She Knew

I was walking into a pharmacy to pickup some prescriptions. As I approached the front door I saw an elderly couple. He was pushing his wife, who was in a wheelchair, through the parking lot to their car.

I walked in the front door and stopped. A small voice said that I was supposed to be outside helping that couple. Of course that small voice was right so I turned around and went back outside.

As I approached the couple, who were now at their car, the lady looked at me and smiled. "I knew you would be back."
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They would not let me help them. As I talked to her while she got into the chair he had taken the wheelchair to the back, had it folded and was putting it in before I could get back there. "We have this down," he said smiling.

I waved and wished them well as they drove away.
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Why was I to go back? How did she know I was coming back?
Someday I will find out.
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No e-mail program with Windows 7

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There is no support for Outlook in Windows 7.

You will have to use another program.
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It's a good thing

I was at a meeting today where they were giving out door prizes. I had supplied a few totes with some goodies inside. When one of the ladies won one of the totes I had supplied eveyone was anxious to see what was in it. As she went through the bag one of the other ladies said "Money? It has money in it?"

No I had not put money in it. The lady who had won had just take some bills out of her wallet and they were between her fingers. It just looked like she had taken it out of the tote.

But I made a big mental note; money is a good door prize. I will remember that.
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It's that time of the year - again

Yes - it's that time of the year again; Halloween. It has become a source of great angst to our community over this 'holiday'. And if everyone would be honest about it - this 'holiday' has been a source of angst for a very long time.

I am not an expert but this goes to the point of the matter. An examination of the roots of the holiday and the very name of the 'holiday' show us what this holiday was and demonstrates what we have been warned about by the scriptures. It does not take an expert to seek out the simple basic truths of a matter.

Hallow, by definition is something set apart to be holy and sacred. the ending 'een' changed over time but it comes from a root meaning evening. The definition is easy to find; an holy evening.

In Germany I experienced All Hallows Eve in a way I had never seen before. A night devoted to Mass and visits to the local cemeteries where candles and luminaries are placed on the graves of beloved friends and relatives who had past on. There are similar traditions in China and in Japan. The tradition crosses all boundaries and cultures. There is a reverence and devotion to our ancestors that is sometimes expressed on special nights.

So where does this tradition come from, what is the source. I am not sure and I am sure most experts are not sure either. Traditions seldom have a clear source. We do know in the Bible, in Matthew Chapter 27 verse 52 an amazing event occurs.

"And the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many. "

I am not saying this is the source of the tradition but I am saying that this had to be a frighting event. But it became an event that demonstrated the power of God and sealed the testimony of many of the Saints.

It seems to be in America we tend to take customs and traditions and distort them. We have this uncanny ability to strip off all the spiritual elements and leave the baser elements and even add more. Halloween is an excellent example. In America this night has become a celebration of all that our spiritual leaders, of many sects, have warned their members to avoid. But this side of the holiday only exists in America.

We can choose what we do this night. Is it a fun night of candy and costumes or a celebration of the darkness.
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We can always learn

We can always learn. Such is the case this morning as I apologize to my true Facebook friends.

I got wrapped up in the Mafia Wars game and was on a quest to conquer the game. This is when I learned some things about Facebook and relearned some things I had already known but had fallen into the deep recesses of my mind.

1. I did not understand that all my friends, and not just the Mafia friends, received all my posts. I realized this in talking with my wife. I had assumed that if someone did not play the game or if they had deselected the application from the authorized apps list, that they would not get the notices. Wrong!

2. Facebook and Mafia have been around for a long while. New players are at a disadvantage. This is a common occurrence in all of the multi player games and the older experienced players do love to take advantage of you. Mafia says the maximum number of game friends is 501, it says so right on the game page. I have run into Mafias that have over 24,000 players.

3. Money. You really are setup and tempt you to spend money. And they make it so easy. You don't have too and it really does you no good but it is there. Guess even Facebook has to stay profitable.

4. Waste of time. Real time clocks with limited time play. Makes for a quick jump into the game, do your moves and jump out. Ha! That never happens. Pretty soon your 5 minute move has turned into 30 minutes and your doing this 5 or more times a day. Hey I love computers and games but this is a waste of time. (Or I am totally undisciplined.)

