Snow in Mississippi...

 

Oyez! Oyez! Oyez!  All are admonished to draw near and give their attention to Cartoonist Marshall Ramsey at the Clarion-Ledger today, he nailed this one perfectly.  Give him a "10" on the bobsled.

Night Snow...

Outside my house about 8:30pm

Project 365/42 Part II

 

Whoever prayed hard for snowfall can stop now.  Thank you.

Project 365/42

 

First thing this morning, from my carport....that orange/pink line in the center is about all the sunshine we got to see today.  Waiting on the snow now....

Project 365/41

 

The Good Guys on my filing cabinet, protecting the valuables.  Yeah, it's water from a beer company, compliments of Hurricane Katrina.

Project 365/40

Sunshine!!! It does exist!
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/39

 

"Watching" a conversation on the radio between two stations, one in Ohio and the other in Missouri, talking about basketball.  Yeah, I'm an amateur radio geek.  It's just something to fill in the time occasionally.  But it can be quite fun too.  Using less power than your average lightbulb, we communicate over vast distances.  I've got contacts in my log from all over North America, some South America, a few in Japan and Russia, France, Italy, England...just to name a few.

And yes, I know I didn't "take" this photograph.  Whatchagonna do?  Sue me?

Project 365, extra edition

The Saints won the Superbowl.  Massachusetts elected a Republican senator.  Does anyone have tickets for the Chicago Cubs in the 2010 World Series yet?

Two great pictures from today:

The first one is from Marshall Ramsey at The Clarion Ledger in Jackson.  Marshall has a great talent for capturing the essence of current events in his editorial cartoons.  This one ran today, Sunday, February 7, 2010.

And secondly, perhaps the greatest picture from tonight's game...Drew Brees holding his son immediately after the game.  Wow.  Just plain wow.

Project 365/38

Therapist put out a bowl of M&M's, within reach.  That evil temptress!

A little truth...

Disasters bring out the best in people.  And they bring out the worst; the absolute worst, most reprehensible and vile will quickly take advantage of those needing help.  When that happens, it's motivated by pure selfishness.  It's either to promote themselves on a regional or national scale as under-recognized "heroes", or it's to find a way to make an easy buck off the disaster's consequences.  I've seen it first hand, and recognize it quickly.

Well, it's happening in Haiti now.  Click here to read where Haitian locals, who've received the charity of the world, have accepted the donations only to turn around and openly market them for sale to the already devastated population that is struggling to recover. 

It's just plain sickening and revolting.

Project365/37

Cicero's....its what's for dinner! Catfish New Orleans, mmmmm...
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/36

An OLD Jax Beer box I have at home.  Wish I had some.....

Project 365/35

Fun times with a Box o'Baby Faces. Only in medicine....
---Blackberry in use---

Coming soon to an area near you...

Thanks to 9-Echo-1 for bringing this out on his blog today.  Yeah, I shamelessly copied it over here.

We in EMS already know this happens every day in every jurisdiction.  Some feel that if the major healthcare changes are pushed through by Congress, your waiting time to see your doctor will increase.  And as folks get tired of the increased wait time, they'll resort to 911 for "immediate service", which will tie up valuable resources on less-than-life-threatening problems.

911 was created for you to be able to access police, fire, and EMS in emergencies.  Emergencies are, for example, when your house is on fire, when someone is breaking in to your house while you're at home, when someone has a wreck, or if someone in you family has had a heart attack, stroke, quits breathing, is choking, etc.  It is NOT for you to use at 2am when you've grown tired of the two-day-old headache.

In our part of Mississippi, ambulances are fairly rare.  Yes, you town may have two or three units staffed and ready, but at any given time, one or two of them may be on a nursing home transfer, or on a long-distance hospital transfer to Jackson or Memphis.  Dispatchers do a great job at jockeying ambulances around their service area at certain times (based on historical call volume), but we can't be everywhere at once.

I'll stop ranting.  But please, if you have a medical ailment, consider whether it can 1) wait a day or two until you can see you doctor, and 2) if it is truly a life-threatening emergency.

Project 365/34

 

Today, Therapist and I had the very rare occasion of both having day-long meetings in Jackson.  After I dropped her off downtown, I ran across this scene of the sun rising behind the Old Capitol Building, but with partial illumination from sunlight reflecting off a nearby building.  The picture doesn't really do justice to how pretty it truly was.  I wish I could have edited the power lines out for a really nice picture.

Project 365/33

 

 It was Body Mechanics and Lifting & Moving Patients night for my EMT class.  They'll get the hang of it.  I hope.

