The Corn Wagon

Recently we dropped by the famous Corn Wagon located on route 741 near New Danville.  It is about 10 minutes from our house. This farm market has become a favorite shopping place for vegetable bargain hunters from all around.  In fact, we have friends from Northumberland County who annually make the trip just to purchase corn.  From spring to fall the Brenneman family sells fresh produce, straight from their fields.  You can purchase home grown Asparagus,  Broccoli, Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Cauliflower Eggplants, Green Beans , Hot Peppers (jalapeño & cayenne), Peaches, Peppers, Red Beets, Romanesco, Tomatoes, Turnips and Zucchini in season.  But the most popular crop is sweet corn, white and bi-color varieties.  Not only is it fresh, but you can't beat the prices.  Earlier this week the white corn was 13 ears for $3.00.  The day we were there it had dropped to 13 for $2.50.  And from the looks of the bountiful corn crops in Lancaster County - beautiful fields of corn for miles and miles - the price will soon drop to 13 for $2.00 and possibly even lower.  When we arrived there were probably 25 - 30 customers waiting.  Two large wagons had already been emptied and another wagon was on its way.  In a few minutes the next wagon, straight from the fields, rolled in and the crowd pushed and shoved to start grabbing the newly picked ears.  My wife was almost knocked over by one anxious shopper.  We bagged 26 ears, escaped to pay for it and then head home.  
     Everything is on the honor system and I imagine that many of these buyers cheat the Brennemans by taking more than they pay for.  That is sad, but a fact of life in today's society.  Some roadside stand owners in the county have had to install cameras and other security devices to catch thieves. Not much honor today. Many of those caught are tourists but there are some dishonest locals as well.  After our purchase we headed home to freeze the corn. Besides fresh corn on the cob, the next best thing is frozen corn right off the cob during the winter .  When we saw how nice the corn was I decided to go back to get another 26 ears.  A new wagon of fresh corn had arrived just before I got there so I again was able to quickly choose what I wanted.  Incidentally, a crowd was again there filling up their bags.  
     It seems that every time we pass by their location, there are loads of people waiting to buy.  And why not?  Fresh produce, right out of the field, at a great price.  We had just seen corn at our local grocery store - five ears for $3.99.  It was already husked and nicely cleaned, but doing that is just part of the enjoyment of the season in God's Country, Lancaster County.  And was the store bought corn fresh?  Probably a few days ago.  I'll gladly take my $10 purchase rather than the store bought for about $40!  And this winter I will enjoy it, down to the very last kernel.  If you've never been there, make it a point someday to visit the Corn Wagon.  It is an experience.

Keep Cool!

This excessive hear this past week has made me think about the old days, BC that is.  Now that wasn't a mistake. I'm old but I really didn't experience the years Before Christ.  I am talking about the years Before air Conditioning.  Now I am old enough to remember those days and some how we survived them.  I remember the long nights when as a youngster I used to take my pillow and sprawl on the floor in front of the open screen door to our side porch, just hoping to catch a breeze.  I recall trips in our car when all the windows were open in order to attempt to cool off.  And I am sure that I've also forgotten many days and nights of agony trying to survive the heat.  How did we do it?  When we were married one of the first things that we purchased was a window fan and for many years we used that fan to try to pull in cool breezes from windows throughout the house.  My father never lived in a home that had central air.  In his later years he finally did buy a window unit for his bedroom and one for his dining room.  And using those and a fan he survived into his 90's.  
     Growing up I don't remember homes having central air but I guess there were some - those who could afford this luxury.  I guess it might have been the early 1980's when we could finally afford a window unit for our bedroom.  Then in the early 1990's we finally arrived and had central air installed. About a decade later we had problems with the unit and had to replace it with one that was supposed to be more energy efficient and better for the environment.  It uses puron and unfortunately puron doesn't seem to cool like the previous ingredients.  We have it set at 73 and 73 with puron is not nearly as cool as it was at 73 before.  But it is still great.  
     Now my worst experience living without ac came in the months of August, September, May and June for about 30 years of teaching.  Our math classrooms were located on the third level of a building with a flat roof. My classroom and my office were usually on the east side - the sun side.  There was almost no cross ventilation.  It would be 90 when we arrived in the morning and it just never cooled off.  I wanted the district to install big ventilation fans, but they never did.  A service club did buy box fans for each of our math classrooms, but there wasn't much more than hot air to move around.  I don't know how any student learned anything during those months.  It was very exhausting for all of us. Today I don't think parents would even allow their kids to work in such conditions - but we did. I almost felt like I was in heaven when they finally built our new building and we had ac.  
     Now I do not remember when they first began to put ac in automobiles, but that was a luxury and only available to those who were "rich".  Open car windows were the only solution for many years for the rest of us.  I don't remember when we first could afford a car with ac, but it certainly wasn't until after many years of marriage.  Now I can't seem to drive anywhere in the summer without having the ac shooting out cold air.  In fact, the ac is broken in our Intrepid, so what do we do?  We just let it sit when the weather is hot.  I never thought that we would ever reach the place in life where we could even make such a choice.  PTL, we've come a long way.  
     I realized how "spoiled" I had become when we went to Pinebrook a few weeks ago.  For many years we stayed there without ac and survived with a big fan.  However, several years ago they finally installed ac.  But this time ours wasn't working.  I didn't know if I could even stay there without the ac I've learned to depend upon.  But finally they found a hole in the line and fortunately it was quickly repaired.  Have I become that spoiled?  I began to think that this must be the case.  But then, yesterday when the real temperature was about 98 and the humidity made it feel like 105, I went out to get the mail.  And I was shocked to see a young man quickly jogging past our house, with his ear phones on, not even breaking a sweat.  That answered my question.  Yes I am spoiled, but I am also old!  Keep cool!

