At The Right Time

          It never ceases to amaze me how suddenly a passage of scripture that you have read dozens of times jumps out at you - just when you need it.  This recently was the case once again for me during a time of discouragement and concern in my life.  As I was having my daily devotions the Lord led me to the familiar words of Psalm 73, verses 23-26, and it was the truth and encouragement that I needed at that time.
          "... I am continually with you."  Each of us face times when we feel alone, sometimes even with people all around us.  Sometimes we have physical problems but our doctor is on vacation or he doesn't have appointments for several weeks.  Sometimes we have major decisions to make and wish that there was somebody there to make it for us. Sometimes we have burdens that we don't want to share even with those who are close to us, often for fear of burdening them.  Sometimes the night hours just never seem to pass.  But thankfully, the Lord is always there.  He has promised never to leave us and He doesn't.  He doesn't go on vacation or have office hours - no waiting in line. The older I get, the more I appreciate the reality of His constant presence and I find myself spending more time sharing with Him than ever before.
          "you hold my right hand."   There is something very special and comforting about holding the hand of a loved one and here the Psalmist reminds us that God holds our hand.  And we who are right handed fully understand the importance of the right hand - it is the one we write with, the one we use to eat, the one we use so often for key things in our daily life.  By holding our right hand we are reminded that He is always there to control what we do, if we allow Him to do so.
          "You guide me with your counsel."  Oh how I need the Lord's counsel and guidance daily.   Life can be tough when you try to go it alone.  Psalm 32:8, "I will instruct  you and teach you in the way which you should go, I will guide you with my eye."  My high school counselors and my college advisors left much to be desired when it came to good counsel.  My God's guidance through the Word, through prayer and through circumstances controlled by Him is always perfect and needed.
          "and afterward you will receive me to glory."  Sometimes that hope is what keeps one going - the assurance that at the end of this earthly road, He will receive us to glory.  What a precious promise.
          "Whom have I in heaven but you?"   Now I admit that I struggle a little with this phrase as well as the one that follows. I have many friends and family members in heaven.  And I look forward to being reunited with them.  But they can't assure my destiny or my entrance into heaven.  It is only through the Son of God, in heaven, that the payment for my entrance has been made.  He is the only one there that can guarantee my place.  My name is written in His Book of Life.
          "and there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you."  I also struggle with this, especially since I have family members still here on earth that I love and desire to be with.  But even they pale in the light of heaven where we will one day be reunited.  I've had my share of honors and they are soon forgotten.  I have been blessed with possessions, but they decay and become worthless.  "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal"  Matthew 6:19, 20. Our real treasures are in heaven, not here on earth.
          "My flesh and my heart may fail"  I can really relate to this statement, especially after recent open heart surgery.  As we get older we may joke about how we've slowed down and how many doctors we have seen.  But it is true, as we age our bodies do fail, no matter what we do.  They are just tents designed to clothe us before we receive our permanent perfect bodies.  And so we can endure these circumstances knowing what is just ahead.
          "But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever."  What a profound and perfect testimony.  Over my years of being His child I have continually experienced His strength.  And indeed, He is my portion ... forever!
          Possibly this passage may comfort and encourage you as it did me.  Praise the Lord for His Word and His mercies which are new every morning.   Great is His faithfulness!

My Favorites Over The Years

          Television continues to be a big part of most people's lives, maybe too big for many.  However, the programming has changed over the years and it is getting harder to find good shows to watch, especially for families.
          When it comes to what I view, I will admit that my favorite things to watch are sporting events.  Of course, number one would be Penn State football.  Next might be the college football play-offs and a bowl game, especially  if Penn State is in it.  Next would be the NCAA basketball tournament, from the play-in games to the national championship.  The NFL play-offs also rank high for me.  Sometimes the Eagles and Phillies might be next, depending upon what types of seasons they are having.  Oh yes, then every four years I love the summer Olympics.  I can't get too excited about pro basketball, soccer, hockey or tennis.  But once in awhile a good golf tournament will attract my interest.
         Now there have been many other non sport shows which I have enjoyed over 60+ years of television watching.  Wow, that is a long time.  I wonder how many hours I've invested (or wasted) during all those years.  I guess that I really don't want to know the answer to that. I've had a few favorites over the years.  Here are 12 of them, in no particular order.
         When I think of the early days of television I think of Sid Ceasar and Imogene Coca and a few other comedians on what I think was called The Show of Shows.   It was genuine, clean comedy at its best.  But those were different times.
         About that time there was a weekly music show which might have been titled the Hit Parade.  The show featured various artists singing the top ten songs of the week, starting from number ten up to number one.  In those days the music was good, singable and easy to listen to and I really enjoyed their presentations.  I think it might have been a Saturday night show - but that was a few decades ago.
          And then who could skip I Love Lucy, the best of the comedy shows, whose reruns are still featured today.  Lucille Ball was one of the best, if not the best, of the comedians.  Her programs where she crushed grapes and packed candy are classics.
          Recently I have actually learned to enjoy watching the reruns of MASH.  I never really watched the show when it was originally shown, but I have recently learned to enjoy it.  I understand it was Joe Paterno's favorite show, for whatever that is worth.
          Two classic family comedy series rank among my favorites.  First there is Home Improvement, with Tim Allen.  It was a hilarious comedy as "Tim the Toolman" dealt with his family and his television show.  Good clean show with lots of laughs.  Then there also was Everybody Loves Raymond.  What a great cast that worked so well together to produce hilarious family situations that made you laugh.  I was sorry to see this show end and I still enjoy watching the reruns and laughing at the family relationships.  I recently saw the one where the mother drove the car into Raymond's living room.  Too funny!  Why aren't their more funny family shows like these today?.
          Then there are the detective type shows.  NCIS certainly ranks high in my book for entertainment.  Some of its spin-offs are also fine, but not quite as good as the original.  I would also rank Blue Bloods just as high.  The story of the commissioner of the New York City police and his family is always interesting and filled with situations which the police and city actually face today.  And the emphasis on family and good ethics is commendable in my opinion.  I might also put Scorpion in this ranking, although it is still too new to know how long it can keep up its popularity.  With very high IQ's, this young team is sent to solve all sorts of impossible problems.
          In another category I would place The Amazing Race and America's Got Talent.  In the Race we get to see pictures of exciting places all over the world and the contestants are called upon to do all sorts of amazing and difficult challenges.  It is an amazing production.  In the talent show people demonstrate all sorts of skills and talents in an attempt to win a million dollars.  I think it is an exciting competition with both crazy and talented competitors.
          Now I've saved my favorite to last.  I have always enjoyed the funny episodes of Hogan's Heroes.  I've watched the shows once, twice and probably three times and have never tired of watching Hogan battle the Germans with Sgt. Schultz and Col. Klink.  The war would have ended sooner if the Germans really would have been that stupid.  Presently I stay up to watch the 10:30 showing on ME TV, every weeknight, and I just hope they never take it off the air.  It's always good for 30 minutes of laughing.
          Now, even though it is probably worth nothing, there are my favorite 12.  But it was very hard to narrow it down and in doing so I've left out shows like Happy Days, Laugh In, Castle, Mission Impossible, the A Team, Duck Dynasty, Get Smart, Dick Van Dyke Show, Madam Secretary, Candid Camera and many others.
          There have been many good shows over the years.  However, I am finding it more difficult to find good ones today, especially comedy shows.  It is sad that shows today need to include sex, to put down fathers, to feature violence, and to promote gay and lesbian lifestyles.  Oh for the good old days when comedy was clean and family values were portrayed.  But that is just another sad part of the times that we live in.
          So what are your favorites?   

