A Challenging Weekend

It has been a good - although emotionally challenging - weekend. After returning from a great hymn sing at Pinebrook on Friday, November 5, my son and grandson surprised us with a visit that night. That was short, but so nice! The older you get, the more you appreciate such visits from family members. Then on Saturday, November 6, we went to Penn State to watch an exciting football game. We also stopped to visit Dianne's sister in Lewistown. Now you may ask, "Why was that an emotionally challenging weekend?" Well, 17 years ago we had a similar weekend. On Friday, November 5, we went to visit my mother on her birthday. She really appreciated our visit, as we did as well. Then on Saturday, November 6, we went to Penn State to watch an exciting football game. On the way home we stopped to visit Dianne's parents. While we were there we received a call that would change our lives. We were told that a teenager had hit my parents' car, and my mother was killed instantly and my father was in the hospital. So this history was in our minds as for the first time since then we duplicated these activities on the very same dates that tragedy struck 17 years ago. The years have eased the pain and shock, and I know my mother is better off in heaven. But I still miss her. I would love to call her again or visit her and share what is happening in my life. I wish she had been able to know all her great -grandchildren. She would have loved them. She only had the joy of knowing our oldest grandson. My daughter-in-law was pregnant with our second grandson when she died. A few weeks ago her youngest great-grandson was dedicated at church and it brought tears to my eyes to think of how thrilled she would have been to see that. I wonder if the Lord somehow allowed her to enjoy that special event in heaven. But time passes on. She is gone. Dad is now gone. Our homestead is now gone. But we have the hope of being with them again. There are so many lessons that I learned from her sudden death. One of those is that we shouldn't put off until tomorrow spending quality time with our loved ones - tomorrow may never come. We are so thrilled that we took time to spend with her on her birthday, the day before she died, not knowing that this would be the last time - the last hug - the last kiss. But God is good and He knows ALL of our steps - our today's and our tomorrow's. So let me close by encouraging you to call a loved one today, or better yet, visit. Don't wait for tomorrow.

A Special "Grosse" Day

Last Friday we had to travel to the Sunbury area to deal with some business following the recent death of my wife's stepmother. We had some extra time so my wife suggested that we stop at Susquehanna University and visit the bookstore. I have such great memories of the four years that I spent there, almost a half-century ago. It is still a very beautiful campus. I didn't find anything at the bookstore that I needed - I have more than enough shirts and sweatshirts, although none are from SU. Then we decided to walk through some of the buildings where I had classes. I saw two of the three dormitories that I had stayed in. One was brand new when I was a proctor there. One is now administration offices. The other burnt to the ground many years ago. As a physics and math major, most of my classes were held in Steele Science Building. That has been completely remodeled, but my physics classroom had the same walls and that brought back good memories. The classroom where I had math was turned into offices and I missed the view of the beautiful mountains that drew my attention many times during class. Then it was off to see the brand new science building. It is huge and amazing - computers are everywhere. It is incredible. Finally we decided to see if my old physics prof was still there. Dr. Fred Grosse is an amazing man. He came to SU in 1960 and we were the first class of physics majors who had him for all of our classes. He has now been there 51 years, one third of the time that SU has existed. Grosse was instrumental in bringing computers to Susquehanna and teaching students how to use them. He also coached tennis and became known for riding his bicycle to campus regardless of the weather conditions. And he has become a legend for a number of other things. The chapel was built the fifth year he was there. When they wanted to put the steeple on it, they brought in a crane to reach over the big roof of the lower chapel. He had his physics class calculate whether the crane, knowing the weight of the steeple, could reach over and set it down. They found that it couldn't, and sure enough, when they tried to set it down, it started tilting. They finally had to use a helicopter to get it on there, and the whole campus was there to watch. The kids figured out what to do with the crane. The next day when they arrived on campus, the crane had 150 brassieres strung from the top of it. Anyway, when we found his office last Friday he wasn't there and I began to write a note for him. While I was doing this, he walked in. He hardly looked older than when he was my teacher 51 years ago. And surprise, he remembered my name and my association with the basketball and football teams while I was at SU. Now I tend only to remember those students who were exceptional students or those who were problems. So I was surprised that he remembered me. I did, however, earn all A's in my physics classes but I wasn't exceptional. Maybe he remembered me because he felt sympathy for a struggling student and gave me breaks in my grade. I just don't know. He did help me realize that engineering really wasn't for me. I really enjoyed spending a few minutes with him and talking about times that were very special in my life. Then he shared a "secret" with me. He has decided to return for one more year because he has been told that there are some exceptional underclassmen heading to his classes. I can't imagine teaching 52 years, but his time there has been extended by the fact that he loves teaching, loves students, and he gave up all his administrative duties years ago. If I had done that and if I could have taught on the college level, maybe I would have made more than the 39 years I put in. But then I would have missed all the exciting things that fill my life now. Thank you Dr. Grosse for good memories.