Project 365/32

 

Out of coffee!  Every afternoon when I get home, one of the first things I do is set up my coffee pot for the next morning.  Imagine my surprise today when I realized I'd forgotten to purchase a new supply of java this week!!  Never fear, WalMart is near!

Project 365/31

 

Waiting on the Southern Baptist Emergency Amateur Radio Service weekly net to start up.  These are a bunch of great guys who provide amateur radio communications for state Baptist disaster relief agencies and the North American Mission Board's disaster relief efforts.

Project 365/30

 

A few snowflakes outside, coupled with a blustery northern wind kept me and Mini-Me inside today...so it's house-cleaning time!  Old Man Winter caused my oak trees to shiver enough to shed their leaves, and more than a few have found their way inside lately.  Bissell to the rescue!

Thoughts on Taxation

I'm working on my taxes.  It seems that every year, I get more and more frustrated when I consider just how much I pay in taxes at many different levels (income, sales, property, etc).  It's probably a good thing that I don't really know how much of my income is spent in taxes alone.

In 2008 we saw the rise of the TEA Party - for Taxed Enough Already.  I agree with their basic premise, but really haven't looked deeply into everything they stand for.  But after today, I may be looking more closely.  I added a $16 interest earning to my tax calculator, and my tax bill went UP by $7.00!  Dangit!  Almost half of the little sixteen dollars earned in interest is going to the government!

What's the point?  Heck, I'd come out better closing my accounts and keeping my money in a sock under the mattress!!!!!

I've never used this forum to promote a political agenda.  But let me encourage you to look at the FairTax initiative outlined on their website and here.  Basically it calls for the elimination of ALL federal income taxes (direct income, capital gains, etc.) and replace it with a national sales tax.  That means you take home ALL of your paycheck, put it in the bank and let it set.  The you pay taxes on any goods or services you purchase.  Taxes paid on certain household necessities would be returned to you, the taxpayer, thus making their purchases tax-exempt.  You pay taxes based on your purchasing habits, nothing more.

Instead of a huge government determining how much it "needs" each year, and adjusting tax rates accordingly, the FairTax plan puts me and you in charge of how much we "give" the government.

Just a rant....I'm still peeved about losing $7, almost half of the interest earned on a little bank account.  I guess I'm one of those "dirty rich" folks who have can "afford" to "pay some back" to society.

Project 365/29

 

Lake Transient - it comes and goes in my back yard.  Depending on several variables like how much rain we get, how quickly it falls, and how wet the ground already is, Lake Transient waxes and wanes.

Time is Muscle

Please watch this video, as it is quite accurate.  We've seen lots of patients who convinced themselves they just had indigestion, heartburn, or any other number of innocent conditions instead of a heart attack.  Sadly, by the time we get to see them, it's too late.

Thanks to Epijunkie at Pink, Warm, and Dry for bringing this video to light.

Project 365/28

 

Toys!  New Toys!  This is the newest addition to my ever-growing stack-o-stuff for work.  The Mississippi Wireless Integrated Network (MSWIN) is a statewide communications system being built in three phases.  Currently, the southern one-third (or so) of the state is up and running, and some areas around Jackson are using the system too.  The central portion of the state is being built now, and the northern third will be finished in a year or so.  Once complete, we'll have a robust statewide communication network.  The areas that are up and running now have great coverage.  We can communicate from Jackson to the Gulf Coast using portable radios.

Project 365/27

The basic economic principle of supply & demand.  Or, in my case, demand & supply.  I had a need for a new office chair, and Office Depot had the supply, and on sale!  Twenty minutes after opening the box, and more than a few foul words grunts later, I have this sitting in my home-office now!

The old chair to the right occupies a space on my carport now for a while.  If you want it, let me know.  Otherwise, it may end up out by the mailbox before long.

Project 365/26

 The EMT Babies are learning how to take vital signs, and I got a little bored waiting on them.  The poor class skeleton got temporarily decapitated for his portrait.

Project 365/25

Last year I did very well with physical exercise, walking/running 3 or 4 days a week.  But through a host of events and other non-excuses, I fell away from it.  Well today is the day to start back....just a short mile for the next week or so until I get used to it again.  After that, I'll start to stretch it out a little bit at a time.

Project 365/24

Etouffee for supper! With shrimp and chicken...
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/23

Sanding cabinets...Therapist is re-doing her kitchen.  While she painted primer on the cabinet frames, I elected to sand the doors.  Two hours and a cloud of dust later, they were done.  My right hand, however, is still numb from the electric sander.

