet Tech told me she needed a stool sample even though I had the worm remains in a zip lock bag. I relented and told her that he might not like this procedure as I forced back the use of the colloquial phrase, "Duh." She asked if he would bite? I thought to (I think this statement drives Greg crazy but will use it anyway) myself, "Hummm, if someone would stick something up my hind in, would it put me in a bad mood, yea, even bad enough to bite?" I began to think about the laws of Physics and how the digestive system is basically a one way street so I answered in the affirmative. Then came dumb question #2:
"Would you mind holding him?" Now this is a dumb question because I answered, "Yes." It reminded me of how my wife sometimes asks me to do things. She'll say, "Honey (that would be me), would you LIKE to take out the garbage?" Now when she asks me in that manner I'll probably think (but never say mind you), "Sure, just as much as I enjoyed Buddy biting me during his stool sample."
Yes, he bit me! The little stick thing went in, Buddy got this blank look on his face like, "That doesn't feel right," he hissed, and then he whirled on me and tasted human flesh. Then to add insult to my injury, the Vet Tech who stepped back from the procedure said, "Its still in him" referring to the (I don't know the medical term) "stool stick." Now I had the blank look on my face as I said,"I think he won't mind if it goes out the usual way."
So the stool stick came out and Buddy was somewhat happy again. Then came the Vet with the shot. Now being a trained professional he was much smarter than the Vet Tech and me because he brought backup. They held Buddy down , the shot went in, and there was no loss of human flesh. Then came the really good news. I would have to bring Buddy back the next day for another shot. There must have been fear in my eyes because he told me, "Oh, sorry about the bite but we really didn't need the stool sample since you had the worm." Now he tells me!
The next day didn't start too bad. Buddy has a curious nature and actually crawled into the cat carrier with out coaxing. However, the hissing began the moment I lifted the carrier up and put it into my car. After being in the waiting room for a few minutes, two different "VT's" came to get him. They told me they would take Buddy in the back and give him his second shot. I wanted to say, "You'll be sorry," but I figured they knew what they were doing, right? No!
A few moments later brought a loud hiss, an inaudible human vocalization, and a comment from the Receptionist who said, "Sounds like someone is getting bit." A few seconds later with most limbs still attached, both now wiser VT's asked, "Can we gas your cat?" You don't know how I wanted to say, "No," and then follow that up with a "West Cocoa," "When you're dumb, you've got to be tough," but I didn't.
I gave my permission, Buddy was gassed, another shot was administered, and I went home with all of my outer layer and a drunk cat. Buddy was back to his old self this morning and hopefully this story will give this blog a shot in the arm and no where else!
Monday, February 02, 2009
Remember When?
The year was 1971. I was in 8th Grade and skipping school, with my parents' permission albeit, worried permission. Disney World had been open for a few weeks and one of my friends' older, High School aged sister and her boy-friend that was a friend of our family, had offered to take us to Disney World. My parents were reluctant at best to allow me to go but they relented. I'm sure I used some combination of " imagine the Science and History I'll witness / all of the other Moms and Dads are allowing their kids to go" argument. Looking at it now from a parent older than they were when they made that decision I have to think, "We're they nuts!!" No, I love my Mom and Dad for allowing me to go on my first trip to a newly opened Disney World. That memory will forever be in my mind.
As you can guess, being there at the newly opened park guaranteed long, long, long lines. The way we passed the time away waiting in line for those (anybody remember this) "E-Ticket rides" was to at various points, point back to a place in the zig-zagging line that had been our spot and say to each other, "Remember when we were back there?" For some reason being able to point back to where we had been gave us encouragement for we knew we were getting closer to our destination.
It seems like I have that experience every Sunday at Central. Yesterday's worship was so powerful, energetic, and engaging that I'm becoming a bit of a "cry-baby" at church. Not in a "ka-zillion" (which is a zillion to the "ka" power) years would I have ever imagined worship at my home church would literally move me to joy and at times, tears of joy!
There were times in my life when I lived by counting down the calendar to the Pepperdine Lectures, Mid-Ohio Valley Workcamp, or Bible Camp for it was in those venues that one could turn loose if you will and worship. I knew when it came time to return home, it would be time to put the lid on that kind of worship until the next event.