Ring, Ring, Ring!

Guess who talked to us this week? Would you believe Tom Ridge? What about Pat Boone? Or how about Sarah Palin? Yes we've gotten telephone calls from all of them and we will probably receive more from "famous" people before Tuesday. We must suddenly have become famous or popular! Not! Thousands of others received the same calls - recorded calls. And we've gotten too many others as well. But we're not sure who they were since we hung up on them as well. I'm tired of these annoying calls but they will soon end ... until the next election. The calls are almost as annoying as the nasty, negative television advertisements which continue to run ... over and over and over again. They are sickening and demonstrate how nasty our society and politics have become. I've been looking for one candidate who would only run positive ads, promoting just what he or she stands for. I thought that I found one, but then today I saw him revert to a negative ad tearing down his opponent who has been doing the same thing to him. Are there any good people left to run for office? Are there any who are not out for personal gain or fame? Are there any that you can trust? Are there any who are willing to run a clean positive campaign. Unfortunately, I think not. No wonder our once great country is in such bad shape. And then there is incompetence even at the lower levels. In our school district one of the political parties just sent out a brochure to all party registered voters telling them who to vote for and where to vote. For the district where I am Judge of Elections, they incorrectly listed a polling place that hasn't been used in the past six elections. Where have the party leaders been? Didn't anyone proof read the material? So what will the confused voters do when they go to a location that is now a private business? What will happen is, when they find the correct location, they will come and take it out on me and my workers. Some voters are as nasty as the ads that they watch. What a sad state of affairs. Anyway, make sure that you vote. And do me a favor. Thank the poll workers in your precinct for their time and effort. it is a tough job and most work from 6 in the morning to about 10 at night for much less than minimum pay - and no tips. Thankfully this country still has good people who are willing to give of their time to participate in the democratic process - even though it has sunk to this nasty situation. Oh, I better go and answer the telephone - maybe it will be George Bush or Bill Clinton this time. And I don't want to miss the opportunity to also be nasty as I hang up on them.

Welcome To The USA!

Last week we had the opportunity to visit Ellis Island as part of our retreat at Pinebrook. It was a very special experience that I would love to repeat. Our visit started at the restored Central Railroad of New Jersey Terminal, a beautiful building with an historic background. After passing through tight security like you do for air travel, we boarded a ferry for Ellis Island. Beginning in 1892, some 12 million immigrants, mostly from Europe, passed through this facility on their way to the United States. The one day record was 11,747 processed in April of 1907. The experiences of the immigrants were fascinating. One of their first tests in their processing was to climb the stairs to the registry room. While they climbed they were watched by doctors who picked out this who limped, those who were out of breath, and those who didn't act normally. Those picked out were processed separately by the medical staff. Some were approved, some were sent to the hospital on Elllis Island, and others were sent back to the land from which they came. Inspectors quizzed all the immigrants using a 29 question processing form. Those who received approval to enter the United States were then allowed to exchange money, buy provisions, and, if needed, purchase rail tickets. One to two percent were denied entry. This often meant that families were split up - maybe the husband could enter and the wife had to return to her home country. I just can't imagine that a family who had made this long trip would reach this point and find that one or two of them could not enter this promised land. It must have been heart breaking when that happened. About a third of those who were approved stayed in New York City. After the inspection process was transferred to U. S. consulates in the 1920's, only a small number of detained immigrants passed through Ellis Island until it completely closed in 1954. It was also used during World War II for Japanese, Italian and German aliens who were interned. The buildings then deteriorated until restoration began in the 1980's. Unfortunately, our time to visit there was very limited. We did get to go on a tour of the main building, but missed the movies, many of the museum rooms, and the grounds. It has a special place in our country's history and that is why I'd like to return and spend more time there. But the day wasn't over and we had to again board the ferry whose next stop was at the Statue of Liberty. While we didn't have time to get off there, we did sail around the island giving me the closest view I had ever had. That too was impressive. And as we sailed back to our starting point, we could view the skyline of Manhattan and see how it had changed as a result of 9-11. It was a spectacular sight and it was a great trip. As I reflect upon the day, I realize more than ever how much millions of immigrants went through to come to our country. Unlike today when they now sneak in, it was a long and difficult process to come to this special land. And these were the folks who helped make us a great nation. Despite all the problems we now have in this country, I thank the Lord for the United States and the freedoms that we have experienced here. I guess we'll see what this freedom really means to us on Tuesday by the turnout at the polls. I'll be there exercising my freedom to choose, without fear. Will you?