Follow The Instructions

I admit that I continually get upset at people who can't follow instructions.  Maybe that is a result of teaching for 39 years. On the other hand, I guess not following instructions actually goes the whole way back to Adam and Eve.  And that can sometimes get you into real problems. There was a man who owned a giant gorilla and he'd never left it on its own. But eventually he had to take a trip, so he left his gorilla in the care of his next-door neighbor. He explained to his neighbor that all he had to do was feed his gorilla three bananas a day at three, six, and nine o'clock. But he was never ever to touch its fur.   So the next day the man came and gave the gorilla a banana and looked at it for a while thinking, "Why can't I touch its fur? Nothing seems to be wrong with it."  Every day he came in and sized up the gorilla for a little  while longer as he still couldn't understand. About a week later, he'd worked himself into a frenzy and decided that he was going to touch the gorilla. He passed it the banana and very gently brushed the back of his hand against its fur. Suddenly the gorilla went "ape" and started to violently jump around. Then it turned and began to running towards the man who, in turn, ran through the front door, over the lawn, across the street, into a sports car, and drove off. In the rear view mirror, he could see the gorilla in another sports car, driving right behind him and motioning for him to pull over. He drove for two hours until the engine began to splutter and the car just stopped. He jumped out and began to run down the street, over a brick wall, into someone's front garden, and up an apple tree. He turned around to find the gorilla right behind him beating its chest.  The man jumped down and ran back into the street screaming, until it became dark and he thought he'd lost the gorilla. The man ran into an alleyway then, suddenly, he saw a giant shadow coming down the street ahead. It was the gorilla! This time there was no escape. As the gorilla neared him, the man began to feel faint. The giant beast came face to face with him, slowly raised its mighty hand and said, "Tag! You're it!"

Where Have Good Manners Gone?

Yesterday I had a major surprise.  We were at Pinebrook waiting for the dining hall to open.  Outside the entrance door are two benches.  As usual they were filled with children and teens who were also waiting to eat.  It was hot and a number of us "old folks" were standing. Almost never do one of these younger folks think to offer a seat to the older ones who would really like to sit. Of course, neither do the young adults who often camp there.  Either they have never been taught good manners or they just don't have any respect for seniors.  But to my surprise, one young lady kindly offered us her seat.  And what made it extra surprising was that she was crippled and on crutches and had every reason to be seated.  We could not take her seat and I kindly thanked her for her thoughtfulness and good manners.  And, of course, when the doors opened, all the children and teens ran to be the first in the dining hall, nearly running over those of us who were waiting.  But this is no different than what I have observed and experienced elsewhere, although it is very disappointing that those most likely from Christian homes would be this rude.  A few days ago when I was walking at Park City, a young girl came around the corner – on the wrong side of the hall – and almost bumped into me.  Of course she was busy texting on her phone.  She actually refused to get out of my way and I was forced to move.  I "thanked her" for her "good manners".  I don't think she had any idea of what I was saying to her.  Seldom do the teens at Park City get out of the way of seniors who are walking.  Seldom do they allow seniors to go through the entrance doors before them.  And, of course, they must always use the automatic doors – I guess the others are too hard for them to open. Do they have no respect for older adults?  At church I often get disappointed during our coffee and conversation time.  I get my coffee and try to walk out of the area only to be bumped and pushed by children who are running to get their drinks and treats.  Sometimes my coffee has spilled.  Have they never been taught good manners?  Do their parents know how they are acting?  Do their parents even care?  Now I admit that I am getting old.  And I know that I am having more problems getting around and with my balance.  But I'm not really looking for special favors.  What I would like to see is some good manners and respect for older people – especially for those older than I am.  But maybe that, too, is a thing of the past.  But, thankfully, there are still a few members of the younger generation, such as the crippled girl at Pinebrook, who still model good manners, thoughtfulness and respect.

Construction Ahead

Our elected officials in Harrisburg did get a Pennsylvania budget passed and once again it was done in time and without any new taxes.  I will give them credit for that.  However, they failed to do anything to solve or help reduce the state's major pension crisis.  That debt is continuing to tear down the economy of the state and especially schools.  But as Nero fiddled while the city burnt, once again our elected officials did nothing but pass the problem on to the future.  And they also did nothing about a critical transportation bill which would have eased the problem of  our crumbling bridges and roads throughout the state.  But that solution, while desperately needed, would have hit us in our pocket books.  So once again they took the easy way out ... they did nothing.  However, despite their inaction, some road repairs are being made this summer.  In fact, I think all of them must be on roads that I travel.  In the last month, on routes 999 and 741, from Central Manor to Columbia Ave., there have been six construction zones, all with one way traffic.  And generally the lines of traffic have been very long. It is very hard to understand how the flaggers determine when to stop a line and when to allow the other a turn. Maybe because they must stand outside in this hot weather they want motorists to be frustrated and uncomfortable as well. I have been learning many new alternate routes, including going through some neighborhoods that I haven't visited in years.  The big challenge is knowing when they are actually working and stopping traffic and when they are just sitting there on their "extended" breaks.  For example, on 741 it appears that the crews show up at 8 am and then sit around or prepare for the work until about 10 am.  Then they begin to hold up traffic.  And even on days that they don't work, the signs are still posted about one-lane traffic ahead.  So do you gamble and continue on that route, or do you quickly seek an alternate route?  That all adds some spice to summer driving.  We also ran into the joy of road construction when we were in Milwaukee.  And, unfortunately, the GPS in our rented car wasn't ready for it.  While driving to the airport at 4 in the morning we were unable to access the roads to the airport because the GPS didn't recognize the construction and didn't get us in the proper lane.  So, in the early, dark morning hours, without a map, we drove around country roads - with the GPS "recalculating" - and finally we arrived at the airport.  But while road construction is needed and is very expensive, Penndot finds interesting ways to spend our money.  They recently installed a new large exit sign on 222 incorrectly spelling Ephrata - EPHARTA.  I understand that it will cost about $1,000 to correct the spelling.  Since spelling seems to be a lost art, I wonder if their spell-check didn't catch this one.  But my favorite construction story is what we saw today on Manor St.  In fact it so distracted me that I almost ran the red light!  One sign proclaimed an end of construction zone while a second sign right next to it proclaimed construction ahead with one-lane of traffic. The second one was correct. I guess they couldn't make up their mind that day or maybe they bill by the number of signs they post.  