Something to think about...

This article speaks volumes.  Naturally when we see others in desperate need, we want to help.  But sometimes, especially in the early days of a disaster, it is best to let those who are trained and experienced provide the help first. 

We saw this after Katrina on the Mississippi gulf coast, and they're seeing it again in Haiti - unplanned, unexpected but well-meaning volunteers arriving without any prior planning.  In almost every instance, those good intentions actually hamper the response and relief efforts.

If you, your church, or other group that you may be involved in is considering mounting a trip to Haiti for relief, please make every effort to coordinate that trip well in advance.  Find a respectable organization that has on-the-ground ties in Haiti, and work with them.  The relief efforts will last for months, which means there will be ample opportunity.  There are many others like you that may be planning to go.  But without adequate coordination, preparation, and planning, your efforts may be in vain.

Project 365/22

Portable power...
---Blackberry in use---

Random Musing...

I've been doing this Project 365 for three weeks now.  Some days it's easy to pick out what I want to photograph, and some days I'm literally hunting something worth photographing.  The project certainly has opened my eyes to many of the things I simply fail to notice each day.  And, it is teaching me to not pass up opportunities to take photos.  I passed up two of them on the roads today, and wish I'd turned around to get the pictures.

I do look at my own blog each day, just to see how it "looks" overall.  I'd been telling myself that the Project 365 was sort of taking over.  But in a reality check, I realized that I'd normally been writing once every couple of weeks or so anyway.  Maybe the P-365 is just a way to transfer information in a visual medium versus a text-based one.

Some time back, I'd added a feature to my blog that you, the reader, cannot see.  Each day it gives me information on how many visitors I've had in the past 24 hours, a general idea of where the readers are, and some other general information on the visiting patterns to my website.  There's no way that I can identify individual readers though, so your privacy is safe.  If you'd like to drop me a private note, feel free to look at my profile link in the right-hand column for my email.

I've mentioned Haiti in some recent blog postings.  Our state medical assistance team has been taken off standby status, as there are great amounts of resources being directed to Haiti.  In reading several missionary blogs, there's still a whole lot of active response going on down there, and that will likely continue for quite some time.

Goodnight for now....

Project 365/21

67 Degrees in the middle of January is a great illustration of Mother Nature's sense of humor...she's just a big tease with spring-like weather.

Project 365/20

Red Beans!!
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/19

Just what I need....
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/18

A little garden diplomacy today....I have a rather large camellia growing in my back yard.  I thought it died out when we had several days of freezing weather a couple of weeks ago, but I was wrong.  It's blooming again like crazy.  So, I present to you the state flower of Alabama, growing next to the flowering tree from which our own state, the Magnolia State gets her nickname.

Project 365/17

The weekly Walmart run....
---Blackberry in use---

Haiti Blogroll

Here are a few blogs I've found from Haiti that give a "boots-on-the-ground" view...

http://livesayhaiti.blogspot.com/ - from a young Christian missionary couple
http://haititales.wordpress.com/
http://bleshblog.wordpress.com/ - another missionary couple
http://www.howcantheyhear.org/ - yet another missionary
http://heartlineministries.org/Blog20.aspx

I'm sure there are a lot more out there.  These are the just the fruits of a quick search.

Bad Karma?

Grabbed this from one of my daily online news outings....

Weight Watchers clinic floor collapses under dieters

The floor of a Weight Watchers clinic in Sweden collapsed beneath a group of 20 members of the weight loss programme who were gathered for a meeting. 

As the dieters queued to see how many pounds they had shed, the floor beneath them in the clinic in Växjö, in south-central Sweden, began to rumble, according to a report in The Local, Sweden's English-language newspaper.

"We suddenly heard a huge thud; we almost thought it was an earthquake and everything flew up in the air.

"The floor collapsed in one corner of the room and along the walls," one Weight Watchers participant told the Smålandsposten newspaper.

Soon, the fault lines spread around the room, and other sections of the floor gave way.

Luckily, all of the dieters escaped uninjured and managed to move the scales to the corridor, which was not damaged in the accident, and were able to complete their weekly weigh in.

The cause of the floor's collapse remains under investigation.

 

Considering Haiti...

Yesterday, I wrote about how certain things and events have burned themselves into my memories.  Normally, they're tucked neatly away, but sometimes they come the surface.  This week, some have bubbled up as we look to Haiti and the strife they're experiencing now.  The people of the United States are the most charitable people on earth, and it's been said that those of us in The Magnolia State are the most charitable in the nation.