Television

          I  love the Fall and I get excited as it approaches.  I look forward to the cooler temperatures, the colored leaves, football and the end of summer television reruns.    
         Actually, I am old enough to remember the days before television reruns and even television itself.  I remember when all we had was a radio and we would gather around it to listen to all sorts of shows.  I especially enjoyed the comedians such as Amos and Andy,  Bob Hope, Red Skeleton, Jack Benny, Milton Berle and Fibber McKee and Molly.  And there were the cowboys such as Tom Mix, the Lone Ranger, Gene Autry and Roy Rogers.  And there was a children's program that I never missed on Saturday morning, but I can't recall its name.  I do remember that it used "The Teddy Bears' Picnic" as a theme and had Buster Brown Shoes as an advertiser.
          The other thing I remember about radio is that the baseball games were not usually broadcast live.  An announcer would sit in a radio studio and read the play by play from a ticker tape as he received it.  That would be boring today, but it was exciting then to a young baseball fan.
          Television broadcasting began in my lifetime, in the early 1940's. It is estimated that in 1947 there were 40 million radios but only 44,000 televisions.  It was also estimated that 34,000 of these were in New York City.  By 1949 there were TV networks from New York to the Mississippi River and then by 1951 they stretched to the west coast.  It is interesting to me that in 1949 our local television station, WGAL-TV, went on the air and was the first station in Pennsylvania.  And so we sort of grew up together.
          We had friends, the Sheffys, who owned an appliance store in Lititz and they had the first television set in Lancaster County. They were charter members of our church. We loved to visit them and watch pro wrestling on their black and white set.
          Finally, probably when I was in third grade, we purchased our first set.  I remember getting up on Saturday mornings and when the test pattern finally went off, I would watch Covered Wagon Theater.  Of course there were also kid's shows such as Howdy Doody, and Kukla Fran and Ollie, and we never missed them. At night, when the station signed off for the day, they would play The National Anthem.
          When I was in junior high, the Sheffys had a big anniversary sale at their store in Lititz.  They had several very special bargains for the first shoppers.  My brother and I went to the store early in the morning to get in line.  Our early morning efforts were rewarded by the purchase of a ten inch television for ... nine cents!  Somehow we got it home and put it in the bedroom which we shared. We had arrived! That was one of the best bargains that I ever made and it is a great memory.
          I think WGAL began to broadcast in color about 1954, but it was years later when we finally switched to color.  My dad was working as an engineer at RCA and one of his coworkers built a set for him.  It came in a large cabinet which we are still using in our living room today.
          Maybe I'll talk about my favorite shows in another blog, but there are three events that I watched on television that I will never forget. There was the day that I was teaching and we were interrupted by an announcement that President Kennedy had been shot.  This brought a silence throughout the school that I will never forget.  For the next week we sat in front of the TV watching the funeral and the surrounding sad events.  And, while I was watching on live television, I was stunned as Lee Harvey Oswald was assassinated.  I will never forget that picture.
          A few years later we were living in Tallahassee, Florida, as I attended Florida State University for a semester.  My parents and my sister came to visit us there and together we watched the first moon landing and the first man walking on the moon.  Spectacular and memorable. 
          Then a few years ago I was prepping for my second block class.  I had the television in the room turned on and was watching the news.  Suddenly they broke in with the news that a plane had crashed into the towers in New York City.  Then I watched as the second plane also crashed into it.  The remainder of the day I watched the news with my classes who sat in stunned silence.  Another day that I will never forget.
          There is no doubt that television has changed the world and made it smaller.  I'm not sure that all the changes are good, but it has become an integral part of the changing world that we live in.  Modern technology is now doing the same thing.
          A few days after I had written this blog, somebody sent me an interesting poem that those over 55 might enjoy.  You younger readers will have no idea what this means.  So, seniors, enjoy!

You could hardly see for all the snow,

Spread the rabbit ears as far as they go. 

Pull a chair up to the TV set, 

"Good night, David; Good night, Chet".

