Phishing

          I've never been a fisherman, although I think it could be a fun and relaxing activity.  However, if I were to ever try deep sea fishing, I'd probably spend most of my time hanging over the rail  losing everything I had eaten for the last week.  My dad never had the free time to spend fishing and none of my friends growing up were fishermen.  Later in life my brother started and he and his wife enjoyed many good times together fishing.

          But now there is a new "sport" with a similar name which is very dangerous and is invading most of our homes and lives.  It is called Phishing.

          According to the dictionary, phishing is the attempt to acquire sensitive information such as usernames, passwords, and credit card details (and sometimes, indirectly, money), often for malicious reasons, by masquerading as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication. The word is a neologism created as a homophone of fishing due to the similarity of using a bait in an attempt to catch a victim.  How do you like those big words? 

          If you aren't overly diligent you could be like a fish and get caught and lose money and maybe even your identity.  These schemes have been around as long as e-mail, but recently they have become much more sophisticated and tempting.  If you spend any time on the internet, using e-mail or the social media, you could end up being a victim.

          Now most of us have "won" millions in overseas lotteries.  We have been offered millions by foreign family members who need to get their money out of their country.  We have been offered jobs as mystery shoppers and the scams go on and on.  But these are easy to ignore unless you are dumb or looking for get rich quick schemes - as some folks are.

          But today phishing has become a little different.  In previous years it was usually easy to spot one of these attempts because the offers you received by e-mail often contained misspelled words or used bad English.  Sometimes the visuals they used were very poor.  It was rather obvious that they were fake and few would be tempted to click on any of their links.  And if one did, most folks were wise enough not to complete the resulting screens which asked for credit card numbers or social security numbers or other sensitive information.  Unfortunately, some were not that wise and got burnt.  And even if you didn't fill out this requested information, just answering the e-mail might have compromised your account or added some malware to your computer.

          But when it comes to stealing money or your private information, internet crooks soon learn to get much more clever.  They are cleaning up their e-mails and making them much more realistic than ever before.  How many of you have been receiving offers of free gift cards from Walmart, CVS or Giant or other big name companies?  They look so real and who doesn't want a free gift?  They are so tempting.  But often you can get your first danger alarm by looking at who the actual e-mail was sent by.  And most times you will see that it isn't from the company offering the free gift.  Don't risk replying or you might get a free gift - malware implanted in your computer.

          Some of the more recent ones appear to come from UPS or FedEx telling you that they tried to deliver a package to you but you weren't home.  And if you want the delivery you must respond and give them vital information.  Now, were you even expecting a package?  And if you were, a respectable delivery service would leave a note in your front door, not ask you for personal information online.  Don't be taken!

          Recently I received an e-mail from "Apple" informing me that "my" order was placed.  Since we had experienced a similar real fraud situation involving an Apple product two years ago, I was very suspicious.  I checked our credit card account, our bank account and our iTunes account and saw no evidence of any purchase.  So I decided to ignore it rather than click on the link provided to cancel the order.  Two times that week I received additional e-mails giving me a receipt for "my order" of $103.20.  All of these looked genuine with links to use to cancel the order.  They even used the Apple symbol. But no way did I want to risk clicking on these links, even to cancel an order which I didn't place.  I finally was able to get a call through to Apple.  They informed me that these were clever phishing e-mails.  They wanted me to forward them to their fraud department because other customers were also getting them.  I did that and haven't heard anything since, although these e-mails have stopped.

          Then a few days ago I received an e-mail from my bank saying that somebody had tried to access our accounts and that as a result our accounts were now locked.  To get them open I was to click on a link that was provided and enter all my information.  I knew my bank would not handle such an attempt in this manner.  I logged into my bank account and found that it was not locked.  I wonder how many folks were victim of this clever phishing attempt.

          Who knows what will come next.  But I've learned to not reply to links on such e-mails.  I also no longer reply to links sent to me in the name of folks who are on my mailing list.  Often these names have somehow been hijacked and are sent out in their name to create harm by adding malware to your computer.

         The electronic age is great, but it has provided many new ways for crooks to make a living and we need to be very diligent and careful.  It is so easy to get caught.  Many have been victims and I hope that you never will be.  Be wise and suspicious.  Remember, there are many bad folks out there in e-space.