Special For Seniors

We just returned from the annual Sr. Saints Retreat at Pinebrook. We think it is Pinebrook's best event and probably its biggest hidden secret. We just don't understand why more seniors don't take advantage of this special retreat. Maybe some just don't want to admit that they are seniors - whatever a senior really is - or maybe they just don't realize how much they can benefit from such a retreat. For four days we enjoyed the beauty of the fall colors in the Pocono Mountains. We enjoyed the fellowship of senior men, women and couples. We enjoyed a concert by the group Witness. We enjoyed a banquet and good food. We led worship and shared our "Grandma" and "Gramps" with the others. We enjoyed a bus trip to New York where we took a ferry to Ellis Island (I might talk about this special experience in a future blog.). Indoor swimming and side trips to various attractions were also available. But most of all, we enjoyed listening to two outstanding speakers who challenged us and encouraged us with practical lessons. All of us need times that we step away from the stress and pressures of life to rest and be challenged in our Christian living. Now while they have some very nice rooms available for this retreat, we chose to be in a room that was much more basic. But for three nights it was comfortable enough for us. We even had wireless available. And while it wasn't Marriott quality, it certainly was far less expensive than Marriott and for the program and fellowship that we experienced, it really was a bargain. In fact, to be fair to seniors on limited incomes, Pinebrook actually lowered its rate for this year and has promised not to increase it for next year. So, as usual, we had a great time and we are already looking forward to attending again next year. Now maybe you aren't a senior yet, but you certainly know some seniors. Do them a favor and encourage them to talk to us and consider attending next year. Once they do, they will want to return annually.

Thank You, Gloria

On Saturday we buried my wife's stepmother, Gloria. We really didn't mourn for her because she is now where she really wanted to be, home in heaven. After she fell and was taken to the hospital, she told the nurse that this was her day to go home, not back to her assisted living facility, but home to heaven. She was right, for several hours later her heart failed and she was home with Jesus. We thank the Lord for Gloria because she was a companion that Dianne's dad really needed after the death of Dianne's mother. He could not bear to be alone and he would often call and ask us to pray that he would die because he was so lonely. It was a relief to us when he found Gloria who provided the companionship which he desperately needed. We admit that we were surprised when they announced that they were getting married. We approved and supported them in this decision. Now as is often the case in many second marriages, there were often differences of opinions and challenges in this marriage. But both loved the Lord. They worshipped together, traveled together, went out to eat together, and visited with friends together. Dianne's father never lost his love for his first wife and thought of Gloria as the companion he needed. And through this second marriage he became much more patient, kind, considerate and caring. This was Gloria's third marriage and yet after Dianne's dad passed away, she never stopped grieving for him until the day she died. Whenever we were with her she would tell us how good he was to her, despite their occasional differences, and how much she missed him. And we know that she did. She was never happy after his death. And so we say "thank you" Gloria for helping dad through those difficult years and we know that you are now happy at home with the Lord.