Aside from any direct donations that Mississippians may be giving to support recovery efforts in Haiti, the state itself is preparing an offering of resources to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, as they have requested information from the various states.  Many states have a host of rescue, medical, and mortuary assets that could be deployed.  I'm on a field medical hospital team that is designed for just such events.  Since we've been put on standby, there's been a lot of conversation back and forth among the members.  I've been in the conversation, and have expressed my concerns about entering such an unstable environment.  Today, though, I've had time to think a little more, and have come to a conclusion.....

In the Book of Luke, a religious leader asked Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life.  Jesus replied “What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it?” The man answered, “ 'You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.’ And, ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” “Right!” Jesus told him. “Do this and you will live!” The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, “And who is my neighbor?”

Jesus started the story: “A Jewish man was traveling on a trip from Jerusalem to Jericho, and he was attacked by bandits. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him up, and left him half dead beside the road. By chance a priest came along. But when he saw the man lying there, he crossed to the other side of the road and passed him by. A levite walked over and looked at him lying there, but he also passed by on the other side. Then a despised Samaritan came along, and when he saw the man, he felt compassion for him. Going over to him, the Samaritan soothed his wounds with olive oil and wine and bandaged them. Then he put the man on his own donkey and took him to an inn, where he took care of him. The next day he handed the innkeeper two silver coins, telling him, ‘Take care of this man. If his bill runs higher than this, I’ll pay you the next time I’m here.’ “Now which of these three would you say was a neighbor to the man who was attacked by bandits?” Jesus asked. The man replied, “The one who showed him mercy.” Then Jesus said, “Yes, now go and do the same.”

My conclusion about Haiti?  They are our neighbors.

We may look to their lawlessness, their burning of bodies, their lack of leadership following this tragedy.  Jews once looked at Samaritans in the same light...like people of a third-world country who cannot fend for themselves.  Many Jews would have turned away from the injured man and deemed him unfit for their help.

I doubt seriously we'll be requested for any deployment.  But if we are, I'll keep the story of the Good Samaritan in mind.  We've been blessed with the ability to help, and we should.

Project 365/16

Mini-Me and one of my nieces playing video games in Carrollton.
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/15

Mini-Me at bowling night, which has become a fairly regular outing.  Tonight, Therapist and I, along with a good friend took seven kids bowling.  That's right, seven!  One of these days we'll learn.  Mini-Me was on his game tonight, rolling strikes on a pretty regular basis.

Bad Memories...

This week, I've been in a Mass Fatalities Incident Response training.  It gave the participants the opportunity to hear real-world lessons learned (translation: mistakes somebody made and learned from) in some of our nation's worst disasters.  September 11, major hurricanes, other airplane crashes, train derailments, etc.

Sprinkled through the lesson plans, we received regular updates on the situation in Haiti.  It is BAD down there, and I'm not just talking about the damage and its effects.  There is a political vacuum.  When that happens, anarchy dominates - survival of the fittest (or most ruthless).

Hearing the war stories this week brought back some bad memories of the days and weeks I refer to as the "dark days" after Katrina.  They're memories that I don't much talk about outside of a very small circle of very close friends - colleagues who were there.

Not only did the disaster war stories cause some of those memories to come out into the light, but the stories from county coroners and funeral directors really drug out some of the repressed memories of car wrecks, house fires, and other smaller-scale emergencies that cost someone their life. 

Outsiders sometimes think those of us in the world of public safety are calloused, have thick skin, or simply do not care when we have to deal with death.  We wish that were true.  But the truth is for every body we recover, there is a life attached to it - a life of loved ones, wives, husbands, parents, children, and friends.  It is so easy for us to project the faces of our loved ones onto the circumstances we work in.  We're scared that one day, it will be someone we deeply love and care for.

While in class, I texted Therapist and told her what was going on, and that sometimes I wish somehow I could just find a new field of work.  But between a lack of finances to pursue studies, and the fact that I'm not a good student keep me from doing just that.  And I wrestle with the reality that even if I could find a new path, the faces, and some of the names of the many, many victims I've worked with over the years are permanently etched in that bundle of neurons at the top of my neck.  They'll always be hiding out in the shadows, waiting for me to hear a sound or smell a smell that's associated with their memory....and the floodgates of bad memories will open.

This afternoon my blackberry has been buzzing as the state gathers information about resources we have that might be useful in the Haiti response and recovery.  I really doubt we'll go over there.  However, I have no doubt that there is plenty of room for new bad memories, and I'm coming to dread potential deployments like these. 