To Retire Or Not To Retire

Everybody looks forward to retirement.  I recently heard that 70% of today's employees are unhappy with their present jobs.  Many are hoping that soon they can quit and enjoy the "leisurely days" of retirement.  But will they really ever be able to do so?  That is an interesting question.  Few companies are now offering defined pension plans.  The futures of social security and medicare are very uncertain.  Most folks have not saved nearly enough to retire.  And the growing question is how can a retiree handle exploding medical costs?  Whenever I hear of somebody planning to retire I would like to ask them how they will handle their  medical bills.  Fidelity Investments recently conducted some polls and they found that over half of those considering retirement felt that $50,000 would be enough to cover their medical needs.  Fidelity estimates that a couple of 65 year olds retiring in 2013 will need at least $220,000 to cover their medical insurances and bills.  The good news is that this is an 8% drop in the previous year's estimate of $240,000.  Now if medicare survives, it does provide some relief for those who purchase A and B and a D plan.  But that will only cover about 66% of one's costs and does not include over the counter purchases, dental, hearing and vision costs.  Nor does it cover long-term care needs which could wipe out one's savings.  And medical bills are rapidly increasing and will continue to do so.  Dianne recently had her annual colonoscopy and her bill was $3,294.  I had a biopsy and my bill was $6,613.  I had two cataract surgeries and my total bills for those were $18,153.  Now medicare wrote off about half of these costs. But that means that a non-medicare patient probably will be billed more for the doctors to regain these medicare write offs.  Medicare took care of 80% of the remainder of these charges and our gap policy and personal savings took care of the rest.  In addition, because of special physical needs that we have, for the first five months of this year are medicines have cost us $5,460.  And to help with those costs our insurances for the first six months of this year have cost us $4,176. With those costs and other bills we have shelled out $8,332 in medical bills for the first six months of this year.  That is a chunk of money for anyone, retired or not.  Now I am not sharing this to gain any pity.  Far from it. I am just sharing the facts.  I thank the Lord for relatively good health and for the resources to pay the bills.  If we would have had problems with hospitalizations and major surgeries and maybe even nursing home care, it would be much worse.  And those things do become more common the older you become.  So I think Fidelity's estimate of $220,000 is not too high.  And I warn any of you who are nearing retirement to make sure that you have counted the costs.  Retirement is great when you are healthy and can pay the bills.  But it is a real challenge when the cost of everything continue to rise and your income doesn't.  Of course Obama care will take care of all of these medical concerns.  It will probably do that by eliminating surgeries and refusing adequate care for those who are over 70.  So more seniors will just pass on more quickly with less care and less expense.  And, of course, euthanasia will most likely be the next step.  But then we seniors should probably better be able to more fully agree with Paul's comments, "For to me to live is Christ, but to die is gain".  

Liberty Or Not

For about 50 years I have had my auto insurance with Liberty Mutual and I have never had any problems at all.  Now I've not had any traffic tickets and very few claims during that time, so other than paying my bill, I've not had to deal with them very much.  Now as many of you may know, last January a lady went through a red light and hit us.  She admitted it was her fault but unfortunately I didn't have any witnesses or a police report.  And then she decided to lie to her insurance company and claim that I went through the light.  So for months our companies each claimed the other was guilty.  Finally it went to binding arbitration and the arbitrator couldn't assign guilt - so I guess we are both guilty.  So we are out $500.  My main gripe, other than that I don't think they really represented me in the early negotiations, is that I had to make all the contacts with them to find out what was happening.  Then a few months ago we had a seat belt accident with Dianne being injured.  No auto claims were involved but I was forced to go through Liberty Mutual because it happened in the car.  Her claims were paid and their customer service was very helpful.  But they are still showing both cases as being open and that is causing me problems.  That leads to the main problem.  When I received my bill for the coming year I was disappointed that it again went up 12%, even though I was not charged with the accidents.  I talked to AAA and they quoted the very same insurance for about $700 less, but they couldn't write a policy because my two claims were still shown as open.  I then contacted the company that has my homeowners policy and they couldn't give me a quote since the claims were still open.  So I called Liberty Mutual and told them that I was thinking about leaving them.  I sent them an email asking several questions but I never got a response.  So I finally called the office and found that suddenly they were able to give me the very same policy for $500 less. The agent told me that she had met with her manager and since I was a long time customer they would give me this break.  Amazing!  Why couldn't they have offered that to me originally instead of bilking me out of another $500 if I had just renewed without any questions.  So I thanked them and told them that I would stay with them given the new quote.  Actually I have no choice until they decide to close the two claims.  Since I had only 17 days until my policy would lapse, they said they would immediately put the papers in the mail for me to sign. Twelve days later they still hadn't shown up.  So when we got home from vacation I called them.  My agent was on vacation but another one said she would take care of it. She also offered me a new way to pay for it monthly without additional cost.  I hadn't been made aware of that option. Four days later I received the application to sign.  But as I was reviewing it, I realized that it was not the same as my previous policy.  There were two differences, the major of which was that they had dropped the collision on my 2009 Toyota completely.  I would have had no coverage at all had I caused an accident or had a repeat of the January situation. That was a major change.  I called the agent and she said that they had made a mistake and it would now cost me $98 more to get the same coverage I have had.  Now I am only saving $400 which is $300 more than AAA's quote.  How could the agent and her manager have made that mistake?  Was it really a mistake or a way to bring the price down so I would stay with them?  What if I wouldn't have caught it?  Why must I pay for their mistake?  I have asked those questions in letters which I have sent to their regional and national offices.  But I really don't expect any answers or changes. It will be interesting to see if they do respond or stand behind their original quote.  Stay tuned. But buyer beware.  Never sign without reading the details.  Can you trust any business today?  I guess for the time being I have no choice but to stay with them since nobody else will deal with me until they close my two claims and that should have been done a month ago.  And since my old policy ended on June 23, I need coverage now. So by their delays and possible deception I have had no choice but to renew.  But as I mentioned I did learn that when you have your charge deducted automatically each month from your checking account, there is no additional fee.  So I will do that and that will give me the chance to cancel their coverage whenever I want to and not lose any money waiting for a refund.  And that is a plan!  If you have an agent or a company that you trust and can recommend, please let me know.  I haven't shopped for auto insurance for about 50 years so it may be a new but necessary adventure.