Stumbling In Darkness

My clock radio came on as it always does at 5 am. I looked at the clock but couldn't see the time. Something was wrong. Had the clock lights burned out. Then I noticed that I really couldn't see anything - no rays of light from the windows, no shadows. I was in pitch blackness, but the radio was playing. I was suddenly seized by fear. Had I gone blind? I decided to try to go to my bathroom, but in the darkness I was stumbling. I had trouble finding my way. I banged my foot on the night stand. I was disoriented and tried to feel the wall to find the bathroom door. Then I really began to fear. did I have a stroke? Finally I found the bathroom and I pulled up the blind. Fortunately, I was able to at least see some shadows and that provided some relief. I carefully felt my way back to my bed, crawled in, and rested in the darkness. Later, when Dianne woke up, she also wondered why the radio was playing but she couldn't see the clock. Then she told me how she was up a few hours earlier and how we had been through a violent lightening storm. Then my mind began to focus. I got up again and tried some lights. I found that our electricity was actually off and so was the electricity all over the neighborhood. That was why everything was pitch black. Then I also remembered that my radio had a back-up battery and that is why it was playing when the clock and all other electrical appliances were "dead". I thanked the Lord that nothing more serious had happened and I went back to bed. But my mind went to those who are physically blind. We know several folks with that condition and I began to realize how difficult their lives may be. Daily they live in darkness and can't enjoy the beauty of God's creation, especially the colors of fall. They stumble and often need help. That must be so hard. Lord, thank you for my physical sight which I just take for granted. But as I was in bed that morning I also thought of the millions who are spiritually blind in the darkness of sin. Many of them don't even comprehend their hopelessness and they stumble through life missing the beauty of a life in Christ. Most adjust to the darkness and don't know what they are really missing. And many are even satisfied with their situation and reject those who come with the gift of healing. When you grow up in spiritual darkness you may not know what spiritual light really is all about. Stumbling around in the darkness when the electricity goes off is one thing, but stumbling through spiritual darkness has eternal consequences. But, thankfully, I can say as the former blind man said when his physical sight was restored by Jesus, "Once I was blind, but now I can see!" Thank you Lord for my spiritual sight.

Ups And Downs

I don't recall ever having a five day period that has been so exhausting with multiple highs and lows. It started on Thursday when we drove to Allentown so that Dianne could practice on the organ that she would use on Friday at the funeral service for our pastor's father, Pastor David E. Thomann. We were honored to be part of his services because he had been such a good friend and godly example. But we did so with very mixed emotions since we will miss him, while at the same time we know he is now where he desired to be, safe with the Lord. Friday morning I led the singing while Dianne played the organ for the service in Allentown. Then we battled the Friday traffic and drove back to Lancaster to do the same thing for his memorial service that evening. During this trip we learned that our son had received tickets for a private suite at the Penn State football game, and as tired as we were, we couldn't pass that up. So at 5:15 in the morning we left for Happy Valley. Fortunately I didn't have to drive and we had reserved parking just three rows from the stadium. It was a simply beautiful day and the leaves were turning. The private suite was beyond what I had ever expected - real luxury! The views of the surrounding area were spectacular from high above the stadium. We had large padded seats and more food than we needed. I took loads of pictures which I planned to share here with this blog. But it was another day of highs and lows. We learned how "the other half" lives - unbelievable! We also learned how lousy Penn State football has become. It was ugly! I think the only hope is for Joe to retire and for the entire staff to be replaced. But it probably won't happen soon. Sunday came and it appeared that we would finally have a chance to relax - and we did. We enjoyed watching the Phillies and the Eagles win. Finally something to cheer about. Then we received a telephone call telling us that Dianne's step-mother had died. We knew she wasn't well, but her death came as a surprise. But again, she is now safe at home with the Lord. Monday was spent trying to get things done for the Sr. Saints retreat that we will be involved in next week and also for the coming election when we serve as elected officers. Things were going well and so I thought I'd upload my pictures from Saturday to this blog. Then I found that my camera is gone - probably left at Penn State. Oh well, at least I have the memories of a spectacular day. So next comes another funeral, then the Sr. Saints Retreat, then the election, and then another hymn sing. Please don't ask me what I do with all the time that I have since I retired. Incidentally, my granddaughter did post some pictures from Saturday on her Facebook wall and I've "ripped off" a few which can be seen below. So I wonder what tomorrow holds. But I must nremember that the Lord gives us strength for today. Tomorrow will take care of itself, and God will be in control.

The Good And The Ugly

Some views of our spectacular trip to Happy Valley and our private suite.