Dependin' on the channel you tuned

You got Rob and Laura or Ward and June.

It felt so good, felt so right.

Life looked better in black and white.

I Love Lucy, The Real McCoys,

Dennis the Menace, the Cleaver boys,

Rawhide, Gunsmoke, Wagon Train,

Superman, Jimmy & Lois Lane.

Father Knows Best, Patty Duke,

Rin Tin Tin and Lassie too,

Donna Reed on Thursday night -

Life looked better in black and white.

I wanna go back to black and white.

Everything always turned out right.

Simple people, simple lives;

Good guys always won the fights

Now nothing is the way it seems

In living color on the TV screen.

Too many murders, too much fight,

I wanna go back to black and white.

In God they trusted, in bed they slept.

A promise made was a promise kept.

They never cussed or broke their vows;

They'd never make the network now.

But if I could, I'd rather be

In a TV town in '53.

It felt so good, felt so right;

Life looked better in black and white.

I'd trade all the channels on the satellite

If I could just turn back the clock tonight

To when everybody knew wrong from right.

Life was better in black and white!

"Deja vu all over again"

          The famous baseball player, Yogi Berra, is said to have remarked  "It's like déjà vu all over again."  And sometimes life seems like that as we go through the various seasons of life.
          It seems like only yesterday that we sent our three boys off to their first days of school.  Like most parents, we experienced both the fears as well as the great expectations of what would lie ahead for them in the years to come.  And they were good years with many good memories.  Those days were filled with busy schedules.  We attended their concerts, their athletic contests, parents' nights, award nights and all of the special events that are part of school years.  And we prayed. But those years passed so quickly and before we knew it we were attending graduations.
          Then it happened all over again.  This time it was starting college and jobs and we watched our boys begin another chapter in their lives.  Again we faced both the fears and the excitement of new adventures and I guess we prayed even harder.  But those days also passed so quickly. More memories.  And this time there were graduations, promotions and weddings.
          But there was soon a third phase which this time involved grandchildren.  We joyfully welcomed them and they enriched our lives.  We had prayed for them long before they were born and we've never stopped.  This phase involved preschools, often with concerts and programs.  But once again time passed quickly and soon we were watching them go off to school for the first time.  And soon their were more concerts, plays, games and award presentations.  These made us so proud and enriched our lives.  But these years are also passing so quickly and now we have begun to experience cycles of graduation once again  Four of our seven grandchildren are now out of high school.
          Then came another cycle - college for our grandchildren.  And our prayers for them  increased.  These can be the best years of one's life, but they can also be the most challenging.  Selecting a college and a major and then paying for it can be very stressful.  There are many new challenges to one's beliefs and new temptations.  Four of our seven are in various stages of this phase and it has been fun to watch them and pray for them.  Their paths have each been a little different, although three chose to attend Lebanon Valley College.  One of them is actually studying this semester in Spain and we have increased our prayer coverage for her.
          And while we are still involved in these last two phases, we have begun another one.  One of our grandsons has graduated from college and is now teaching and working on his doctorate in chemistry at Penn State.  Within two years we expect that two more of them will join him as college graduates, entering this next phase of their lives.  And we will continue to pray for each of them, and, as we have done for many years, for their possible future spouses.
          God has been so good to us and has answered so many prayers concerning our children and grandchildren.  These years have not been without some difficult challenges but they have been filled with good memories and much joy.  But time flies by so quickly.  We don't know if we will live long enough to experience more of these phases, but as long as we are able we will continue to pray and trust the Lord.
          Growing old can be tough at times, but it is made a little easier when we remember how faithful God has been in answering prayers and providing what is needed.  And remembering His presence and faithfulness in the various phases of life can give one the courage and confidence to keep going, knowing that God continues to hear and answer our prayers.  And He allows us to be intercessors for our family as well as for others.  And we are never too old for that ministry.

Be Careful What You Think

          Things aren't always the way we think they are.  This certainly is illustrated by the following story which somebody sent to me.  Enjoy!
          A young Marine and his commanding officer board a train headed to a recruiting mission.  They can find no place to sit except for two seats right across the aisle from a young woman and her grandmother. After a while, it is obvious that the young woman and the young Marine are interested in each other because they are giving each other "looks."  
         Soon the train passes into a tunnel and it is pitch black. There is a sound of the smack of a kiss followed by the sound of the smack of a slap. When the train emerges from the tunnel, the four sit there without saying a word. 
         The grandmother is thinking to herself: "It was very brash for that young Marine to kiss my granddaughter, but I'm glad she slapped him." 
         The commanding officer is sitting there thinking:  "I didn't think the young Marine was brave enough to kiss the girl, but I sure wish she hadn't missed him when she slapped and hit me!" 
          The young woman was sitting and thinking:  "I'm glad the Marine kissed me, but I wish my grandmother had not slapped him!" 
          The young Marine sat there with a satisfied smile on his face.  He thought to himself:  "Life is good.  When does a guy have the chance to kiss a beautiful girl and slap his commanding officer all at the same time?!"