Let the waiting game begin...

Project 365/14 Part 2

The school bus had a wreck.
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/14

I'm sitting in a Mass Fatalities Incident training program this week. Boredom has set in...
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/13

Sunrise over the Delta, from inside my Titan, while on the way to Oxford very early this morning.  This picture doesn't do justice to the colors of the dawning day.

Project 365/12

 Tonight we start the Spring 2010 session of EMT-Basic training at Mississippi Delta Community College.  We had a great class last fall, and I'm looking forward to the new bunch coming in tonight.

Project 365/11

It may take a couple of hours to get a good shine on my work boots, but it's well worth it.  Tonight is the night.  They've been neglected for a while now, almost 2 months.  I love the smell of shoe polish though...

Project 365/10

This has to be the coolest thing to happen to home entertainment since the days of VHS tapes and Atari games.  Heck, I even remember "Beta" tapes!  You know your town is pretty bad off when the lone video store closes down.  We suppose its demise was due, in part, to the near-instant gratification found with Netflix.  Shop from home, and in 2 days the movies are in your mailbox.  No late fees, should you forget keep them as long as you like.

Project 365/9

Decisions, decisions, decisions....glad I'm not the one renovating my kitchen!
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/8

It's a rare occasion in Mississippi to see individual snowflakes.  Normally, they're all bunched up in a wet, white clump of frozen matter that falls quickly to the ground.  Today, they've been floating around on the wind, and occasionally sticking to things, like my truck window.

Terrorists are winning...

I've never had a high opinion for Ted Koppel, but in this instance, I couldn't agree more with his position.

We MUST keep in mind the goal of terrorism isn't to kill us.  It is to TERRORIZE us.  "They" do not like our freedom, or way of life, our ability to freely engage life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  When we alter our behavior, when for the sake of "safety" we permit the intrusion of our privacy, when we agree to submit ourselves to dragnet-style screenings...then we have allowed "them" a victory.  The goal is not to kill.  The goal is to throw our society into disarray and confusion.  "They" have lobbed a grenade into our camp, and our response is to not address the source, but instead to intrude into our fellow citizen's privacy, checking his house for grenades.  "They" are turning us against ourselves by using the very freedoms we claim to hold so dearly.  In response, we quickly agree to trade in those freedoms for "security!"

I could go on.  Just click the link and watch the video.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/world_news_america/8447399.stm

Project 365/7

I spent the day in Indianola, with my counterpart from the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, as we monitored the winter weather conditions across our district.  During the course of the morning, Indianola had an apartment fire, so we rode down with the county emergency management director.  I'm more involved in EMS/Rescue now, but sometimes miss the firefighting...sometimes.

Blogroll

A few of you have asked what other blogs I read.  Well, here ya go....how 'bout a drum roll for the blog roll?

Friends, or uncatalogued blogs

Caleb & Amanda

Open Mouth, Insert Fork

Evelyn's Blog (Taste of Gourmet, local restaurateur)

The Power of the Pen (written by a very good friend)

Things Rattling Around in my Head

Southern Lagniappe

Unforced Rhythms of Grace

Medical/EMS blogs (content not limited to medical, includes politics too)

A Day in The Life of an Ambulance Driver

Street Watch: Notes of a Paramedic

Ten out of Ten (ER Doctor)

Confessions of a Street Pharmacist

Blogs I'm just starting to read (authored by medical folks, but commentary may include political/social issues)

Musings of a Highly Trained Monkey

Lost on the Floor

EDNurseasauras

Pink, Warm, and Dry

LPN with an M-16

9-Echo-1

Dr. Wes

Dani's Anatomy

New Nurse Insanity

Notes from Mosquito Hill

Project 365/6

Nice Delta sunset on the drive home from meetings in Jackson.
---Blackberry in use---

Project 365/5

Carnival Season starts the 12th day after Christmas, and that's tomorrow!  I love having fun with these few weeks leading up to Mardi Gras.  I'll be making a King Cake or two this week, hopefully the first of several this season.  Wonder who'll get the baby?

Filters...

Just a minor rant, again about the US Postal Service...

On both my personal and work emails, I have a host of filters set up that automatically route and file away routine emails that I get so that I may read them later.  For some emails like automated bill notifications and payment receipts, it just makes a lot more sense to have the system do the filing than for me to have to read each and every one.  Additonally, my email providers do a great job at capturing spam email.  Like my filtered emails, the spam goes into a folder that I can look at later to see if anything important got caught.