Birthday Cards

Many old traditions are becoming a thing of the past.  One of those is the giving of birthday cards.  There are probably several reasons for this decline.  First is the cost of buying and sending cards.  A nice card can now cost nearly $5 plus postage. The second is because folks just don't care about others like they used to or they are just too busy to remember.  This year on my birthday I received three cards from relatives and six from others.  They were really appreciated, especially since a couple came from folks who surprised me. This year I did miss receiving a humorous card from my best friend, Jim, who passed away over a year ago. Last year I did receive one, two months after his death.  He had picked it out for me months before that. Now some folks have gone to sending electronic cards. I admit that we often use these to congratulate folks on their anniversary. They usually are free, cost nothing to send, and can be very attractive.  And while they are better than receiving nothing at all, they just aren't quite the same as receiving one in the "snail" mail, especially if it includes a personal comment  But they at least show some kindness from the one who took time to e-mail it.  For many years we - or I should say my wife - have made it a point to send birthday cards not only to our relatives but also to most of our friends, especially those from church.  It takes much time and it does cost us some money to do this, but we send out several dozen each month.  We really do it as a ministry of encouragement and friendship.  And quite often we receive very positive feedback of sincere appreciation for the cards, even from teens who often don't express appreciation. And many look forward to this card since they receive so few, especially from non family members.  Recently a mother and father in our church came to thank us not only for their cards, but especially for those sent to their children.  Now my conclusion is that in the rush of this technological world people need friends who really care and take time to show it.  And they sincerely appreciate those who do care and demonstrate it, even if it is with something small like the giving of a birthday card That can be money very well spent.

Integrity

Somebody recently sent me a story about integrity, something which seems to be missing in today's society.  I pass it on to you for your review.  A successful businessman knew it was time to choose a successor to lead his business. Instead of appointing one of his directors, or one of his children, he decided to call the company's young executives together. He said, "It is time for me to choose the next CEO. I have decided to select one of you."   The young executives were shocked, but the CEO continued. "I am going to give each of you a SEED today - a very special SEED. Plant the seed, water it, and one year from today bring what you have grown from the seed I have given you. I will judge the plants you bring, and choose our next CEO."  One of the leaders, Jim, excitedly told his wife about the plan. She helped him get a pot, soil and compost, and he planted his seed. Every day, he watered it and watched to see if it had grown. Soon some of the other executives began talking about their seeds and the plants beginning to grow. Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew. Weeks went by, but still nothing. Everyone else was talking about their plants, but Jim had no growth and felt like a failure. Six months passed, but still nothing in Jim's pot. He concluded he had killed his seed, but said nothing to his colleagues.  He continued watering and fertilizing the soil - he desperately wanted his seed to grow. When the year ended, the young executives were instructed to bring their plants to the CEO for inspection. Jim told his wife he refused to take an empty pot to his workplace, but she urged him to be honest about what had happened. It was going to be Jim's most embarrassing moment, but he knew his wife was right.   Jim took his empty pot to the boardroom. When he arrived, the variety of plants the other executives had grown amazed him. They were beautiful - in many shapes and sizes. When Jim put his empty pot on the floor, many of his colleagues laughed. When the CEO arrived, Jim attempted to conceal himself in back.   "My, what wonderful plants, trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO. "Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!" Then the CEO noticed Jim. He invited Jim to the front - with his empty pot.  Jim was terrified. "The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!" When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked what had happened to his seed. Jim explained despite his best efforts, nothing had grown. The CEO turned to the group and asked everyone to sit down, except Jim. He then looked at Jim and announced, "Behold your next Chief Executive Officer! His name is Jim!"   Then the CEO explained: "One year ago today, I gave everyone in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed, plant it, water it, and bring it back in a year. But I gave you all boiled seeds; it was not possible for them to grow. All of you, except Jim, have brought healthy plants and flowers. When you found the seed would not grow, you substituted a different one. Jim was the only one with the courage and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore, he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"  It is said: If you plant honesty, you will reap trust. If you plant goodness, you will reap friends. If you plant humility, you will reap greatness. If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment. If you plant hard work, you will reap success. If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation. If you plant faith, you will reap a harvest. So be careful what you plant now: it will determine what you will reap later.  "The man of integrity walks securely, but he who takes crooked paths will be found out" (Proverbs 10:9).  "The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity" (Proverbs 11:3)