The Little Things

          If you are like me, you tend to be thankful for the big things that happen in your life.  But there are so many "little" things that aren't really little, but we routinely accept them and take them for granted. We tend not to think about these things until they go wrong or are missing.
          For example, you need to go somewhere and your car starts.  We come to expect that and don't think about saying "thank you Lord!".  But if it doesn't start that creates a problem and we may begin to pray that it might start or for wisdom to get help.  The same thing happens when we drive hundreds of miles without a breakdown.  Today we just expect that.  But, then, suddenly, ...
          We drive around town and take trips, safely, without even thinking about it.  And yet many are injured or even killed in auto accidents, often even close to home.  We always pray before taking long trips, but seldom think about doing that for short ones.
         Now we have a well, not public water as most folks do today.  Hundreds of times a day the pump provides us with water to meet our every need.  And we never think about it until the day that the pump wears out.  Then we have no water to drink, wash or even flush our toilets.  Then we think about the well and begin to pray.  And even if you don't have a well, I think most of us just take water for granted. We use it throughout the day without much thought, maybe until there is a drought.
          And while talking about pumps, we have water problems in our basement and a sump pump is necessary to protect the things in our basement.  And it normally does its job, until the pump burns out or the electricity goes off. Then we need to scramble to get the buckets to try to keep ahead of the water by hand.  And believe me that has happened to us a few times.
          Speaking about electricity, how we take that for granted until a storm cuts it off.  Then we really miss it and all sorts of problems can result, such as rotting food in our refrigerators and freezers.  And those appliances we also take for granted until they suddenly go bad and we either hustle to replace them and protect the contents or we lose it all.  Do we ever stop to be thankful for electricity or for vital appliances when they operate daily as expected?
          In the winter, when the temperature drops below freezing, and the cold winds are blowing, we really depend upon our furnace to keep us warm and comfortable.  And even though we may have repair contracts, being out of heat, even for several hours, can be very difficult.
          Then, when I wake up to several feet of snow, I am thrilled when my snow blower starts, and,fortunately, most times it has.   But I should be thankful for that.  I'm no longer able to shovel and it is difficult and even dangerous to be snowbound without any help.
          There are just so many things we take for granted every day.  What about our freedom to worship, to travel, to select from vast supplies of food, to work, to go to school, to vote, to read what we want, to use the internet, to express ourselves, and on and on and on?   There seems to be no limit to the small, but important things, that we take for granted and seldom express our thanks for them.
          Now what made me think about this?  Actually, the excessive heat that we have been living with in recent weeks.  I am so thankful for air conditioning.  As I mentioned in a previous blog, (June 29), we did recently lose our ac for about 24 hours.  But it wasn't too hot then.  We would have really suffered if our ac had decided to take an unexpected  vacation in the last few weeks.  Thankfully it didn't.
          Thank you, Lord, for the blessing of so many "little" things that I so often take for granted.  And, thank you, that all things are under your control.

August Traditions

          There are some things that you can always count on when August rolls around ... for example, hot and humid weather, thunderstorms, football practice, fresh corn, tomatoes, back to school sales, zinnias and sunflowers.  Daylight begins to decrease and hints of fall begin to appear.
           But a few things can change. Enjoying my crop of ripe tomatoes has become a thing of the past, even though I had enjoyed this for decades.  If you  are a regular reader of my blogs you might recall that last year I gave up digging a plot and growing loads of great tomatoes - it just became too much work for me (June 2015).  So instead I tried using special growing boxes which cost me a small fortune.  But all my tomatoes developed a rot and we had none to eat (July 2015).  What a disappointment.
          So I contacted the company that sold me these growing boxes and they said I had to add another chemical which they sold to me.  I tried it once again with just three plants.  The results were the same, although we did salvage two to eat.  I contacted the company again and they said that I need to add several more things.  I said forget it.  You've gotten my hard earned money twice. In the future the local garden stands will get my money.  So I guess my new August tradition will be buying tomatoes someone else has grown.

          Then there are some summer events which I wish wouldn't happen.  One of these is the annual return of the cicadas.   And they are back.  And along with them come the cicada killers which seem to have adopted our yard (Aug 2013).  They dig tunnels to bury their captured cicadas and these make our backyard look like a battle ground.  And they have also appeared again although they don't seem to be quite as numerous this year.  They are interesting to observe but they are destructive.  I just wish they would choose somebody else's yard to attack.
          But this August one of my favorite things has returned.  It comes back every four years - the Olympics.  And we are enjoying the action  Thanks to NBC almost all of the events can be watched on television, from morning to night.
          So far I have especially enjoyed the women's gymnastics.  The U.S. women had probably the best team ever and they whipped everybody else.  Each member was spectacular and one has to wonder how these women can jump and twist and tumble as they do.   It takes all that I can do just to get out of my chair when they are done.
           Suprisingly I have also enjoyed the hockey probably because the team trained just a few miles from here and one of the players came from the high school  (Penn Manor) where I taught and another came from the one where I went to high school (Warwick).  I never have enjoyed hockey, but this has been exciting to watch. The blue field makes it more interesting because you can now follow the ball.  These girls are very skilled and well trained. I don't know how far they will go, but I hope they can at least earn a medal.
          Volleyball has always been one of my favorite sports.  There have been many exciting matches so far with some tough ones still ahead.  But I really like the beach volleyball.  That is a demanding sport which is very challenging to play and fun to watch.  I also enjoy the basketball although since most of the players for most of the teams are professionals it does detract a little from my interest.
         And of course there is the swimming.  I'm not a big swimming fan but it is easy to get caught up in all the hype that is involved in these events, especially when they involve Michael Phelps.  The events have been filled with close finishes and record smashing performances.  And I find these events amazing because I can barely float, let alone do all these different strokes without drowning.
          Then there is diving, soccer, judo, fencing, rugby, golf, tennis, archery, biking and many more events which I guess are interesting to some but don't rank too high in my interest.  I do miss softball and I understand that they are bringing that back - in four years.
          However, the Olympics don't really start for me until this weekend when track and field finally begin.  To me this is the most exciting part of the Olympics, maybe because I coached and judged these events for many years.  So let the excitement begin!
          I guess the other thing that I like about August is the anticipation of what comes next - the Fall with football, especially Penn State football, cooler temperature and beautiful Fall leaves.  Bring it on, I am ready!