Check Today's Date

I just noticed something that I find interesting. Do you see anything unusual about today's date? Now just humor me a little. Remember I am a retired math teacher. I think a date like today's will only happen twice more in this century. If you still don't see it, let me help you with a hint. It will happen again next year and once more the following year. Have it now? Still don't know? Then try writing out today's date. Certainly you see it now. Oh yes, by writing it out remember that as a math teacher I mean just using the numerals, not English. And, just use the last two digits of the year. Now you must see it ... 10/10/10. And it will happen again next year on 11/11/11 and once more on 12/12/12. Then that will be the last time it happens in my lifetime ... and in yours! Have a great 10/10/10!

And They Go Marching On ...

I remember two conversations I had recently with elderly men who told me how hard life became when all of your close friends died. And I guess that if we live long enough we are destined to face that same situation which they were facing. And it is a situation which we just don't think about when we are still fortunate to have close friends and mentors around. If you have a close friend and prayer partner you are very fortunate and you should nurture that special relationship. If you have somebody who has been a mentor to you, you are very fortunate and you should learn all that you can from that special relationship. During the past few years I number ten such men that I counted as close friends and mentors who have now graduated to glory. And I do miss all of them. Their graduation has left a hole in my life. Some were my age and together we shared problems and hopes and encouragement. We enjoyed similar things and spent great times together. They were special. Some were older and influenced me with their wisdom, their advice, their lives, and their concerns for me. They were great role models. Some were family members who guided me and encouraged me through life as part of my special heritage. All loved and served the Lord and today are rejoicing in His presence. How do you replace men like this in your life? The answer is that you can't, unless the Lord brings new friends and mentors into your life. Maybe as we age we should pray that the Lord allows us to be that friend or mentor to others. Unfortunately, today we don't value age, wisdom, and experience in our society and so it is hard to fill that need in the lives of others. But that need is still there, not only in our lives, but in the lives of a younger generation that needs the friendship and guidance of godly men. And so, as we say a "temporary" good-bye to Pastor David E. (Model T) Thomann this weekend, let's ask the Lord to raise up godly replacements for those He is calling home to their eternal reward. And as we face the loss of those special friendships and examples in our lives, may we ask the Lord to help us live lives that will please Him and will be an example to others. And let's not forget, even if we feel the pain and loneliness of the loss of these special relationships in our lives, the Lord is still there and He has promised never to leave us or forsake us. And that we can depend on.

Rain, Rain, Go Away!

For several weeks we went without rain. Lawns were brown, dust was everywhere. We really needed rain. Then it came. The local "expert" from Millersville, whose forecasts are usually very reliable, said that we might get up to 3 inches from this storm and that wouldn't be a problem. Then, Thursday morning, it began. Rain, rain, rain! We already had several inches when we got up. Twice that day I had to empty our rain gauge because it was close to overflowing. By evening we had registered slightly over 8 inches. By noon they were calling for flooding and schools began to dismiss early. Even Millersville University called off classes at 1 because there was flooding on their campus. They they announced a tornado watch for our area. We had a doctor's appointment and by the time we headed home, the water was already up to the edge of the roads near Park City. We headed home to work on water problems in our basement. The retention pond near us was filled to the brim. By evening the rain had slowed down but they were saying another major wave was yet to come. Fortunately for us, the worst of the second wave stayed east of us. But when we got up at 5 am to head for Pinebrook, our gauge showed that we had received slightly over 2 more inches overnight. That brought the total at our house to about 10.2 inches which matched the all-time mark for Lancaster County. However, the "experts" are saying we only received 8 inches. Whatever, it is still too much rain for that short period of time! Friday morning we headed to Pinebrook and drove into more rain. Before we left Lancaster County we did encounter closed roads and had to make one detour. But , thankfully, as we traveled, conditions were not nearly as bad as they were back home. When we returned we found sunny skies, cool temperatures, and winds that were drying things out. Fortunately, we did not lose our power so our sump pump was able to keep pumping away. However, I did encounter a problem with my pump which could have created more damage. Now I am not mechanically inclined, so I asked the Lord for help. Minutes later He directed me to an item that I could use as a temporary solution - and it worked. Sometimes we forget that the Lord is always there to help us with all the problems, big and small. God is so good - all the time. Incidentally, this morning our local "expert" said that we escaped much more serious damage because the ground was so dry and was able to absorb much more water than it normally would. So the Lord was in all those details as well. We complained about the dry conditions, but as it turned out they were for our good. Watching the rushing water and the raging creeks made me think of the hymn, "Jesus Lover of My Soul" and that is my choice for this week's hymn on my hymn blog. It will be available at http://barryshymns.blogspot.com/ for you to see on Sunday, October 3. Have a good day - keep dry - more "showers" are predicted for this coming week. At least it isn't snow ... yet!