What I'd really, really like to have is a similar way to filter the real mail that arrives in my real mailbox in front of my house.  Wouldn't it be nice to have everything addressed to "Resident" or "Our Neighbors" or some similar, impersonal moniker to be discreetly deposited into some trash bin?  Weekly advertisements to stores that I do not patronize, once- or twice-a-month auto sales advertisements that seemingly scream as loud as the salesmen on television, or the one I got today addressed to "resident" from some church in Tulsa, Oklahoma?  Come on folks, do you REALLY think that some single guy, who's name you do not know, in a small Mississippi Delta town hundreds of miles away, was waiting for your offer for a "blessed-by-prayer Bible Faith Cross of Prosperity?"  Yeah, I'm sure it can be source of great spiritual, physical, and financial blessing to me, if I simply return the enclosed postcard and a small donation to your church.  Not only did they offer the cross, but on the reply card, they ask me to check if I need prayer for:

• My finances
• Finding a new job
• My blood pressure
• Me to receive a continuous money blessing
• Or just because I'm worried

I've searched the US Postal Service's website high and low for some way to ask them to stop delivering mail to "Resident", becuase no one by that name lives here.  But then again, we're talking about a financially insolvent government "business" that has to maintain some degree of relevance.  I assume their job now is to deliver a hard-copy version of what my email filters do a great job screening for me.

Project 365/4

Snow!!!  We got a dusting of snow this morning.  Although the sun popped out later this afternoon, temperatures never rose above freezing.  They're forecasting more in a few days, along with some extreme cold temperatures (at least for the Deep South)!  Bundle up, folks...

Project 365/3

A new year, and a great time to clean out the desk and file away old dead trees...
---Blackberry in use---

Notes from a Funeral, Part 2

Just a quick note on my grandmother's funeral last week....

They tried to attribute the original idea to me, but it was my mother and her sister that first came up with the idea of playing "When The Roll Is Called Up Yonder" for the recessional after the funeral.  I loved the idea, but they tried changing their minds.   No such luck, I stuck it in the order of service since I'd been appointed to craft it.

If you've read my previous postings about funerals, La Danse Macabre and Notes From a Funeral, you're aware that I possess a distinct view of death and the rituals associated with it. 

My grandmother had a dry wit, often times not readily apparent.  But it would sneak out occasionally.  I'm sure she found a degree of humor in her funeral, especially in the selection of the recessional music.  But what better words as the family walks behind the casket of a loved one?

The song was written by a Methodist Sunday School teacher, James Black, in 1893.  He was calling the Sunday School roll one morning, and a young girl, the daughter of a drunkard, wasn't in attendance.  Obviously disappointed, Black commented, "Well, I trust when the roll is called up yonder, she'll be there."

When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound, and time shall be no more,
And the morning breaks, eternal, bright and fair;
When the saved of earth shall gather over on the other shore,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

On that bright and cloudless morning when the dead in Christ shall rise,
And the glory of His resurrection share;
When His chosen ones shall gather to their home beyond the skies,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Let us labor for the Master from the dawn till setting sun,
Let us talk of all His wondrous love and care;
Then when all of life is over, and our work on earth is done,
And the roll is called up yonder, I’ll be there.

Project 365/2

Jay and I were in Carrollton for a little while today, and had to stop by the location of one of our geocaches that needed some maintenance.

It's located at an open-air pavillion known locally as "The Tabernacle." The tabernacle is jointly operated and maintained by the churches in town. In the past, it has been used for a wide variety of community events - revivals, graduations, community worship services, etc. It's just a wooden frame pavillion, but it's a piece history that's part of my childhood.

Project 365/1 (and a half)

Today I'm starting a Project 365.  What is that?  Well, quite simply, its a way to photo-document a slice of my life each day of the year.  Not just the big stuff, but also the mundane, little things that we sometime overlook each day.  I figure that at this time next year, it will be a fun and enlightening review of 2010.

So for my Project 365 Part 1 (365/1) I picked the two most important people in my day-to-day life.  First, my mini-me - my son.  And as a freebie on Day 1, a picture of me and Therapist.  These two people keep me grounded and sane.  These pictures were taken this evening while shooting fireworks in the freezing cold!  But nothing like fireworks on New Years.  Explosives are fun, anytime of the year.  We were near Carmack, MS, where Therapist grew up.  Her folks (and that includes uncles/aunts/cousins) all live out there, and have a lake that is great for shooting fireworks over.