Through The Clouds

Recently we took a trip by air and the experience served as an interesting object lesson to me.  On previous trips I've experienced all sorts of weather.  Sometimes it was beautiful and clear and you could clearly see the ground.  Sometimes we've flown above the clouds where the sun shines brightly.  Sometimes we've briefly flown through clouds and storms.  But on this last trip it seemed like we flew through clouds almost the entire trip.  Sometimes it was a little bumpy, but really not that bad.  But as I sat looking out of my window I was amazed again at how the plane could be flown without the pilot being able to see where we were going.  How did he know what direction to fly?  How did he know another plane wasn't headed in our path?  The answer is simple - radar.  Radar is an amazing invention.  Among many other applications, pilots can place their faith in radar and guide us through the clouds, darkness, and storms to a safe destination.  And as I thought about that I realized that this is a good example of the life of a Christian.  Daily we travel through unknown circumstances and clouds.  Sometimes the sailing is calm, other times life can be quite bumpy.  We can't always see what is ahead or what tomorrow may hold.  But we put our faith in One who is more powerful, reliable and faithful than even the best radar device that man has.  We know He knows not only our today's but also our tomorrow's.  And our need is to trust Him to guide us through whatever is ahead.  When I was growing up there was a chorus which we sang quite often, especially in prayer meetings. "My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.  My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow.  Strength for today is mine always, and all that I need for tomorrow.  My Lord knows the way through the wilderness, all I have to do is follow."  And whether it be the wilderness or the hidden tomorrow, He does know the way.  And He does provide the strength and all that we need for tomorrow.  Maybe at times we just need to be reminded of this truth.  And as the radar led our plane safely to our destination, so the Lord will lead us to the destination He has promised us.

View From The Mirror

Do you enjoy watching people?  I think it is interesting to sit in a shopping mall or another similar area and just watch the people pass by.  You see some interesting sights when you take the time to watch.  Recently I have been watching people in another situation - using the rear view mirror in my car.  Now I don't do that when I am driving, only when I am stopped at a traffic light.  And I have seen some interesting things.  The most common sight is watching folks talk on their cell phones.  What in the world did people do before cell phones?  And why must they use them when driving?  And even though it is illegal, I often see folks - especially young drivers - tenting.  Accidents waiting to happen.  Then there are those who are using their mirrors to fix their hair or their make-up - generally women.  However, I once even saw a man shaving.  I guess some drivers just don't get up early enough to get ready before they leave home.  And of course there are the musicians, bouncing and swaying along to their music.  Sometimes you even see their hands clapping and swaying.  And, of course, there are those who are enjoying some food - sometimes drinking (I hope not alcohol) and sometimes chewing on a sandwich or a snack.  And then there are those who are in the midst of a conversation with another rider or correcting their children.  It is interesting what you can see through your rear view mirror.  But often there are those who are just sitting there calmly or maybe even impatiently, waiting for the light to turn.  Sometimes their faces are blank or maybe have a smile or maybe they look grumpy.  I thought about this recently when a car was following me from Millersville towards Park City.  Every time we stopped the driver behind me looked so grumpy and sad.  I couldn't help but wonder if that was her normal expression, if she was just tired, or if she had a real problem.  Then she pulled into the LGH Health Campus and it went through my mind that maybe she was late for work or maybe she was going there for some serious tests.  Maybe her face was really reflecting her fears or worries.  I will never know.  But then the thought came to my mind that maybe a good simple ministry would be to pray for her as well as for other folks who I view in the rear view mirror.  Then the words of Steve Green's famous song came to my mind.  "Everyday they pass me by, I can see it in their eyes. Empty people filled with care, Headed who knows where?  On they go through private pain, Living fear to fear. Laughter hides their silent cries, Only Jesus hears. People need the Lord, people need the Lord. At the end of broken dreams, He's the open door. People need the Lord, people need the Lord. When will we realize, people need the Lord?"   What a profound truth which has given me a new motivation for using my rear view mirror while I am waiting for the traffic light to change.  Maybe you want to join me in this new rear view mirror ministry.

Take Me Out To The Ballgame!

On Monday night I did the grandfather thing - I attended my youngest grandson's Tee-Ball game.  It was the Orioles against the Blue Jays.  Fortunately they have special rules.  Each inning everybody on the team bats once.  The inning ends when all have batted.  It's good that it doesn't end when there are three outs because an inning might then last an hour or more.  Actually four or five of the 30 who played actually caught a batted or thrown ball in the field.  And it is good that they don't keep score or you might have scores like 230 -175.  And it is good that they don't count strikes or there would have been dozens of strike-outs.  And, fortunately, they only play four innings.  A coach pitches since few if any of the players could throw a ball that far.  And after four misses by the batter they place the ball on a Tee (thus the name of the game) and the player swings until he hits it fair off the tee.  The tee itself probably was hit more often by wicked swings than the baseball.  Now I never had a chance to play this "game".  I'm not even sure if this game even existed when I was growing up and if it did I probably didn't know about it because we moved so often until I entered fifth grade. I learned to play baseball by playing pickup games with neighborhood kids.  That was the way I spent  most of my summer days. I guess nobody does that anymore.  When I got to junior high I earned some money serving as an umpire in little league games.  That wasn't always fun because it showed me how nasty some parents can be.  I've often thought the spectators should not be allowed to attend little league games.  Most of the time in junior and senior high I covered little league games for the local newspaper and that is where my newspaper career and my writing began.  I did help coach the local Teener League team when my brother played and we actually won the championship.  After I was married, for a couple of summers I helped my uncle coach a little league team in Sunbury - the mighty Mosquitos - an interesting name for a baseball team.  My brother once asked me to help him with the Warwick Girl's Softball team which he coached.  He wanted me to be the hitting coach, but I turned him down.  But maybe that would have been fun.  But Tee Ball is different and parents and grandparents come out to cheer on their sons and daughters - yes there were a few girls playing - as they begin their path to the major leagues.  Or at least they dream about that happening.  But they have a long way to go, a very long way.  Most can't catch.  Most are slow and have no baseball sense.  Few can hit. Some can hardly even hit the ball off the tee. Most can't throw the ball to any base or even back to the pitcher.  But there are two things that they can do.  First, they can give and take "high five's" from coaches and players, no matter what they have just done.  And secondly, they know how after the game to line up on the baselines and then pass the other team and say "good game".  They did that well.  It really wasn't too bad of an evening but a serious thought did pass through my mind.  I would have liked to know how many of the boys in particular had fathers living with them.  I would have liked to know how many of the boys had fathers who ever played pitch and catch with them or showed them how to hold a bat.  It was very obvious that some had no idea about the basics.  Some didn't know where to stand at home plate.  Some didn't know how to hold or swing a bat properly.  Many couldn't catch or couldn't hold their glove properly when they tried to catch.  Unfortunately, so many kids have been abandoned by their dads and since nobody plays neighborhood pickup games anymore, young boys know very little about the fundamentals of what used to be the national pastime..   And that is sad.  And I guess Tee-Ball is now the organized substitute to attempt to teach these fundamentals.  Or maybe it is society's way to replace the many parents who don't care or are too busy to spend time with their kids.  And if that is the case, that is even sadder.