          

Fast-Food Restaurants

          Believe it or not, I remember well the days when there weren't fast food restaurants anywhere around us ... with the exception of a Dairy Queen where as teens we liked to hang out and enjoy a snack.  A McDonalds finally opened in the Lancaster area and was very successful.  I recall when I was attending Susquehanna University I wished that I had the money to open one on the busy stretch between Selinsgrove and Sunbury where there were none.  If I had made that investment then I'd probably be very rich today for now that stretch is packed with such places to eat.
          But which one do you think is the most popular today?   Many would probably guess McDonald's since they can be found in almost every town, coast to coast.  But I was surprised to find that they placed at the bottom of the annual American Customer Satisfaction index report for limited-service (fast-food and fast-casual) restaurants.  The chain also scored lower than any restaurant in the full-service category.
          The only positive for the chain may be that while it came in last place, as it did in 2015, it did improve its score. In 2015 McDonald's nabbed a 67 on the 100-point scale, down 6% from the previous year. This year the fast-food company climbed to a 69 -- still bad enough to earn the least-liked restaurant title -- but up 3% over the year before.
           "Fast casual restaurants like Panera Bread are raising the bar on quality, and we're seeing higher quality industry wide, which is driving the boost in customer satisfaction," ACSI Managing Director David VanAmburg told The Motley Fool in an email. "McDonald's has long been the face of fast food, and it's more challenging for a company with such a massive footprint to change with the times. They're fighting brand fatigue, but seem to have found some traction with their all-day breakfast."
         "Americans are now spending more money dining out than shopping for groceries," ACSI Chairman Claes Fornell said in a press release. "Fast food restaurants appear to be capitalizing on this trend more than full-service restaurants, maintaining the lower prices and speedy service that has long defined the industry, while also appealing to health-conscious consumers via more diverse offerings and higher-quality ingredients."  
          Now guess who had and kept the number one ranking - Chick-fil-A, my favorite.  Their rating was 87,  Second was Papa John's - 82, 3. Little Caesars and Panera Bread - 81, 5. Arby's, Dunkin' Donuts and Subway - 80, 8. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Domino's  and KFC - 78, 11. Pizza Hut - 77, 12. Burger King - 76, 13. Starbucks and Taco Bell - 75, 15. Jack in the Box - 74, and 16. McDonald's - 69.   The ACSI report is based on 4,786 customer surveys collected in March 2016.  
          Now this group isn't the only one that surveys folks about their preferences.  USA Today recently did a similar survey.   Here are its top ten.  1. Chick-fil-A,  2. Chipotle Mexican Grill,  3. Panera Bread,  4. Papa John's,  5. Pizza Hut,  6. Dunkin'' Donuts,  7. Subway,  8. Domino's Pizza,  9. Little Caesars,   10. Starbucks.  Notice the ones that are missing from their top ten.
           Sometimes customer service and food are responsible for the larger profits.  Chick-fil-A made the biggest profit last year at $2.85 million.  This is despite the fact that they are closed on Sundays, have faced protests and boycotts from liberals, and have fewer stores that many popular chains.
          Then, again, sometimes poor customer service and food can still produce large profits.  McDonald's, despite their poor rankings, had the third highest profit at $2.5 million.  But then compare how many more restaurants they operate coast to coast.  And who was second in profits?  You'll probably never guess it - Krispy Kreme Doughnuts at $2.57 million.  A Krispy Kreme doughnut would taste so good right now, but they are no longer on my "heart healthy" diet.
           Well I concur with the satisfaction ratings.  We love Chick-fil-A and stop there whenever we are close to one - in Reading or Nazareth when we travel to Pinebrook or in Ocean City, Md, when we are on vacation.  At home we often travel 30 minutes to York to eat at one.   We used to eat at Wendy's most Sundays, but as a result of some very bad service we don't frequent there anymore.  Arby's and Burger King still get some business from us, although we really shouldn't be eating much of their food anymore.  But who really keeps to a strict diet?
          Incidentally, my second favorite, Culvers, didn't appear on these lists, probably because I think it is only located in the midwest.  It's a great store, with a good menu and employees who are kind and helpful.  It is our favorite place to eat when we travel to Wisconsin.  I would love it if they would move east.  Then it would be a toss-up between them and Chick-fil-A.  But maybe it could be Chick-fil-A during the week and Culvers on Sundays.  Now that would be a great plan.

Have A Laugh!

          There isn't too much worse in the summer than summer television viewing with all of its reruns. Unless of course you decide to include daytime television, which is always poor year round, or watching the Philadelphia Phillies stumble.   Maybe the summer Olympics will at least provide a fresh and exciting option this summer.
          However there is one summer show that we really enjoy watching and that is "America's Got Talent".   Sometimes the talent shown is outstanding and unique and very entertaining.  But then there are some acts which are really very poor and they usually quickly get the "four X's" from the judges and are sent home.
          Earlier this summer there was a female contestant whose objective was to make everyone laugh.  She did this by laughing herself throughout her complete audition.  And then she tried to sing a song whose lyrics were all laughing.  She didn't last long and quickly was eliminated by the judges who weren't too impressed or even amused.
          However the audition did remind me of three other situations that involved singing and laughing.  The first is a number by George Younce of the Cathedrals.  Now George was an excellent singer and the Cathedrals in their day were exceptional.   And I guess George's laughing song was to be cute and folks apparently did enjoy it and laughed along.  I guess I thought it was different.  Had he been on "America's Got Talent" he would have also gotten the "four X's" - that is like getting the gong on the old "The Gong TV Show".  If you would like to hear George's song, here is a link to it.  LAUGH1
          But my other two memories of laughing while singing did not happen on purpose.  When I was in elementary school my grandfather was pastor of a large church in Bethlehem and I often stayed with my grandparents at times in the summer.  My uncle was also a pastor, but he was pastoring a small mission church in Trenton, New Jersey.  In the summer his church often held tent meetings with the hope of reaching new people.
          One summer while I was visiting my grandparents, the Bethlehem congregation took a Gospel team to conduct one of the tent services in Trenton.  The team included a women's trio.  My grandfather was to preach.  And since I was visiting that week with my grandparents, they took me along to the tent meeting.
          During the service the women's trio started to sing when suddenly several flying insects were attracted by the lights.  They started flying around the heads of the singers who tried to swat them and wave them away while singing.  But soon their singing turned to laughing and they were just unable to stop laughing.   It is strange how the picture of an event that happened over 60 years ago can still remain in one's mind.
          The third incident also happened many years ago.  I was part of a male quartet in our church that included Tom Bowman, Pastor Thomann, Mark Guthrie and myself.  One morning we began to sing "A Little Talk With Jesus".  In case you don't know it, here are the words.