5. Games are not the reason I got onto Facebook. I have been sidetracked. And the games have minimal sounds and graphics. Mafia is a number cruncher. That type of game has been around since computers were invented. It is nothing new. Anyway this is not why I joined Facebook. I have gotten off into the weeds.

I apologize and I will behave properly in the future.

"I am always ready to learn although I do not always like being taught." ~Winston Churchill
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Wishes do come true

A mother and child came out of a store and were walking through the parking lot. It was late at night and pretty empty. In one of the parking spots was a lady sitting in her van.

"Look Mommy", said the child, "A car you sleep in."
"Yes", said the lady.
"I want a car like that when I grow up."
"So did I when I was your age", replied the lady.
"Well", the child exclaimed,"I guess your wishes came true."

Conversations

Overheard at a store:
Mom - We need some bread.
Daughter - Oh not this one - too seedy.
Mom - That's rye bread dear.
Daughter - How about this one - its chocolate.
Mom - No dear, its pumpernickel.

A thread on Facebook:
K - I have a migraine.
Her Mother - not likely if your on the computer.
Grandpa - Stop paying the electric bill
Mom - LOL sounds like a plan
K - No don't listen to him
Mom - Your always on the computer - I never see you.
K - Did you have to say that on my wall?

The Battle Hymn of the Republic

I have often wondered what the local Georgians think about the Battle Hymn of the Republic. We sing it every now and again in church - it is in the hymnal. I am not sure most people know the background or the strong connection the song has with the Civil War.

(Of course that could be the War of Aggression depending on your point of view. It is the Republic's battle song - ie the North. The South's song is Dixie.)

I have noticed that it tends to be the non-southern members who led or play the music in church that select the song.

There was a letter to the editor in the Savannah Morning News a few days ago that expressed how the local people feel about the song. It was played at a September 11th ceremony and many attendees were offended.

Well all I have to say is this letter expresses the attitude and feelings of only a portion of Georgians. The white ones with roots to the past as a southerner. As a black Georgian the attitude is completely different. I guess the letter expresses the lingering feelings left over from an event that defined America. The war freed the slaves but alienated the whites in 13 states. It has been connected to carpet baggers and federal strong arming states.

The discussion of states rights and sovereignty continues even into today's court rooms. The latest example are the health insurance reform bills in Congress. Congress cannot pass a health insurance bill for a national plan because existing law clearly states that health insurance is under the oversight and control of health insurance. It is codified in the ERISA laws. (But that is another discussion for later.)

The Battle Hymn was written and published in 1862 and was a key song of the abolitionist movement. He song was sung by Union troops as they marched.

I have seen Him in the watch-fires of a hundred circling camps,
They have builded Him an altar in the evening dews and damps;
I can read His righteous sentence by the dim and flaring lamps:
His day is marching on.

I have read a fiery gospel writ in burnished rows of steel:
"As ye deal with my contemners, so with you my grace shall deal;
Let the Hero, born of woman, crush the serpent with his heel,
Since God is marching on."

He has sounded forth the trumpet that shall never call retreat;
He is sifting out the hearts of men before His judgment-seat:
Oh, be swift, my soul, to answer Him! be jubilant, my feet!
Our God is marching on.

In the beauty of the lilies Christ was born across the sea,
With a glory in His bosom that transfigures you and me:
As He died to make men holy, let us die to make men free,
While God is marching on.

He is coming like the glory of the morning on the wave,
He is Wisdom to the mighty, He is Succour to the brave,
So the world shall be His footstool, and the soul of Time His slave,


Our God is marching on.
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Glory, glory, hallelujah!
Our God is marching on.

Update on Deb and the crazy worl of health care

I got Deb home. It took five pharmacies to fill her discharge medications and we only got a partial fill on the pain meds. A pharmacy here in Guyton ended up filling the remainder but only after having to get on the phone and overriding a block Debs insurance had put on the prescription. The manager was worried about her being on so many pain meds and refilling so fast. That's right the prescription for the remaining pain meds was considered a refill. I like the checks but I am also glad the pharmacist was so proactive.

I think I should state here that it was locally owned pharmacies that got the meds filled. The chain folks were not so willing to help out.

She is doing better. She gets up every day and does something. The therapists are glad and they only came by twice. I think she is doing too much but it is good to see her laugh and working on her projects.