College Days

For those faithful readers who have stuck with me after two recent blogs about finances, please hang on.  Hopefully this will be the last on that topic for awhile.  I recently went to purchase a pair of shoes.  As I was trying them on the salesman began to unload about his daughter.  It seems that she chose to go to Marywood University to major in art.  According to the university website, the costs for four years there would be about $372,450!  Wow!  Hopefully she had some financial aid or scholarships.  But he had agreed to pay her way and was now working hard to try and pay off this debt.  The bad news is that as an art major, the only job she has been able to get so far is working as a cashier at Lowes.  She could have gone to Kutztown and earned an art degree for $69,760, a difference of $302,688 - and she still could have gotten a job at Lowes.  He told me that he now regrets not having said "no" to her when she made the choice.  The Brookings Center on Children and Families has recently said that 1 in 5 colleges had a negative return on investment. The lifetime earnings of an education or arts major working in the services sector are lower than that of a high school graduate.  Actually 14% of high school graduates earn at least as much as people with bachelor's degrees. Recently I heard Dave Ramsey, the Christian financial guru, say that the biggest mistake that parents make with their children is letting them as 18 year olds choose where they want to go to college, especially when the teen only has about $60 in the bank.  I personally think that the second biggest mistake is agreeing to pay for their education. I don't think parents owe them that.  Look at these recent college statistics from American Student Assistance. *Approximately 20 million Americans attend college. *Approximately 12 million borrow money for college. *Approximately 37 million former students owe money today. *Of those under 30 years of age, 14 million former students owe money. *An average student loan is $24,301. *About 25% borrow more than $28,000, 10% more than $54,000, 3% more than $100,000 and less than 1% (167,000) more than $200.000. *Of the current students paying back debt – 40% are under age 30 and 42% are older. Seventeen percent are older than 50. *30 percent of those who took out loans haven't finished school.  When it was time for me to go to consider college my parents couldn't afford to send and pay for me.  However, they agreed to pay my room and board for four years whether I commuted or went away to school.  I chose to go away but I had already been saving for college for several years by working numerous jobs.  In addition, I earned scholarships, worked on campus, and held summer jobs to pay my bills.  I did borrow about $1,000 but that was paid back within a few years.  When it came time for my three boys to attend, I made the same agreement with them.  They chose to commute but they were still responsible for tuition, books and other fees.  I think accepting the cost of my education made it more important and meaningful to me.  And in earning my way I learned some valuable life lessons.  Personally, I don't think parents owe a college education to their children, but I guess I am in a minority today.  Prospective college students should work for scholarships and hold jobs to earn what they need.  They should choose a college which they can afford.  They should choose a major which will be marketable.  Or maybe they could skip school for a year or attend a community college for a year or two.  There are many sensible and financially sound ways to get a degree. College is still a possibility and one can graduate without a lifetime of debt for the student or parents.  And it is possible to earn a degree that can get you a job.  Anything else is a very sad use of time and money.  Unless, of course, our government is your model for your finances.