(1)    I once was lost in sin, but Jesus took me in,

And then a little light from heaven filled my soul;

It bathed my heart in love and wrote my name above,

And just a little talk with Jesus makes me whole.

Chorus:

Now let us, Have a little talk with Jesus,

Let us, tell Him all about our troubles,

He will, Hear our faintest cry,

And He will, answer by and by;

Now when you, Feel a little prayer wheel turning,

And you, know a little fire is burning.

You will, Find a little talk with Jesus makes it right.

(2)     Sometimes my path seems drear, without a ray of cheer,

And then a cloud of doubt may hide the light of day;

The mists of sin may rise and hide the starry skies,

But just a little talk with Jesus clears the way.    Chorus

(3)     I may have doubts and fears, my eyes be filled with tears,

But Jesus is a friend who watches day and night;

I go to Him in prayer, He knows my every care,

And Just a little talk with Jesus makes it right.     Chorus

          We were doing well until we hit the second verse when we all suddenly struggled with the phrase "and then a cloud of doubt".  Together we burst out laughing at our mistake and we just couldn't stop.  It was embarrassing, but funny.  I don't remember if we ever finished the song or not, but I will never forget that phrase and that experience.
          Incidentally, here is a video of another quartet which had some trouble and fun trying to sing the same number. Maybe you'll enjoy their experience.    LAUGH2
          Well I guess we have all had situations, maybe not singing, which have made us laugh uncontrollably.  If you haven't, you don't know what you have missed.  And the scripture does remind us, in Proverbs 17:22,  "A cheerful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones."   I hope you have a cheerful heart today and can find something good to laugh about.
          P.S.  Maybe you'd also enjoy this music video.   LAUGH3

Pinebrook

        For as long as I can remember, my family would spend a week each summer at our church camp, Mizpah Grove, in Allentown.  There we would live in a tent with a wooden floor and straw filled beds.  We would go a central location for showers and to use the restroom.  We would cook our own meals to save money and most of our days were spent attending services - morning, afternoon and night.  Other than shuffleboard and softball there was really nothing else to do.  I also worked there several summers in the camp store, getting the camp ready and tearing it down.  It wasn't very luxurious, but we loved it and it was a big part of our Christian growth.
         When we were married we continued to go there until the Grove was finally sold and our denomination purchased the old Pinebrook Bible Conference facilities near Stroudsburg.  That camp was actually started in 1933 by evangelist Percy Crawford.  In its early days it was the place to go and top speakers, such as Billy Graham, were part of the program.  Thousands came to know the Lord there and many dedicated their lives to His service.  We continue to meet folks whose lives were changed by the ministry there over the years.
         But upon Percy's sudden death, the camp was closed and put up for sale.  During those years the facilities really deteriorated.  Plumbing and electricity were bad.  Buildings were old and in need of repair.  And so when the Bible Fellowship Church bought it in 1968, it really was in terrible shape.  Over the years many, many improvements have been made but many more are still needed.  But today most of those things are very expensive to do.
         When the BFC took over and began to run programs, we began going there in the summers and have done so ever since.  For about 25 years we provided the children's ministry there for up to three weeks each summer.  We often had 100 or more children, K-6, for two hours twice a day.  Then, for many years, Dianne played the piano or organ for the adult services and I often served as worship leader.  We continue to attend there two weeks each summer, now as part of our vacation.
         In recent years we have led 40 different hymn sings at Pinebrook on Fridays in the Spring and Fall.  Since 2003 it has been our joy to also serve as worship leaders for the week long Senior Saints Retreat each October.  This has become our favorite Pinebrook event and all seniors should join us for a great week.
         Like most Bible conferences today, Pinebrook struggles to keep going.  It is very expensive to staff and run such a program all year. New facilities are terribly expensive. Pinebrook depends on booking retreats throughout the year as well as on contributions from friends and churches.  Unfortunately, the Bible Fellowship churches have not supported the program very well in terms of both finances and attendance.  Part of this poor support is because today folks would rather go to Disney or to the shore than to a Bible conference.  Today people have money and other desires for their family vacations. A Bible conference is not a priority for younger generations.
        Another problem is that the rooms are not Marriott quality.  Many improvements have been made over the years.  But since the majority of the year the rooms are used for youth retreats in particular, it limits what can be done with the rooms.  All rooms do have private baths and AC, but many also include several bunk beds which are needed for the retreats.  And teens are often very tough on the rooms.
        But there are many things which still make Pinebrook a favorite with us.  We have made so many good friends there over the years, especially from Delaware, New Jersey, New York, Ohio and Connecticut.  We look forward to seeing them year after year.  Having good Christian friends is a real blessing, something you won't get at Disney.
       Our boys are now grown, but it is a tremendous place to bring your children.  There are special programs geared to all ages.  The grounds are safe with much to do.  And what a pleasure to expose them for a week to Biblical teaching and fun.
       Each summer week also offers excellent Bible teaching for adults.  But the program is not so structured that you must attend each service if you wish to visit the many area Pocono attractions or go shopping on your vacation. 
       There are also many social and recreational activities provided for those who wish to participate in them.   In addition to swimming, shuffleboard, basketball, softball, volleyball and pickle ball, there are hikes to the Delaware Gap as well as talent shows and other events.
      And the food is excellent.  Three great meals are provided each day and there is a final banquet.  The only bad thing about the meals is that you are bound to gain weight throughout the week, unless you are very disciplined.  And if you go elsewhere you could easily spend over $900 a week just to feed a family of four for three comparable meals each day.
      Finally, Pinebrook is very economical.  A family of four can attend for a week, with full meals, for about $1,250.  Bible Fellowship Church members  can take their family for less than a $1,000 a week.  I checked some comparable rates ar other well known Bible conferences in New York, Maryland, and New Jersey.  For the same family size their rates are about $2,400, $2,720 and $1,790.   These are significant differences but I guess there are reasons that many folks are willing to pay the differences in charges to attend there.  Sometimes I guess tradition can make a big difference in what one chooses.
      Anyway, we love Pinebrook and enjoy going there.  And as long as the Lord allows us to do so, we hope to continue being involved in this special ministry with its rich heritage for thousands of believers.  We'd love to have you join us!