You'll Have Days Like This!

Sometimes the Lord allows us to have challenging weeks and days. Last week began with the tragic news that one of our elders, 45 years old with three teenage children, dropped over dead while working with his son on an Eagle Scout project at our church. A day later I learned that my cousin had died following a stroke. Then a very difficult problem with our Awana program developed which consumed much of my time. Next came the news that a senior friend of ours had terminal cancer with just months to live. That was followed by news that my aunt's condition had worsened and that the grandchildren were called home to be with her. But then the Lord allowed us to have a great break in the stress as we were able to go to Penn State on Saturday to watch an exciting football game. Despite the fact that the game started at 3:30 rather than noon as I had expected, we braved the heavy traffic on a beautiful day and really enjoyed ourselves there. Then, after returning home at about 9:45, we prepared for a challenging Sunday. My schedule called for me to teach the Awana training class, then work on solving the Awana problem between services, and then counting both offerings and preparing the church deposit during the second service. From there I was to rush to Ephrata at 12:15 to attend a luncheon honoring Bob Gehret, a close friend of my dad. Next it was back to church to visit our elder's family before the 4 pm memorial service. Finally it was to return home to host our small group from church at 6 pm. There was no time for supper, which I guess I don't need anyway. We didn't expect, however, to wake up that day and find that somebody had demolished and stolen our mailbox. So before leaving for church I called the police and was told that I would need to meet an officer sometime that day to file a report. I worked that in between the Ephrata trip and the visitation. Also, when I got to church that morning I discovered that because of rushing around I had forgotten my materials for teaching my class. Fortunately we are only a little over five minutes from the church so I was able to rush home to get what I needed. Later that night we were able to finally sigh with relief having made it through a busy week and day. Today we are just exhausted but we are also facing another very heavy week with appointments, meetings, a trip to Pinebrook, and our annual Awana conference on Saturday. How did we ever do it before I retired? Now we've all had days like mine was yesterday. So, I'm not complaining. And I wouldn't call it a bad week or day because much was accomplished. Here is what a bad day might really look like. I heard of a carpet installer who had worked for hours completing an installation in a room. When it was all done he went to have a cigarette, only to find that his pack was missing. Then he discovered a small lump under the carpet. Realizing that it would take hours to tear up the carpet and relay it, he decided to take his hammer and just smash the lump and then stomp on it to flatten it out. He did this and it worked perfectly. He then called in the owner for her approval. When she came she said to him, " Here is your pack of cigarettes that I found out in the hall. Now if I could only find my canary!" Now that's a bad day. I hope you have a great one!

Tolerance

I am growing tired of the word tolerant. Maybe I am just intolerant. Today, when you disagree with a person you are told that you must be tolerant and accept that person's opinion and actions, even if they are dead wrong. Major companies now have tolerance workshops to make sure their employees accept everything and everybody. And so, my stomach churned yesterday when I read that a number of Islamic leaders have met to support the building of the new mosque at Ground Zero. And their plan is to open up their mosques for we intolerant people to visit, hoping that we will become more tolerant of their views. Sounds like a great recruiting technique to advance their cause. And they would like to have a week to proclaim and support religious tolerance and religious liberty. Now we "intolerant believers of Christ" know that in the last days false religions will grow and be accepted and they will play a major role in the end time events. Maybe those events are closer than we think. Now here is my proposal for supporting and proclaiming tolerance. If they can build a mosque at Ground Zero, let them show tolerance by opening all Islamic lands to allow churches to be built there. If burning Qurans is intolerant (and I do think that was a terrible idea), then let Muslims condemn and stop the burning of Bibles in Islamic countries. Let our soldiers carry their Bibles and read them in open when they are in Islamic countries. Let them shown their tolerance by allowing their citizens to own and read Bibles in Islamic countries. Let them stop persecuting or even killing those who convert from Islam to Christianity. Let them show their tolerance by allowing Christians to worship openly and without fear, as we allow them to do in this country. Let them show their tolerant attitude by allowing women the freedoms that women enjoy in this country. Let them demonstrate their tolerance by dropping their plans to build the mosque at Ground Zero out of respect to the millions of citizens who feel that this is insensitive to the feelings of Americans and especially to those whose family members died there. Now you see, at least in my mind, playing the tolerance card in this case appears to be just a way to get more of what they want. I think it is time that they demonstrate genuine tolerance by accepting Christianity worldwide, especially in Islamic countries. When they do that, then maybe we can discuss tolerance. But we all know, that isn't about to happen. Ah yes, that's right, since I disagree, I am just intolerant.