The Sad, The Bad, And The Good

          These past few weeks have been filled with all sorts of situations - the good, the bad and the sad.  Life sure can be interesting and challenging at times.
          The sad is obvious - Hurricane Harvey, without a doubt!  The pictures and stories have been incredible.  I just can't begin to realize what it must be like to have to be rescued and to lose everything that you had. How would you ever exist with the masses in one of the evacuation centers?  How would you adjust to having no home or vehicle? If you had serious physical problems, such as diabetes or heart disease, how would you get along without your medicine?  How would you adjust with all of your financial records destroyed? What would you do and where would you go when the centers close?  Would your work location ever open again and, if not, how would you earn any money to live on?  So much sadness, so much distress!  The picture with this blog is not one of sharks swimming in the ocean, although that might be appropriate.  This is actually a picture of the tails of airliners at the airport.  Incredible!
          Now my parents lived through major flooding in Sunbury.  I think the water nearly reached their second floor.  What I recall are the stories of how very hard it was to clean up everything after the water went down.  The mud and damage was terrible.  Sunbury solved their flooding problems by building a wall around the city and for decades now the wall has kept the city dry.  However, there were a couple of times the water did reach the top of the walls.
         We have never faced flooding, but we do have water problems at our house createed by bad decisions made by the builder of the house.  During heavy rain we must rely on our sump pump which has left us down a few times.  We fought a difficult battle years ago when Agnes devastated parts of Lancaster County.  A few years ago we lost our electricity when we had 11 inches of rain and my wife and I spent many hours throughout the night bailing water out of our sump pump well to protect our basement.  But that was just 11 inches, not 50+ inches and the electicity was restored quickly after the rain stopped.  I just can't imagine what 50+ inches must be like and I hope I never experience anything like it.
          However, I did read one Christian blogger who thinks Harvey might have been used by God to punish America.  Now I would never go that far and say something like that, although I can readily see why God would choose to punish this nation for its many sins.
          But this is a very sad event and my prayers are for the people, workers and especially the children who have had their lives changed dramatically.
          But then there is the bad.  And that title goes to North Korea and its insane leader.  He reminds me of Hitler, but maybe even more dangerous since he has an arsenal of nuclear weapons, rockets to deliver them, and no fear of using them.  Will he draw us into nuclear war?  Unfortunately, I think that is very possible and it could even happen much sooner than anyone ever expected.  Sanctions seem to have no effect and negotiations are useless. What else can be done without going to war?  Lord, come quickly!
          As a senior citizen, I recall the days of atomic bomb drills in schools when we practiced hiding under our desks.  What good would that have really done if we were attacked?  And folks built and stocked bomb shelters.  Should we be doing that today?  Who might hit us first, North Korea or terrorists?  A very bad situation, to say the least.

         But the good news for believers is that God is still in control and these incidents might just be signs that Jesus is coming soon.  And that is good news in the midst of the bad.  So we live each day trusting Him as we travel through a land which is not our final home.  This world is not our home, we're just a passing through!  Our final, eternal home is just ahead.
          The sad, the bad and now some more good news.  We have had some very beautiful weather here in Pennsylvania the past two weeks ... cooler temperatures, low humidity and plenty of sunshine. I love it!  It is so much more comfortable than most late Augusts have been.  I recall many years starting school, without AC, and the temps already in the mid 90's when we started in the morning.  Those days were so hard to bear for both teachers and students. I doubt that the students really learned much in those conditions. I would have loved to have this year's recent weather in those days.
         And this weather also marks the start of my favorite season - Fall.  Football returns this weekend, the leaves will soon change and show their beauty, and our favorite television shows will return.  And we will enjoy each Fall day that the Lord gives us and try not to think of the Winter which will soon follow (more bad).  But God is so good - all the time - in the sad, the bad and the good times.  Thank you Lord for your presence and provision.  Enjoy the day - this is the day that the Lord has made, rejoice and be glad!

"Life Is A B _ _ _ _, It Really Is"

          Almost everyday, for many years, I've spent time on the BlueWhite Rivals board reading all sorts of comments about Penn State football.  I find it interesting to follow all the discussions about games, prospects, players and the future.  It keeps me up to date with my favorite football team, the Penn State Nittany Lions.

          But recently I was surprised to see a comment posted there with the title "Life is a B_ _ _ _ _, it really is!"  Here is part of what the writer had to say. "I have seen countless stories of those seeking prayers for family members in need. Cancer, divorce, pets, other ailments, etc. For the most part, you never think it will happen to you .... Well, my dad texted my brother and I saying that he had stage 4 lung cancer. My wife is a pharmaceutical sales rep in Oncology and she basically gave me the grim prognosis that if it's classified at this level, it's metastasized to other organs and is terminal. ... My parents are divorced and my dad resides by himself in Ponte Vedra, FL. I guess my point is that if you hear countless other stories from others, keep in mind that a family member of yours might be next. It sounds a little morbid, but in today's world, it's a reality."

          Yes, his story is very sad, but not uncommon today.  Life can be very depressing at times.  Hard experiences can happen to any of us at any time.  And the replies which he received were not too comforting.  Most had little that was really comforting or helpful to share.  "Hang in there, it will all work out, you will make it, life goes on, etc."  But then what do you say to one who obviously doesn't know the Lord and doesn't have any hope for the future?

          I took quite a bit of time to write my reply. I prayed before I wrote. Then, I tried to share with him, in a very simple way, how the Lord can provide strength and peace when you are His child.  But I doubt that it was of any help to him.  And he is probably right, "life is  a B _ _ _ _", especially when you don't have the Lord.