          

Senior Observations

          Recently I took some time to think about some of the lessons I have been learning in my senior years.  Now I wouldn't call these lessons wisdom, but some might be worth consideration by others.
          1.    Every morning when you get awake thank the Lord for giving you one more day here on earth and ask Him to help you use these hours wisely for Him. No matter how you feel, appreciate this gift to you. Life is short and we don't know if we will have another day to do so.  We don't know what a day may bring.
         2.    If you have a doctor who listens and cares or a friend who listens and cares, you are truly fortunate.  Such folks are few and far between.  Doctors are too busy and true friends are scarce.  Thank the Lord if He has given you one.
          3.    Everybody has problems which they are facing.  Some are very open about them, others are very private and seldom share them with others.   But they exist.   Don't ask someone "how are you doing?" unless you really care and are willing to listen.
          4.    As we get older we do have less energy and physical problems become a handicap.  It becomes easy to back out of things, but that often is not a good idea.  Sometimes you just need to "suck it up" and do your best.  But a few good naps can help.
         5.    Money is important for paying the bills and helping to support the Lord's work.  But the older your get, spending it on yourself begins to lose the luster it once had.
          6.    The longer you live the more examples you have of God's faithfulness to you.  We shouldn't live in the past, but at times it is good to remember how He has led and provided for you over the years.   It helps renew your confidence that He will be faithful and not leave you in the challenges that are still ahead.
          7.   The older I get the more I appreciate and miss the old hymns that speak about heaven.  I guess the closer you get to heaven the more relevant it is to you.  I wish we talked about it and sang about it much more today.
          8.   The older I get the more I become interested in the history of my family.  I develop more and more questions that I wish I had asked my parents and relatives while they were alive.  But as a youngster I took those things for granted and probably wasn't very observant.  And now that I am older and interested there is nobody around any more with the answers.  Sometimes I think we grow interested in our heritage too late in life.
          9.    Watching your grandchildren grow can be both fun and challenging.  In some ways it is harder than raising your own children because you can only be an observer and encourager and they are facing a much different world than you or your children faced.  I believe that you pray more often and even more earnestly than you might have for your own children.  But, on the other hand, Christian grandparents can have a profound influence on their grandchildren by their Christian walk, attitude and encouragement.  Don't ever underestimate the power and importance of that influence.
          10.   Expect change.  Your doctors, repairmen, dentists and others you have depended upon for many years will retire.  Close friends will die.  Your neighborhood will change.  Your grandchildren will grow up.  Your favorite stores will close.  Worship styles and music will change.  Prices will increase.  Nothing stays the same.   Accept it as part of life and move on or grow depressed and bitter.  Accepting is a much better option.
          11.  When young people say their vows when getting married, they really don't understand how profound they are.  They don't realize that they will someday face the "for better or for worse" and "in sickness and in health". Such things seem so far away ... but they come so quickly and unexpectedly.
          12.   Serving the Lord and dedicating all that you have to Him is the most important thing in life.  So many miss the blessings He has for them because they withhold some of their time, their possessions and their finances from Him and that is so sad.  You can never out give the Lord.
          13.   Time flies so fast, especially the older that you get. You will soon reach a point when you wonder where all the years have gone. And the physical challenges of being a senior happen more quickly than you ever could expect.  If you can walk and see and hear and eat whatever you want, don't take it for granted.  But be prepared, it probably won't be that way long.
          14.   If you've reached retirement age, enjoy it.  Be positive. Don't complain. Volunteer.  Keep active.  Enjoy senior discounts.  Take naps.  Thank God for His faithfulness.  And remember, better days are just around the corner.  Then there will be no arthritis, diabetes, hip replacements, taxes, home repairs, medical bills, walkers, canes, hearing aids or politics.  What a wonderful day that will be.

The Good!