Who Will Make It?

If you are a baseball fan, you have to enjoy what is happening right now in the National League. With just two weeks left in the season, there are still six teams competing for four play-off positions. And several of these spots may not be decided until the last weekend when several of these teams play each other. That is much more exciting than the American League where all four play-off spots are already settled. What makes this race even more interesting is that three of the six teams - Philadelphia, San Francisco and Colorado - are there because they are finishing the season strong. Two of the teams - Atlanta and San Diego - led most of the year and are now struggling in the final weeks. And, of course, many of the other teams dropped out weeks and months ago. Now even if you aren't a baseball fan you probably can appreciate how this race models the lives of so many Christians. All six teams started the season at the same place and throughout the year they experienced many different trials and challenges. The Phillies, for example, had most of their starters on the disabled list at various times during the year. Yet they did not quit and they stayed in contention. And as I write this blog, they are finishing strong. Hopefully that will continue. But we all face different trials and challenges on our life journey and we may face them differently. Some grow closer to the Lord through them, while others quit and often even become bitter. And then as we face our senior years some just give up. Some "retire" from Christian service with the attitude "let the young folks do it." And, unfortunately, many do things which ruin their testimony and reputation. It is sad to see Christians who fall into sin or shift into neutral for the Lord. It is so sad to see those fail in their latter years. On the other hand, it is inspiring to see others who continue to grow in the Lord and serve Him, often despite physical challenges. I was encouraged a few weeks ago when I visited my aging aunt and uncle in Wisconsin. Despite a recent stroke and a move to a nursing home, their love for the Lord shines. There is no complaining, but there is thankfulness. That is what I call finishing strong. And how we finish our lives is our choice. We can be bitter or better. We will all face very difficult and unwanted challenges in our senior years. The question is, how will we react? How will we finish, and how will folks view our stretch run? My desire is to run the race well and finish strong. And that is much more important than winning a major league pennant and the praise of fans. For the scriptures tell is that our life race is being viewed by a cloud of witnesses and at the finish we will see the Lord. Let me encourage you to run well, with patience, and finish strong, keeping your eyes on Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

Frustration

I love doing things with computers. If I were 50 years younger I think I would become a computer major and maybe be a programmer or web designer. But that is another story. Sometimes computers can also create frustration. When I retired I bought a laptop and a desktop computer - the laptop is over five years old and my desktop is older. They have worked well without any problems all of these years. I used a special piece of software on both to keep records of individual contributions at church. I have about 400 individual accounts stored in the software. It has worked very well and is easy to use. Unfortunately, a few years ago, Apple updated its chips and operating systems and the old Classic system needed for my software will not work on the new computers. Also, the software is not available for the new operating system. In the meantime, I was saving for new computers since I feared that one day my old ones would crash because they were getting old and were used very hard. In July I went ahead and purchased a new modern laptop and a new modern desktop. My plan was to keep the older two computers and use them just for the church software and backups. Good plan. But, a week after my purchase, the old desktop crashed and needed a new logic board. I felt that I had to have it repaired to maintain my ability to have a back-up. I bit the bullet and shelled out $650. Then, while at Pinebrook, my printer died. I was able to purchase a compatible refurbished printer on the internet only to find that while it would print out my church reports, it printed them so slowly that it would probably take me many weeks to print out the final individual reports for the year. So I went on ebay and bid on a used model like the one that had died. I won and I was excited when my $40 purchase came, only to find that it was defective. I finally was able to return it and get my $40 back, but it cost me $20 to send it back. Then I went shopping again and finally found a new one on ebay at a cost of $120. It works and is great. Problem solved - not really. Now my old laptop has begun crashing. I've had it to Apple twice to be diagnosed and they can't find the problem. Today they suggested reloading all of my system software to see if that might solve the problem. I guess I need to do that, but right now I am afraid to try it. I just might just mess everything up and be in a worse situation. So far, just to keep being able to use the church software, I have shelled out "only" $800 and the problem still isn't corrected. Then add to that the cost of my two new computers and a printer - I really don't want to think about it. Actually, if I could start all over, for about $700 I could have just purchased new software. And with all the time I've spent on solving this problem, I probably could have entered the 400 records and giving information for eight months in the new software. Well, maybe not. As I said, I love doing things with computers ... except for spending money to keep them going. But on the bright side, I have learned quite a bit in this little adventure. But did I really want to learn it?