          Now as a believer we do know that we are just pilgrims here.  We are traveling through this life with the knowledge that our real, perfect home is ahead.  And we have the promises of the Lord that He will never leave us or forsake us.  And we can probably testify that He never has.  But life can be tough, even for believers.  One of my favorite poems/songs written by Annie Johnson Flint hangs in our bedroom.

God hath not promised skies always blue, 

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through;

God hath not promised sun without rain, 

Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.

God hath not promised we shall not know

Toil and temptation, trouble and woe;

He hath not told us we shall not bear

many a burden, many a care. 

God hath not promised smooth roads and wide,

Swift, easy travel, needing no guide;

Never a mountain rocky and steep,

Never a river turbid and deep

         Yes, as believers we are also not immune to the pain of this life.  I have cried with those who have lost their spouses.  I have struggled with those who were battling cancer.  I have prayed with those who have dealt with serious family and marital problems.  I have faced death in my own family.  Just a few weeks ago my wife was critically ill.  And together we have faced and continue to face several very serious physical challenges.  Life can be so hard and draining at times.   But there is one more verse to Flint's poem which sums it all up.

But God hath promised strength for the day,

Rest for the labor, light for the way,

Grace for the trials, help from above, 

Unfailing sympathy, undying love.

          Lord, help that our head knowledge of your promises may become our heart knowledge, experience, hope and strength as we face the trials of this life.  May we sense Your presence and Your plan and Your peace as we walk through the dark valleys of our journey here on earth, led by our Good Shepherd.

          A friend recently sent me a link to a new song.  I can't say that it is one of my favorites, but the words struck home with me. "I know You're able and I know You can save through the fire with Your mighty hand.  I know the sorrow, I know the hurt would all go away if You just said the word.  But even if You don't, My hope is You alone."  LINK

Changes In Worship Services

          If I were to ask you what changes, if any, in today's worship services you don't care for, I am certain that I might  get several different answers.  But if you are an older church attender I would predict that your number one negative change might be the replacement of hymns with worship choruses.  I hear that complaint over and over, especially from seniors. Missing the hymns probably is one of the major reasons that over 800 folks from around the world visit my hymn blog each week.
          I admit that I do miss the hymns.  They were a very influential part of my Christian growth and the Lord often brings them back to my mind at times when I need their messages.  But I also enjoy many of the new worship choruses.  I've learned to adjust to and accept the new approach, even though I do miss the old.
          My only complaint with the choruses is that almost weekly new ones are introduced and after a few weeks they are forgotten, never to be sung again.  Think about it.  How many of the choruses sung in your church a year ago do you remember and are still sung today?  With hymns we sang them so often over the years from hymn books that they became part of our memory so that they could be recalled by the Holy Spirit in times of need.  Will that happen in the future for this generation of worshippers who now sing choruses which have a very limited life span?  That is my major complaint about the new worship music.
          But surprise, the music is not my complaint nor the theme of this blog.  My complaint is not the fault of worship leaders but the fault of worship attenders.  And it is interesting that my complaint was shared recently in a secular column in the local newspaper by a Robert Olson.  The article was "Sometimes It's Good To Seek Our Silence".
          After a discussion about the need for silence, he wrote the following. "There was a time when you could go to church and experience silence. Now, my time before the service is spent listening to myself and others catching up on the busyness that we are all part of.  In spite of numerous pleas on the part of worship leaders, the noise at the beginning of the service is almost as great as the noise at the end of the service.  It appear that many worshipers prefer noise to silence."  And to this I add, right on!
          For many years I always used the time before worship services to meditate, pray and prepare my heart for the service.  It was quiet in the sanctuary and others did the same thing. It was a key part of my worship.  But times have changed.  Now we have very noisy discussions going on about all sorts of things that could easily be left for after the service. It's almost like before a sporting event. 
          The prelude has always been important to me.  I still try to listen to it to prepare for worship, but usually it is impossible.  People stop by to chat, even when I am trying to listen to the musicians, especially my wife.  Now I know that my wife, as well as our other musicians, spend hours preparing for the prelude.  Dianne will spend many hours over several weeks to prepare for a 15 minute prelude.  But few listen and when the chatter gets louder and she tries to play louder for the few who are actually listening, the talkers just talk louder.  And that is a fact.  It is not only rude to those who have practiced and are trying to minister, but it is rude to those who are trying to listen and meditate.  One former assistant pastor told me that to him the prelude is just background music.  And I guess, for most today, that must be the case.
          But to me, starting the worship service without an adequate time of heart preparation is like an athlete being sent into the game without a chance of properly warming up.
          The older one gets the more you experience change - some good, some not so good.  And when you think a change is not so good, there isn't much that you can do but try to adapt. Becoming critical or even bitter is the wrong reaction. And I guess that I must continue to adapt to what is happening today with service preludes since few appear to be concerned about it.  And I may be the only person in the whole congregation who misses the time of prayerful meditation before the worship service.  I guess I have probably become a dinosaur among church attenders.  
          But I will go on trying to listen to the prelude - especially when my wife is playing - praying and trying to prepare my heart for the service.  And if you stop by to talk, I won't be rude. I will still try to answer and be kind to you.  But please let your conversation be important and relevant, not about sports, politics or the news.  Leave those topics for us to discuss after the service.  