I hope you enjoy this little peek into my world.  There's no telling what images may be in store for this year, but it should be a fun project.

Looking Back...

I started working on this post a good while back, as a way to take stock of my year.  It has been quite an interesting one, and a busy one too.  Thanks to some cool technology, this entry will post itself as I celebrate the coming new year with a very lovely woman.  We're at a New Year's Eve party, having a great time in our formal wear.

This year has been a roller coaster of emotions and activities.  I've lost, but yet I've gained too.

Some of the highlights:

• The rare opportunity to hold in my hands several bacteria that have caused widespread plagues in history -  Anthrax, Plague, Tularemia, and others
• Jumping off a perfectly fine building, supported only by a half-inch of rope....all for fun training
• Training on United States nuclear bomb test ranges in the high Nevada desert
• Accompanying 6th Graders on their annual field trip to Chattanooga.  That should be something that EVERYONE should do.
• Enjoyed a relaxing week on the Alabama beaches in July.
• Road trip to Houston, Texas, for work.  We drove instead of flying, and that was fun.

Interspersed between all those things, though, I went through a lot of change.  Most notably, I became single.  It wasn't what I'd wanted, but it is what it is and I cannot change that.  Second to that, I've lost two-thirds of my grandparents this year.  In that, I've seen the depth of my mother's strength.  I've lost one parent; I cannot imagine the loss of two in a six-month time frame.

Between the highs and lows, I've had the rare opportunity to experience what it means to be loved by friends.  In this year, about a dozen people have stepped forward to lend or reaffirm their friendships with me, and for them I am eternally thankful.  Within that group, there is one star that shines brightest - and she is my date tonight as we celebrate the passing of this old year.  She's teaching me how deep a close relationship can be.  I'm not the best student in that regard; thankfully she is a patient, caring person.  I've written about her, and I've written about her parents, who I'm also thankful to count as new friends this year.

So come, new year.  Come, invite us to new opportunities, new horizons, and new experiences.  I pray that we take full advantage of the clean slate offered to us.

Personae non Gratae

Persona non grata - in Latin literally means "person not welcome."  (this post's title is in plural)

Weeks ago I started writing a blog about friendships, and how I've been astounded lately at the number of "friends" who have completely distanced themselves from me through this past year.  Initially, I didn't think much about it.  People didn't know how to react, or what to say.  That is understandable.  However, as I sat and read what I'd written, I decided it wasn't fit for publication, and deleted it.

But now, I've painfully observed that I wasn't the only person who has become invisible to a host of "friends" that we shared.  Therapist, too, has been ostracized just as much - and probably more in some ways.

Up until now - tonight - I've brushed it off silently, thinking that time heals wounds and friendships will heal.  I believe I am wrong.  I've seen good Christian men and women, people who just a year ago were smiling, kind, "happy to see you" type people, become absolute strangers.  Outside of the church setting, they're happy to do business with you, or talk about kids or school or sports.  But inside church settings....no no no, we can't associate with Jim and Sonya.  I don't know what their mindset is, but it smacks of hypocrisy and just downright stinks!  Certainly, there are those saints who look beyond the surface, and know that we're just regular people trying to rebuild our lives.  They offer true, kind words.  And for them, I am deeply thankful.  For those who treat us as ghosts, vapors, personae non gratae.....I pray for you.  I try deeply to not hold any contempt in my soul, for that gives Satan a foothold and he has no place with me.

I don't normally vent in such a public, open forum.  But tonight, we - at the last minute - decided to not attend our church's informal Christmas caroling party tonight.  Why?  Because we're not sure we even want to be in close quarters with those same people who can't find time to speak to us on Sunday mornings.  That, my friends, has affected MY WORSHIP!

To all those who even think I'm referring to you, if you have to wonder, then I may be talking to you.  My feelings for you and our friendship have not changed.  I'm always available to you, to support you, to help you in any way that I can.  I just ask that you open your own eyes to see where we stand.

What is a Boy?

Note:  This was originally written in 1949, and I stumbled across it on the net this morning.

What Is a Boy?
By Alan Beck

Between the innocence of babyhood and the dignity of manhood, we find a delightful creature called a boy. Boys come in assorted sizes, weights and colors, but all boys have the same creed: to enjoy every second of every minute of every hour of every day and to protest with noise (their only weapon) when their last minute is finished and the adult males pack them off to bed at night.