I think "the lid" or "the ceiling" is where my thoughts are going. The occasion of our largest church, the Richland Hills Church of Christ being left out of the latest Directory of Churches of Christ in America composed by Flavil Yeakley has been on my mind lately. Mike (http://preachermike.com/) Cope recently mentioned it in his post called, "Declaration. Address." He used the phrase, "Voted off the island," to describe the fact that although RHC continues to call themselves (like our church) a "Church of Christ," the fact that they have added (like us) an instrumental service seems to be the mitigating factor in their removal from this Directory.
Two things come to mind:
1. In the Directory there are abbreviations for Churches of Christ that either practice or believe things like: One Cup, No located Preacher, No Sunday School, No Kitchen, adjure to a belief called "A.D. 70," and on and on. Here's the irony - Like RHC, most (now define this one - ) "mainline Churches of Christ" do not believe or practice any of the preceding. The only difference - the dreaded instrument! I think Mike Cope wrote this but if he didn't, I will, why not a "guitar symbol" out to the side of their name? My brothers and sisters, men and women of influence in our fellowship need to step up and stop this nonsense! If for nothing else, won't some of us be a bit embarrassed in Heaven when those they have excluded are singing (don't they have harps in Heaven?) side by side with them for eternity?
2. What is the real issue? I think it is the lid or ceiling that I will write about in my next post. I'll leave with this - in my opinion the real issue isn't instrumental or acapella. If it is, then we should be embarrassed for there is a world out there that is lost and dying. However, I do believe these are all intertwined and can lead to whether the ceiling or lid is on ministry or not.
Hate to leave you hanging but until tomorrow - God bless.
As you can guess, being there at the newly opened park guaranteed long, long, long lines. The way we passed the time away waiting in line for those (anybody remember this) "E-Ticket rides" was to at various points, point back to a place in the zig-zagging line that had been our spot and say to each other, "Remember when we were back there?" For some reason being able to point back to where we had been gave us encouragement for we knew we were getting closer to our destination.
It seems like I have that experience every Sunday at Central. Yesterday's worship was so powerful, energetic, and engaging that I'm becoming a bit of a "cry-baby" at church. Not in a "ka-zillion" (which is a zillion to the "ka" power) years would I have ever imagined worship at my home church would literally move me to joy and at times, tears of joy!
There were times in my life when I lived by counting down the calendar to the Pepperdine Lectures, Mid-Ohio Valley Workcamp, or Bible Camp for it was in those venues that one could turn loose if you will and worship. I knew when it came time to return home, it would be time to put the lid on that kind of worship until the next event.
I think "the lid" or "the ceiling" is where my thoughts are going. The occasion of our largest church, the Richland Hills Church of Christ being left out of the latest Directory of Churches of Christ in America composed by Flavil Yeakley has been on my mind lately. Mike (http://preachermike.com/) Cope recently mentioned it in his post called, "Declaration. Address." He used the phrase, "Voted off the island," to describe the fact that although RHC continues to call themselves (like our church) a "Church of Christ," the fact that they have added (like us) an instrumental service seems to be the mitigating factor in their removal from this Directory.
Two things come to mind:
1. In the Directory there are abbreviations for Churches of Christ that either practice or believe things like: One Cup, No located Preacher, No Sunday School, No Kitchen, adjure to a belief called "A.D. 70," and on and on. Here's the irony - Like RHC, most (now define this one - ) "mainline Churches of Christ" do not believe or practice any of the preceding. The only difference - the dreaded instrument! I think Mike Cope wrote this but if he didn't, I will, why not a "guitar symbol" out to the side of their name? My brothers and sisters, men and women of influence in our fellowship need to step up and stop this nonsense! If for nothing else, won't some of us be a bit embarrassed in Heaven when those they have excluded are singing (don't they have harps in Heaven?) side by side with them for eternity?
2. What is the real issue? I think it is the lid or ceiling that I will write about in my next post. I'll leave with this - in my opinion the real issue isn't instrumental or acapella. If it is, then we should be embarrassed for there is a world out there that is lost and dying. However, I do believe these are all intertwined and can lead to whether the ceiling or lid is on ministry or not.
Hate to leave you hanging but until tomorrow - God bless.