You Can Minister

          There are often times that believers would like to minister to others but don't know what to do or how to do it.  Many might not have the gifts to teach a class or provide special music in worship services and they feel that because of this there is nothing worthwhile that they can do.  Sometimes physical problems or age do limit what one can do and it is easy to get discouraged and feel worthless.  But God has granted all of His children gifts that can be used in important and maybe sometimes very quiet ways. There is no retirement in using our gifts to minister.  We just need to be willing to look for opportunities and then take them.

           Now, if one is physically able, there are many numerous ways to serve.  You could be a helper in Sunday School, VBS, Awana or serve as an usher in church.  You could help visit shut-ins. You could help some physically challenged folks with their house or yard work or even snow removal in the winter - wow, would I appreciate such help at this point in my life. There might folks in your neighborhood who can use visits or help. You could help serve at luncheons for funerals or special church gatherings. Or maybe you could volunteer in a hospital or a nursing home.  That can be a vital ministry.

          But maybe you've reached the point where physically you can no longer do such things.  If you are serious about ministering there are still so many ways that you can serve the Lord.  Maybe the church office has special needs, like folding bulletins or preparing mailings. Maybe you could use the telephone to call and welcome visitors who attend a worship service.  The telephone can still be a useful tool in reaching not only visitors to your church, but those who are shut-ins or lonely.  And there are so many today who need to hear a voice of cheer, even if it is brief.

          The U.S. mail and, in this day and age, e-mail are great tools to use to minister.  Notes of encouragement are a great way to minister.  During recent months as we've faced numerous physical challenges, I have received a couple of very unexpected notes from folks that I don't even know very well.  They were timely, sincerely appreciated and so helpful.  Look for folks who need to be encouraged.  Look for folks who minister, often behind the scenes, who probably never get thanked for their service.  A thank you note would lighten their day.  Look for folks who are facing difficult challenges and let them know you are praying for them.  And then, be sure to pray for them, don't forget them and follow up to see how things are going.  That means so much.

          And that leads to another important and vital way to minister - prayer.  The older I get, the more I understand the power and need of prayer.  And I am learning that as I am becoming much more limited physically, that I have much more time to pray.  Ironically the first duet that my wife and I ever sang in a church had the title, "In the Secret Service of Prayer".  Prayer can be a secret, but vital ministry that all of us can do. Don't take it for granted.

          Be creative and look for other ways to help and encourage others.  Many years ago we began a quiet ministry of sending birthday cards to those who attend our church.  Now my wife is really the one who carries this on today.  And yes, cards have become very expensive. We do save some money by putting them in the church mailboxes.  Is it worth the cost?  Without a doubt!  Hardly a Sunday goes by that somebody doesn't tell us how much our card has meant to them.  People just don't send birthday cards anymore and most folks who do receive one really appreciate it. It even means more if a personal note is included.  A card shows the one who receives it that somebody does care. Now, if the cost for cards is too much, there are always free electronic cards or personal e-mails or you can make your cards on the computer or by hand.  People just appreciate having somebody think about them.  

          And don't neglect opportunities to minister where ever the Lord places you.  My wife had amazing opportunities to minister to several nurses while she spent six days in the hospital. She didn't want to be there but the Lord gave her a special audience. Maybe that is part of the reason the Lord placed her there.  But that might be a topic for another blog.

         Just remember, we are never too old or physically challenged to be able to minister for the Lord.  We just need to be willing.  And it will also be an encouragement to you as you serve others.  And maybe you need that as well.

Political Thoughts

          We live in difficult times.  I feel that the future of our democracy is being threatened.  Politicians have become fully partisan, voting only for the party line. Everybody wants to investigate others from the other side of the aisle.  Despite a democratic election, part of the country will not accept the winner as their president.  Leaders of one party, the liberal media and Hollywood personalities all seem more interested in bringing down the current government than actually working to solve this nation's problems.  Politicians seem only interested in getting themselves reelected and taking care of themselves.  Mob rule might be the future law of the land.  Yet, despite these growing problems, we still have the best government in the world.

         With this in mind, I am sharing a number of interesting quotes that somebody sent to me.  Unfortunately I don't know who to give credit to for compiling them.  But there are some great truths in these quotes.