My Favorite Season

This weekend we received a brief taste of my favorite season of the year - Fall. Now I do like all four seasons and am glad that I live in an area where I can experience all four. But, without a doubt, I love the season that will soon begin. The brief relief from the heat and the low humidity that we experienced this weekend made me realize that this beautiful season is on the way. There is no question that I do enjoy the cooler temperatures. There is something special about Fall evenings, especially when the smells of burning leaves and active fireplaces mix with the crisp, cool evening air. And I love the beauty of the changing leaves - if only they would stay on the trees a little longer. It is so beautiful when the mountains are painted in mixtures of reds, oranges, yellows, and browns. God is such a masterful artist. Then there are the fields of corn stalks and pumpkins which are so evident in Lancaster County. And I look forward to fresh, tasty apples. In fact I could eat one right now. But with this season comes football which is probably my favorite sport. I enjoy baseball, but it is so slow. Basketball is fun, too, but it is played indoors. Football is exciting, fast, and filled with excitement. And what can match a great football game on a crisp Saturday afternoon or a great night game with heavy coats, gloves, and blankets. Oh yes, it is a great time to look forward to in the months ahead. Unfortunately, those months pass so quickly and then comes the snow - opps, let's not ruin the thought with four letter words. Let's just enjoy the beautiful days ahead. Grab an apple, watch a football game, take a walk in the woods, and enjoy this time of beauty which comes once a year. Enjoy!

Do I Miss It?

It is hard to believe, but this is now the ninth year that I am retired and not heading back to school. And actually, I spent 55 years returning to school - 12 years in elementary and high school, 4 years in college, and 39 years as a teacher/administrator. That's a long time. Yesterday somebody asked if I missed it. I did really miss it the first year that I was retired and there are still some things that I do miss. I miss the computer in-service sessions where I was able to keep current with new technology and software. Now I must teach myself. I miss the excitement of new classes and new students each semester. New beginnings were always fun. I miss the excitement when vacations neared, especially Thanksgiving and Christmas. I actually miss grading tests - it was fun to see my students progress, although not all did. I miss many of the kids and the fun of supporting them in their activities, especially sports, music, drama and contests. Believe it or not, I miss Parents' Nights. I always enjoyed meeting the parents, some of whom were my former students. I enjoyed sharing with them my goals and expectations. And I do miss teaching in-service sessions for elementary teachers and working with my elementary math committee. They were always so gracious and appreciative. I also miss some of the staff members, especially at Central Manor Elementary School where I had my office for many years. I miss math conferences and conventions where I learned so much and met so many key contacts. But there are many things I don't miss. I don't miss leaving for school at 6:45 in the morning. I don't miss many of the required in-service programs, or the faculty meetings, or department meetings, or administrative meetings. Meetings, meetings, meetings! I don't miss assemblies and other duties supervising kids. - in the cafeteria, study hall, or parking lot. I don't miss evaluating teachers. I don't miss all the reports and paper work. I don't miss budget times with the usual required cuts. I don't miss having to make up snow days which always shortened other vacations. But considering all of the pros and cons, I was fortunate to have really enjoyed all of my years. But, alas, that was a different lifetime. Now I am enjoying retirement, even though I seem to be busier than ever. So in answer to the question that I was asked. Do I miss it? Not now. I saw a shirt that sums it up, "I'm retired, and you're not, na-na-na-na-na-na!" Enough said.