Boys are found everywhere—on top of, underneath, inside of, climbing on, swinging from, running around or jumping to. Mothers love them, little girls hate them, older sisters and brothers tolerate them, adults ignore them and Heaven protects them. A boy is Truth with dirt on its face, Beauty with a cut on its finger, Wisdom with bubble gum in its hair and the Hope of the future with a frog in its pocket.

When you are busy a boy is an inconsiderate, bothersome, intruding jangle of noise. When you want him to make a good impression, his brain turns to jelly or else he becomes a savage, sadistic, jungle creature bent on destroying the world and himself with it.

A boy is a composite—he has the appetite of a horse, the digestion of a sword swallower, the energy of a pocket-size atomic bomb, the curiosity of a cat, the lungs of a dictator, the imagination of a Paul Bunyan, the shyness of a violet, the audacity of a steel trap, the enthusiasm of a fire cracker, and when he makes something he has five thumbs on each hand.

He likes ice cream, knives, saws, Christmas, comic books, the boy across the street, woods, water (in its natural habitat), large animals, Dad, trains, Saturday mornings and fire engines.

He is not much for Sunday school, company, schools, books without pictures, music lessons, neckties, barbers, girls, overcoats, adults, or bedtime.

Nobody else is so early to rise or so late to supper. Nobody else gets so much fun out of trees, dogs and breezes. Nobody else can cram into one pocket-a rusty knife, a half eaten apple, three feet of string, an empty Bull Durham sack, two gum drops, six cents, a sling shot, a chunk of unknown substance and a genuine supersonic code ring with a secret compartment.

A boy is a magical creature—you can lock him out of your workshop, but you can’t lock him out of your heart. You can get him out of your study, but you can’t get him out of your mind.

Might as well give up—he is your captor, your jailer, your boss and your master–a freckled-faced, pint-sized, cat-chasing, bundle of noise.

But when you come home at night with only the shattered pieces of your hopes and dreams—he can mend them like new with the two magic words—”Hi Dad!

Bring What Gift?

Come, they told me; a new born King to see.
Our finest gifts we bring, to lay before the King.
So to honor Him...

Little Baby, I am a poor boy too.
I have no gift to bring, that's fit to give the King.
Shall I play for you, on my drum?

Mary nodded, the ox and lamb kept time
I played my drum for Him; I played my best for Him!
Then, He smiled at me....me and my drum...

Christmas isn't Christmas without the giving of gifts.  I was taught that we give gifts as a way to demonstrate THE gift that was given to us through Christ.  But what can we give Him? 

The proverbial drummer boy in the song was invited to bring gifts to the new King.  Others were bringing their "finest gifts" to lay before the King.  Our mind's eye is drawn to the story of the Wise Men from the East, bringing gold, frankincense, and myrrh.  There is even legend surrounding those gifts, chosen to represent the newborn King's royalty (gold), priesthood (frankincense), and his eventual suffering and death (myrrh was used both as a wound-healing agent, and a perfume of embalming by Egyptians).

But our little drummer boy had nothing "fit to give a King."  One can almost imagine a young lad, anxious and excited to be included in this traveling band of gift-bearers on their way to worship the King of Kings.  Yet through the excitement, the boy becomes disheartened when he realized he's got nothing worthy of a King's attention.  Taking a quick look around his room, he spies his small drum.  "I can play for him!" he muses.

The story quickly shifts to the scene of a still-infant Jesus, together with Mary, receiving the "finest gifts" being brought.  Mary approves, the little drummer boy can play on his drum.  Our boy steps forward, holding a big deep breath and with weak knees, strikes his drum.  He played, and played his "best for Him", on his drum.

Oh but then the gift of all gifts, Jesus - the KING of Kings - smiled.  Out of all the gifts, Jesus' smile was reserved for the young lad who brought the only thing he had worthy of this King - he brought himself and his talent.

What do we bring this Christmas?  What do we give each other?  What do we give OUR KING?  Do we offer "stuff"?  Do we check off our list...Lottie Moon, tithes, charity donations, church building projects,...or do we just simply offer the one and only thing Jesus really wants?  That being ourselves, completely, totally given to Him?  He accepts us, just like the drummer boy, just as we come to him.

Merry Christmas.

Makes you wonder...

Brought to you, free of charge, so that you may ponder....and ponder....and ponder, yet again, how some people in this life actually manage to function in society.  Click the image to make it larger if you can't read it on your monitor.

Some Christmas Fun...

I hope you enjoy this little video for Christmas.  To me, Christmas is about laughter and joy.  People often ask what I'd like for Christmas, and to be honest, all I want is to make people laugh and be happy.

Enjoy.  And MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!