          1.  In my many years I have come to a conclusion that one useless man is a shame, two is a law firm,and three or more is a congress.    -- John Adams
          2.  If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do read the newspaper you are misinformed. -- Mark Twain

          3.  Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But then I repeat myself. -- Mark Twain

          4.  I contend that for a nation to try to tax itself into prosperity is like a man standing in a bucket and trying to lift himself up by the handle. --Winston Churchill

          5.  A government which robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul. -- George Bernard Shaw

          6.  A liberal is someone who feels a great debt to his fellow man, which debt he proposes to pay off with your money.  -- G. Gordon Liddy

          7.  Democracy must be something more than two wolves and a sheep voting on what to have for dinner.   --James Bovard, Civil Libertarian (1994)

          8.  Foreign aid might be defined as a transfer of money from poor people in rich countries to rich people in poor countries.   -- Douglas Case, Classmate of Bill Clinton at Georgetown University .

          9.  Giving money and power to government is like giving whiskey and car keys to teenage boys. -- P.J. O'Rourke, Civil Libertarian

          10. Government is the great fiction, through which everybody endeavors to live at the expense of everybody else.  -- Frederic Bastiat, French economist(1801-1850)

          11. Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it.    --Ronald Reagan (1986)

          12. I don't make jokes. I just watch the government and report the facts. -- Will Rogers

          13. If you think health care is expensive now, wait until you see what it costs when it's free! -- P. J. O'Rourke

          14. In general, the art of government consists of taking as much money as possible from one party of the citizens to give to the other. --Voltaire (1764)

          15. Just because you do not take an interest in politics doesn't mean politics won't take an interest in you! -- Pericles (430 B.C.)

          16. No man's life, liberty, or property is safe while the legislature is in session. -- Mark Twain (1866)

          17. Talk is cheap, except when Congress does it. -- Anonymous

          18. The government is like a baby's alimentary canal, with a happy appetite at one end and no responsibility at the other. -- Ronald Reagan

          19. The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of the blessings. The inherent blessing of socialism is the equal sharing of misery. -- Winston Churchill

          20. The only difference between a tax man and a taxidermist is that the taxidermist leaves the skin. -- Mark Twain

          21. The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly is to fill the world with fools. -- Herbert Spencer, English Philosopher (1820-1903)

          22. There is no distinctly Native American criminal class, save Congress. -- Mark Twain

          23. What this country needs are more unemployed politicians --Edward Langley, Artist (1928-1995)

          24. A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have. -- Thomas Jefferson

          25. We hang the petty thieves and appoint the great ones to public office. -- Aesop

 FIVE INTERESTING THOUGHTS

          1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity, by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.

          2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.

         3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.

         4. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

         5. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work, because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work, because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that is the beginning of the end of any nation!

And They Keep Calling

          There are few things as disturbing to me as robo calls or phone calls from solicitors.  And they usually come when we are sitting down for supper.  Now, probably like many of you, I have reacted in numerous ways, including hanging up, telling them I'm busy or with various other remarks.  One time a person called offering me a chance to change my electric supplier.  I replied that I was Amish and we didn't use electricity.  I must have really taken him off guard because he apologized to me for calling before he hung up.
          I've recently read "Extreme Grandparenting" by Dr. Tim and Darcy Himmel, and I came upon a very interesting way to handle these calls in a section entitled "Character Trait #1: Contagious Faith".  The story is about a senior lady named Mildred.  She had buried her husband over a decade earlier and was known for her faith.   And here is the story as shared by the Himmels.
         "When Mildred's grandson was spending a few days at her home in Tennessee, one or more phone solicitors would call each evening around dinnertime.  The grandson answered the first call, gave the caller a polite "Thanks, but no thanks," and hung up.  
          Grandma Mildred answered the next call, but instead of dismissing the solicitor as an intruder, she said, "You know, I'm an elderly woman with limited finances, and most likely I will have to turn down your request.  But I would be glad to listen to your presentation if you'll promise to let me ask you a few questions and visit with you briefly when you're through."  The person on the other end agreed, figuring it was better than an abrupt dial tone in his ear.  
          After she heard him out and politely told him why she wouldn't be able to accept his offer, she asked him questions about his life, his family, his hopes, and his fears.  She said, "Honey, I'm getting older, and I've got lots of time on my hands.  I'll be glad to pray for you.  Is there anything you'd like me to bring to God?"
          Her grandson was stunned.   She prayed with the young man on the phone and wrote down his needs with a promise to pray for him every day for the next month.  It turned out that she had been doing this for years.  Her prayer notebook was full of names of phone solicitors for whom she had been praying.  Because they had her number anyway, she'd encourage them to call her back in a month or so to let her know how things were going in their lives.
          What her grandson saw most of all in Grandmother Mildred was how much her faith had given her an intense love for people - even total strangers trying to get her to switch over her phone service or credit cards."
          Amazing.  Now I wonder if I will ever have the courage to try this.  It certainly is a better approach to these annoying calls than what I have done.   
          Now one word of caution.  There is a scam involving robo calls where if you say "yes" they will record your voice and tie it to a purchase that is almost impossible to get our of.  So if you have the courage to try Mildred's approach, guard your responses carefully.
          Maybe robo calls could be turned into a real ministry.