Boring

When my boys used to say something was boring I would tell them that boring is a state of mind and that they should find something constructive to do.  Well today I will need to take my own advice since this may be one of the most boring days of my life.  For the 16th election I am serving as Judge of Elections for my precinct.  It is a primary which is usually of little interest to anyone.  But this time there are no contests at all on the republican ballot and only one on the democratic ballot.  For many of the positions nobody is even running, including me.  I have chosen not to run again for Judge of Elections.  So why would anybody even come to vote?  If we have 200 voters show up today I will be surprised.  So for 15 hours I will need to find things to keep myself awake - probably some reading, some writing, some talking and some eating.  The good news is that I have a great team of workers and they bring great food.  Generally, in my estimation, primaries are not only a waste of time but a real waste of our tax money.  After 16 elections I still get upset with the regulations.  For example, yesterday when I set up my precinct I was required to post  10 sample ballots, 10 brochures on how to vote, an election news poster, an introduction to voting poster, 3 notices of voter rights, 3 individual rights under federal law posters, 3 notices of prohibitions and penalties. three poster of general information and instructions about voting rights and responsibilities of elected officers and one poster about election officers and provisional ballot procedures.  Most of these are in English and Spanish.  These are in addition to required signs concerning cell phones, entrances and exits.  Now have you ever read any of these when you voted?  Some do check the sample ballots but nobody ever reads the others.  What a waste of money and time.  Then today I will need to deal with all sorts of forms and envelopes.  I have forms for statements of complaints, provisional ballots (labels, envelopes, forms), voter registration, affidavit of voter ID, election officer oaths (two), affirmation of elector forms and envelope, challenge of absentee elector forms, record of assisted voter form, list and envelope, election affidavits for challenges, numbered list of voters (two), absentee voter ballots and envelope, JBC canceled booth forms, e-scan spoiled ballot forms and envelope, election result forms (four) and payroll form.  Plus I have separate envelopes for opening and closing passwords, keys, zero tapes and MBB's.  Oh yes, we also have forms to give to those who don't use a photo ID - which isn't required anyway.  And finally I have lists of numbers to call when I need help about voters who aren't in our books and also a list of instructions of where everything must go when the polls close.  Now after 16 elections I finally have a rather good idea how to use most of these and I am usually organized.  But I wonder how many precincts and judges ever get all of this done properly. And maybe I'm not doing it right either.  In all of these elections I have never had any feedback at all except when I placed some items in the wrong box after the election and also from some democrats who refused to show a photo ID.  I guess working with the public you need to expect that you will never be told that you do a good job.  The only feedback you will hear will be negative.  But elections are typical of government bureaucracy - plenty of paper work and regulations and wasted money.  My recommendations?  First, have parties conduct primaries by mail.  Second, hire somebody to devise a plan to eliminate or at least reduce all the paper work and regulations.   My personal solution?  Don't run for reelection.  That is what I have chosen.  One more election to go in November and then I will "retire".  Seventeen will be enough.  I will miss seeing many of the regular voters and I will miss working with my good team.  But that is all ... except maybe the food!  I think I'll try to take a nap.
P.S. - We had a grand total of 78 voters today!   That is less than a 4% turn-out.  Unbelievable!  For our precinct alone that is probably about $13 a voter that we taxpayers will have to pay for this election.  And that doesn't even include the costs of training, equipment, ballots, posters, rovers, technicians and election board staff.  That is a very high cost for voter apathy.  Let's not be too quick to put all the blame on government when citizens don't do their share.

Controlling Your Finances

In my last blog I shared my concern for what I see happening to so many folks who are overwhelmed with debt.  It is so sad.  I am by no means a financial expert, but there are some lessons which I've learned and applied over the decades.  I have never held a high paying job and I have often worked extra jobs to support my family.  My wife has never held a regular job outside of our home.  We've raised three boys.  God has been good to us and has always provided what we've needed.  There are some things which we have given up, but nothing that we regret. To do this we have always lived on a written budget.  Since we were married we have kept a monthly accounting of all of our expenditures and worked to keep them within our written budgeted limits for each category.  And our budget accounts each month for expenditures which may only happen once or twice a year, such as taxes, insurance, vacations, dental expenses, car replacement and repairs and Christmas.  So each month something is put aside for these expenses.  We never make purchases that can't be covered through our budget and our savings. We could never have survived our married years without this written plan which is revised annually.  And thank the Lord, we have reached our senior years without any debt, with adequate savings, and with all that we really need.  I don't know how anybody can survive today without a written plan.  There are several other practical things which we have followed as well.  We have always taken care of credit card charges within the 30 or so days allotted before any charges are added.  That has been a priority - credit card companies have never made a cent on us.  When they send us checks to borrow money, we immediately destroy them rather than be tempted to use them.  We shop for bargains and use coupons.  And a personal choice for us is that we don't frequent expensive restaurants.  Thankfully we don't have the taste for expensive meals since that would certainly blow our food budget for the month.  We have always tried to budget funds each month for savings.  As a math teacher I know the power of compound interest and so, even in the days of raising our children when we could barely afford it, we regularly put money into savings.  Now after all of that, let me come to the most important lesson that we have learned about finances.  We have always put the Lord first in our budget.  When we plan our budget, giving to the Lord's work is always the first thing that we include.  I remember talking to my dad a few times about the struggles with bills when things like medical bills and auto bills seemed so hard to predict and handle.  He advised me to take those things to the Lord while continuing to honor Him with our giving, knowing that He would answer and provide.  And He always has - especially when things seemed almost impossible from a human view.  God does not neglect His own when we trust Him and honor Him with our finances. My dad also taught me that all of our possessions really were the Lord's, not ours. That is a principle which I've never forgotten.  I wonder if maybe the checkbook might be the best test of one's spiritual condition.  Probably none of you really care about my financial experiences, but if I were ever asked to give advice to a young couple I would say put the Lord first in your finances, live on a written budget, tear up your credit cards if you can't pay them off each month, and evaluate and control your "wanters".  "Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you".  