      In my last blog I listed a number of things that upset me.  Maybe I gave the wrong impression.  I try not to be a negative person, but I think we all have things which bother us at times.  So to try and balance the scales, I've decided to list a few things which I do appreciate.
       Despite some rude folks, I am impressed with the number of folks who have opened and held doors for me while I was using my walker or my cane.  It is great to see that many still have good manners and consideration for those who have physical limitations.
       Drivers earn my smile and appreciation when they wave to thank me for letting them out at a busy corner or in a parking lot.  It only takes a few seconds to help a person in such a situation and it is great when others recognize that deed with a thank you.
       There are many drivers who actually do slow down when they pass me at my mailbox.  Once in awhile one will even stop to let me safely cross the street to my house.
       Recently we received a very unexpected note of encouragement and appreciation from a couple in our congregation.  We never expected this and we were surprised.  It was very appreciated and meaningful to us.  While some have the gift of encouragement, it is something that we all should practice.
       I appreciate those who really care when they ask "how are you?"   Most times it is just a passing comment without any meaning.  But during these past months of rehabilitation from two major surgeries, it has been nice when somebody stopped to ask that and really wanted to hear how things were going.
       I really appreciate doctors who are on time and I have a few who are.  Mosts doctors ask you to come 15 minutes early and then make you wait another 30 minutes until they see you.  Opps, I guess that is a negative and shouldn't be in this blog.  Now I know doctors can be very busy, especially with emergencies, but I really appreciate those who value my time and try to be on time, yet take the time to listen to me
       I appreciate good salespeople who are there to help you when you need help, but aren't there to "bug" you and pressure you.  Good customer service is a plus in my estimation.
       I really appreciate good music, especially good Gospel music.  I love the old hymns as well as the new choruses when they are doctrinally correct.  I especially love music about heaven.  I love to hear good piano music and solos by cellos and trombones.
       I appreciate it when others follow instructions and make my work easier and lighter by taking time to do things correctly.  When you have a heavy workload, it is great when others go out of their way to help you by doing things correctly.
       I love to see older folks who love the Lord and glow with his radiance after spending years serving Him and growing closer to Him.  They are special people that God brings into your life and I hope that someday others may see that in me.
       I get excited when I see my children and grandchildren doing well in their schooling and jobs while growing in the Lord and serving Him.  That is a very special blessing.
       And finally, I appreciate those who smile.  Somehow we seem to get too busy with work, dealing with problems, and carrying our burdens, that we forget to smile.  If I may paraphrase a saying, A smile is the flag flown from the heart when the King is in residence there.
        So there you are - some of the things that I appreciate and make me smile.  Maybe I'll add some more in a later blog.  We have so many things to appreciate when the Lord is our King and provider.  Great is His faithfulness.
        May you have a very positive day!   Smile, God is good!

It Bothers Me ...

          One of the dangers of growing old is that it is easy to become bitter and nobody enjoys a bitter, complaining person.  And it is often easy to become bitter over the smallest things.  I think sometimes folks don't really realize how negative they've become in their conversations and reactions.  We need to pray that the Lord would keep us from bitterness and allow our words, thoughts and actions to be sprinkled with grace and pleasing to Him.

          But ,as we know, there are many things in life which bother us and the fact is that one can be disappointed about situations, but not bitter.  Recently I began to think about things that disappoint me and bother me, in addition to bitter people.  But they are temporary and I can't really do anything to change these things.  So I accept them as a fact of life.  Here are some of those things which come to my mind.

          It bothers me when I go to a restaurant or a fast food location that I see employees who are on break standing outside, in their uniforms, smoking.  Don't they realize that they carry that smell with them when they return to work?  And, unfortunately, most of the time the employees are female.   I guess one of the results of women's lib is that females have the right to kill themselves by smoking.  I just wish that they weren't the ones preparing or serving my food. 

          It bothers me when I go our to eat and a family near me has a noisy, crying child who needs to be disciplined, but the parents do nothing about it.  My quiet meal time is ruined and I am tempted to put a sock in the child's mouth and warm his rear with my hand - just before I am arrested.  Now I may think that but I'd never do it or even recommend that.  I guess maybe I can't really relate to these parents since when our boys were growing up we couldn't afford to go out to eat.  But times and discipline have changed.

          It bothers me when a driver attempts to make a left hand turn from the right hand side of the road, keeping cars from passing him on the right.  I think they are inconsiderate but then I realize that driver's training is no longer a part of high school programs so maybe they don't know any better.

         I am always bothered by tailgaters when I am driving, especially when they are talking on their cell phones or texting.  Somehow they must think that their reaction time is not affected by doing multiple things at one time.  But they only have to be wrong one time.

          And while talking about cell phone use, I am bothered by those who don't turn them off in church and then they ring and disturb those around them. One summer the leader at Pinebrook joked about declaring a $100 fine for any cell phone that rang during the service.  Even with his warning, several did.  I don't know if he ever collected or not.

          And speaking about church, I admit that I am bothered by those people who are always late and then march down to the front to sit.  And it is the same people each week at about the same time.  You could probably set your watch by their appearance.   But then some people are late for everything.  I wonder if they will be late for their funeral.

          I am bothered by the lack of respect for property shown by the leaving of garbage.  Every few weeks we find beer bottles or fast food items on our lawn, thrown there from cars passing by.  And when I walk in our church on Mondays I am always amazed by the number of water bottles that are left on the chairs and on the floor for the custodian to remove.  Why don't people even have respect for the House of the Lord?

          Back to driving.  It bothers me when it is raining that many drivers don't turn on their lights.  That is the law in Pennsylvania.  I wonder if the police ever prosecute anyone for breaking this law.  It is often hard to see these vehicles, especially if it is raining hard.

         And one more about driving.  Our street doesn't have sidewalks and we must cross it to get to our mailbox.  The speed limit is 25 mph but often drivers pass by at 40 - 50 mph while we are trying to get our mail.  I think they want to see how close they can get to hitting us.  Often I wave at them to try and slow them down, but they just ignore me or are going too fast to see me signal.  And it is worse when it is raining because I think that some want to see how much they can splash me.

          And one more before I close.  Why don't owners train their employees how to give change.  Recently at Pennys I had to break a $20 for a bill of $1.34.  The clerk slapped the change into my hand, with the bills and coins mixed together.  And all the bills were also mixed up, some upside down and others backwards.  Not only didn't she count up when giving it to me, but the mixture was unbelievable.  Of course, since I once worked in a store I have a thing about that, especially having the bills the same way and in proper order.  But maybe with tody's technology clerks don't need to give change very often.

          Well I better quit or you will soon think that I am becoming a bitter old man.  I guess these things are just the result of the age and culture that we live in.  And there is nothing I can do about them but live with them and try to set an example by not doing the same things in return.  They aren't worth getting ulcers over and the only thing they might be worth is providing items for a blog when one can't think of anything else to write about.