Laugh With Me

          One of the real challenges of aging is to remain pleasant and friendly and retain a good sense of humor, even as physical disabilities and loss of freedoms invade your life.  So many senior adults grow bitter and complaining and are discouraging to be around.  I pray daily that this won't happen to me, but at times it is hard to avoid.

          Many months ago a good friend, Nell Ruch, sent me a copy of an article, "Why Your Sense of Humor Fades the Older You Get."  It was published in 2012 but I don't know the name of the author.  I decided to share it for two reasons.  First, we seniors need to understand what happens to us.  Second, you young readers need to understand the challenges of aging and how to try and deal with us.  So here is the article.

          Along with aging come an array of health concerns and research from the University of Glamorgan shows that our sense of humor may decline as we age too. There are many benefits to having a sense of humor and laughing once in a while. Research has shown that laughing can reduce pain, achieve greater happiness and increase your immune system response among other health benefits. All of these benefits will help with all of the struggles that aging can present. If you want to feel younger, trying to maintain your sense of humor may be the best anti-aging remedy.

Aging Leads to a Poor Temperament?

          The researchers from the University of Glamorgan discovered some pretty bleak findings related to aging and laughter. The carefree lifestyle of babies may be the reason that they laugh on average 300 times per day, but this positive attitude doesn't last for as long as you would expect. Teenagers, on the other hand, are more likely to laugh at someone else's misfortune but only laugh six times per day. People in their twenties laugh even less at four times per day. People in their thirties laugh five times per day which the researchers attribute to having children which may help to restore their sense of humor and make them feel younger. 

          Once an individual hits the age of 50, they laugh only three times per day and it gets worse once you get to 60, laughing only two and a half times per day. The researchers also found that joke telling also decreases as we age with 600 of the 2000 participants not being able to recall telling a joke in the previous year. The study also found that people over the age of 50 were also more likely to complain and spend time worrying. The findings from this study suggest that aging makes us take life a little too seriously. If you want to feel younger, perhaps laughing a few more times throughout the day would help.

Laugh a Little for Anti-Aging Benefits

          There are many anti-aging and health benefits of laughter including: boosting immunity, decreasing stress hormones, decreasing pain, relaxing muscles and preventing heart disease. Additionally, laughter can provide you with mental health benefits including: improving mood, decreasing stress and anxiety, and increasing happiness. Laughter can also help with your social life by improving teamwork, strengthening relationships, enhancing teamwork and helping to resolve conflict. All of these benefits can help you to feel younger and be healthier.

How to Feel Younger as you Age

          If you want to keep laughing during the aging process, here are some suggestions to help you along the way ….

1. See a movie – a comedy of course!

2. Connect and laugh with friends – life is busy, but maintaining social connections is an important anti-aging tip to help you feel younger. Going to a comedy club or going to see a movie with some friends is a great way to experience the anti-aging benefits of laughter.

3. Laugh at yourself – instead of getting embarrassed or frustrated, try to skip ahead to the future and see how funny the moment actually is.

4. Smile, even if you don't want to – studies have shown that you get the same health benefits whether your smile and laugh are genuine or fake. So, even if you don't feel like smiling, just do it.

5. Pay attention to children – aging can shift our way of thinking, kids know how to enjoy life, laughing along the way. Watching them may be a gentle reminder to enjoy life.

          Aging can come with unwanted worries and stress, but laughter may be the best anti-aging medicine. Tell a joke to a friend, share a laugh with a loved one and try to maintain your sense of humor with life. It will help you to feel younger and it will provide you with many health benefits that will help you live a longer, happier life.

What a Birthday Present!