Growing Debt

I continue to be utterly amazed at the amount of debt that folks have today.  The desire to have the best of everything, immediately, just drives so many people into debt that they will probably never pay off.  Those desires, coupled with the lack of financial sense, cripples folks and our nation as well.  Here are some alarming facts from the Employees Benefit Research Institute which illustrate the problem. (1) 28 percent of Americans - the most since the annual survey began 23 years ago - say they have no confidence in their ability to afford a comfortable retirement. (2) The survey showed that an alarming number of Americans expect to have to work well past retirement age.  (3)  59% of credit card holders carry a balance from month to month.   (4)  68% of American households live paycheck to paycheck.  (5)  The median household net worth of Americans is $57,000.  (6)  One third of retirees live on Social Security alone (average monthly social security $1,230).  If that isn't alarming enough, the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors (NAPFA) published the results of a survey about the importance of financial planning that add more light to the problem.  (1)  56% of U.S. adults lack a budget (68% live paycheck to paycheck).   (2)  40% of U.S. adults were saving less in 2012 than in 2011 (they use their credit cards for emergencies).   (3)  39% of U.S. adults have no non-retirement savings.  (4)  In 1991 only 11% of American workers expected to retire after age 65. In 2012 that percentage had risen to 37%.  Today folks are living with foreclosures, bankruptcy, huge credit card debt on several different cards, and loans which they may never be able to pay off.  For some this debt driven life begins with huge college debt in earn a degree. Many will never even find a job in their field. Then they'll spend most of their life just paying off this bill.  Often this problem explodes when couples get married.  Today they need a huge wedding ceremony with loads of flowers, expensive gowns, fancy locations, elaborate receptions, and loads of pictures.  Then they need an expensive honeymoon to some exotic location.  And suddenly they are already thousands in debt ... or maybe their parents are now deep in debt.  We were married using a borrowed gown and a regular suit in a church ceremony with flowers just for the wedding party. All who wanted to attend the wedding were welcome. A friend took our wedding pictures as his wedding gift. We had a reception in the YMCA serving  sandwiches made by the ladies from the church.  We left for our honeymoon at Watkins Glen on Saturday night and returned Monday.  And we still have wonderful memories, without any debt, and in June our marriage will have lasted 51 years.  That is a sharp contrast to what often happens today with weddings and marriages.  And if that isn't enough, today newly married couples need to immediately buy their own house and fill it with expensive furniture and, of course, purchase new cars as well.  Their parents and grandparents probably went decades until they had what many newly married couples get immediately today.  Unfortunately, today we live in a society where our "wanters" are far bigger than what most can really afford ... but there are always the credit cards and loans.  And our federal government leads and models the way to debt.  There is so much more that I would like to get off my chest on this subject - maybe I'll devote another blog or two to this topic.  In the meantime - pay off those credit cards now and evaluate and control your "wanter"!

Buckle Up!

Almost three weeks ago we were traveling south on 501 from Lititz, headed for 30.  We pulled onto the ramp, behind a van, waiting for the traffic to clear on 30, after the light changed.  When it finally changed, the lady in front of us pulled out and I pulled out.  Seconds later she jammed on her brakes - I still don't know why.  Dianne screamed and I hit the brakes to avoid an accident.  The seat belt pulled tight across Dianne's chest and she had trouble breathing.  Later I took her to the doctor who felt nothing was broken.  But a few days later the pain got worse and the doctor sent her for x-rays, all of which were negative.  It was diagnosed as a very bad bruise, even though there are no visible signs of bruising. But, despite the pain pills and muscle relaxers, the pain has continued.  She's been unable to sleep in bed for over two weeks.  Now as I write this blog there is some improvement, but she is still in pain.  I am just amazed at how much damage a seat belt can do, especially at just a couple of miles per hour.  But who knows what might have happened without the belt - maybe she would have hit the windshield, although I can't imagine that happening at that speed.  As I've searched the internet I've found that seat belt injuries are common and often very serious.  But I think the alternatives to wearing a belt can be much more serious, especially in a serious accident.  And I am amazed at the number of people of all ages who don't wear them.  I often have had to tell adults riding in my car to buckle up.  Some just won't do it or they wear them incorrectly.  Young folks often refuse to wear them - I guess they feel they are invincible.  And yet it is the law.  And folks who fail to wear them are breaking the law.  It is so sad to see born again Christians who have this attitude and willingly break the law.  When I read about auto fatalities I often look to see what it says about the use of seat belts.  Quite often the victims were not wearing their belt and that contributed to their death.  So despite this bad experience with belts, those who ride in my car will be asked to wear theirs.  First, it is the law and as a Christian willfully disobeying would be sin. And I don't want to be prosecuted for the sins of one of my passengers.  Second, despite the risks, the possible alternatives could be much worse.  So buckle up!

Helping the Unemployed

Dear employees:

As the CEO of this organization, I have resigned myself to the fact that Barack Obama is our President and that our taxes and government fees will increase and in a BIG way.  To compensate for these increases our prices would have to increase by about 10%.  But since we cannot increase our prices right now, due to the dismal state of the economy, we will have to lay off sixty of our employees instead.  This has really been bothering me since I believe that we are family here and I didn't know how to choose who would have to go.

So, this is what I did.  I walked through our parking lot and found sixty Obama bumper stickers on our emploees' cars and I decided that these folks will be the ones to be let go.  I can't think of a more fair way to approach this problem.  They voted for change ... I gave it to them.

I will see the rest of you at the annual company picnic.

Now if this letter were true, it would be both funny and sad.  And what would you say to a person who voted for Obama and then lost his job?  Well, here are ten things that you might share with such a person.

1. "Hey, at least that successful Mormon businessman didn't win."
2.  "At least you can still buy and use marijuana since he won't enforce the federal laws against it."
3. "Look at the bright side. Gay marriage passed in four states and he won't enforce the federal marriage laws."
4. "Hey, Big Bird still has a job. Isn't that the important thing?"
5. "I am sure Obama cares deeply about your situation. Maybe he'll send you a postcard from Hawaii."
6. "Well, look at the bright side. Rush Limbaugh is getting a tax increase."
7. "You won't have to worry about not getting social security or medicare.  He won't cut it and the bill for that will be the responsibility of your children, your grandchildren, your great grandchildren, your great-great grandchildren and future generations."
8. "Isn't it worth losing your job just to know that religious organizations now have to pay for abortions and contraceptives?" 
9.  You'll have medical insurance.  Hopefully the insurance that you will be required to purchase won't cost too much or maybe your fine will at least be less than your unemployment insurance.  
10.  "Forward!"   

Now I'm sure that you have some comments that could be added to this list so why don't you include them as comments to this blog.  It would be interesting to read what you think.