          Maybe it is time to change the name of this blog.  Maybe I should call it something like Barry's Medical Blog because lately it seems that lately medical issues have become the most frequent topic here.  Maybe that is one of the reasons my readership here has declined recently.  But for some reason it appears that God has more lessons He wants this old man to learn and share in his senior years.
          It was noon last Saturday when my wife decided to cut our grass because she thought it might be too hard for me to do with my painful back.  She was feeling well.  But 15 minutes after finishing she suddenly became very ill.  She said that she was having the worst gas that she had ever had.  But when she got progressively worse, I called our doctor's answering service and they promised a doctor would get back to me.  But despite three calls, their return calls never came.  They later claimed that our phone was blocked and they couldn't get through.  I still don't understand that since we never have blocked any calls and others got through.
          An hour later she began to throw up, over and over again.  She obviously was getting worse.  So I called the ambulance and we were off to the ER.
         Unfortunately, the ER was overloaded and it took about seven very difficult hours before they decided to admit her.  Part of the problem was that Lancaster County had 70 overdoses on synthetic marijuana that night, and most of them must have been sent to the LGH  ER.  The place was nuts.  We even saw folks taken out in handcuffs.  Police were everywhere.  We heard one driver who had caused an accident say that she had just had a small amount of marijuana.  There were trauma cases being treated.  It was very hard to get anyone to help my wife at a rate which we felt she needed.  A cat scan eventually indicated that the problem probably was coming from her gall bladder.
          Finally in a hospital room, they spent Sunday having her examined by a host of different specialists.  But they would not allow her to have anything to eat or drink, not even ice chips.  Their concern was that a stone might be blocking one of her ducts, so an MRI was scheduled for Monday.  Finally they allowed her to at least have ice chips to suck on.  Thankfully the MRI showed no blockages or they would have had to gone down her throat with a scope to try and remove it.  Surgery was scheduled for Tuesday - her birthday.
         Then the next setback happened.  The nurse suddenly informed us that they had discovered a blood infection.  That meant a whole new team - the infectious doctors - were now in charge of her treatment.  I was concerned and worried and she just got weaker.
          Then Tuesday she celebrated her birthday by having surgery.  Praise the Lord, that went well.  She did not even need pain medicine and she quickly began to look and act normal again.  She was finally able to begin eating.  We shared jello that night to celebrate her birthday.  And while the blood cultures showed some improvement, the blood infection was still a major concern.
         On Wednesday they began to talk about possible discharge but they decided to hold off until at least Thursday to see if her blood cultures would improve.  And the antibiotics that she was being given for the infection stirred up her ulcerative colitis and she had to use the bathroom too frequently.  But, by that evening we had her out of bed and sitting on a chair.  When I left that night we felt so positive and confident that she would be home the next morning.
         Then at 5 am I received a phone call from my very distressed wife telling me that she was placed in isolation.  We were stunned.  I couldn't get in immediately to be with her because I had an early morning appointment with one of my specialists that I really couldn't miss.  It turns out that he discovered a new urgent problem that I had and I ended up being given an antibiotic - the same one given to Dianne.  Thankfully, just before I saw the specialist, I heard that two of my wife's main doctors felt that the isolation was an over reaction by one of the nurses and wasn't necessary.  So they removed it and began plans to discharge her.
          Finally, after lunch we were able to return home.  There is still no word on her last blood culture but the doctors are confident that her meds will take care of it.  She is extremely tired and weak, but she is home.  Unfortunately, she is now dealing with her UC which she has wrestled with for 25 years. Right now it is almost like starting this tough battle all over again.  Your prayers for that and her strength will be appreciated.
          There are many lessons that I have learned through this experience. First, I've learned how hard it is to be the spouse of a very ill partner.  I kept wishing that we could change places as had been the case too often during the past two years.  I learned how hard it is to wait when those nurses caring for you are overworked and not always right there to give you answers.  I learned again how nice the nurses can be.  Actually four of those who worked on her had worked on me previously and we recognized each other.  Some were almost like family members and went out of their way to help us.
          We also learned how much of a mission field the nursing staff are.  And while we saw no spiritual results, Dianne had some amazing opportunities to share Jesus with them.  They were so willing to share with her. Maybe that was because most of them didn't have mothers or responsible, caring adults in their lives.  She heard stories of broken families, abuse and situations that were unbelievable.  We pray that what was shared by Dianne will someday be used by the Holy Spirit to bear fruit in their lives.
          And, most importantly, the Lord again showed me the power of prayer.  We had so many people praying and we saw evidence of specific answers during the week.  I don't know how one gets through situations' like this without the Lord and without the support of believers.  We have an amazing God.  Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus!
         Please continue to pray for my wife.  The doctors shared that she was a very, very sick women and she still has a long way to go, especially with her UC.  Your prayers will be so appreciated.  And maybe that is why I was led to write another "medical" blog.  

Memories

          For the past 45 years Pinebrook Bible Conference has been a major part of our lives.  There, over the years, we have had the opportunity to minister to thousands of children, adults and seniors.  It has also been a place where we have grown spiritually through the ministry of many gifted Bible teachers and pastors.  It has also been a place for us to vacation, despite the somewhat "spartan" rooms.  And we have loved the fellowship of so many friends that we have met there over the years.  Pinebrook does have a special place in our hearts.
          However, I still have many great memories of years before Pinebrook when I would often spend several weeks in the summer at our Mizpah Grove Camp Meeting in Allentown.   Now those folks who think the facilities at Pinebrook are not up to "Marriott standards" would never have made it at Mizpah Grove. 
          When I was in elementary, junior and senior high, and college I spent many summers there as a camper with my family and later with my wife and two sons.  I also spent several summers there working in the store and helping to set up and then tear down the tents.
          Mizpah became a tent city for several weeks each summer.  Hundreds of folks would come for a week to live in a tent.  Folks like me were hired to build floors and often to also install a wooden board as a shelf between the tent poles.  Some families rented two tents, one behind the other.  Many folks brought portable beds and dressers while others, like my family, built bunks and filled them with straw.  They weren't too bad to sleep in if you weren't allergic to the straw.  And of course there were always bugs to torment you.  Little worms were common after rain.

          There were a couple of permanent buildings including a few with toilets, sinks and showers.  It was an adventure when you had to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night or when it was raining.
         Many folks brought their own gas stoves to cook their meals.  Many used ice chests to keep food cold. Every morning the ice truck would drive through the grove and folks could purchase blocks of ice for 5, 10 and 25 cents.  A number of years I helped on the truck and that really was fun.  We'd first travel to a nearby ice plant where we would load up with blocks of ice.  Then we would deliver right to the tents.  
          Others purchased their meals in the dining hall which served good food at a reasonable price.  When I was camping with my family we generally made our meals since in those days we couldn't afford to eat out.   There was also a snack bar/store, where I worked for several summers, which served ice cream, drinks and some food supplies.  I worked there for about three summers and thoroughly enjoyed that.  After the evening service we would sell barbecues or hot dogs and there was always a big crowd lined up to purchase these.  Some nights we ran out of these.
          Most of the time was spent going to services.  There was an early prayer service in a large tent.  In the morning there were always two other services with pastors from our denomination speaking.  That was a good way to find out which pastors were good in the pulpit and which were just average.  The afternoon featured a program for children.  Sometimes after supper there would be a meeting for teens.  But the big event was the evening service which would feature great congregational singing, choirs and special music, and a special visiting evangelist.  These were memorable services in which many folks came to know the Lord or to dedicate their lives to His service.
         There was very little in the way of recreation - ping pong and shuffleboard were available.  A nearby elementary school had a cement area where the men usually played softball in the afternoon.  Right field was so short that outfielders often had to play on the street.  Some folks went to nearby tennis courts and others ventured to the Lehigh River for swimming.  Otherwise folks spent their "free time" in fellowship, reading or taking a nap.
          The weather was often interesting.  Gentle rain on the tents was soothing - unless it happened at night and you had to go to the bathroom.  When heavier rains would come they had large curtains that could be lowered to protect those sitting in the large Tabernacle.  The last year of Mizpah a large afternoon storm ripped down many of the tents, including ours.  When it was really hot, sleeping could be a challenge and often we had to sleep with the tent flaps open to try and get some air.
          One of the lasting benefits of Mizpah were the friendships that developed during those weeks.  Many of the teen friendships eventually led to marriages.  That is probably why so many folks in our denomination are related.  It was a good place to meet Christian friends.
           Now Mizpah is just a memory for most of us.  The land was sold to the Allentown School District after our church bought Pinebrook.  I believe that their board had planned to build a school there, but that never happened.  We recently went back to the grounds.  Weeds were everywhere, but we were still able to locate the main aisle and the foundations of some of the permanent buildings that once were there.  The large tabernacle had been purchased by another camp and moved, but some of its markings were still visible.  But if you had never been to Mizpah, you'd have no idea of what happened there in the lives of thousands a half century ago.  
          But there are many great memories for some of us seniors who met the Lord there.  It was a key part of my life which I will never forget.

You Have Rocks In Your Head!

         I have rocks in my head!   That sure sounds like a real put-down.  But, as I've recently learned, it is very true. Please don't get angry with me, but you have rocks in your head as well.

          When they first told me that while I was in the hospital, I thought one of us must be crazy.  But it turns out that these rocks, or crystals, officially known as otoconia, are part of God's amazing creation and are there to control our balance.

          Now if you are wondering why I am discussing this, it is because of my recent hospitalization and my bout of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo, or BPPV.  If you didn't yet read it, you should go to my previous blog of June 24 for more details.

           The inside of the ear is composed of an organ called the vestibular labyrinth. The vestibular labyrinth includes semicircular canals, which contain fluids and fine hairlike sensors which act as a monitor to the rotations of the head. An important structure in the inner ear includes the otolith organs which contain crystals that are sensitive to gravity. These crystals are responsible for sensitivity to head positions,    

          In patients with BPPV, the otoconia are dislodged from their usual position and migrate over time into one of the semicircular canals (the posterior canal is most commonly affected due to its anatomical position). When the head is reoriented relative to gravity, the gravity-dependent movement of the heavier otoconial debris (colloquially "ear rocks") within the affected semicircular canal causes abnormal (pathological) endolymph fluid displacement and a resultant sensation of vertigo. This more common condition is known as canalithiasis.   In rare cases, the crystals themselves can adhere to a semicircular canal cupula, rendering it heavier than the surrounding endolymph. Now that is a mouthful ... or at least an earful! Upon reorientation of the head relative to gravity, the cupula is weighted down by the dense particles, thereby inducing an immediate and sustained excitation of semicircular canal afferent nerves. This condition is termed cupulolithiasis.

          Now here is my non-medical interpretation of the previous paragraph.  Your rocks get dislodged, go into the canals where they disrupt your balance resulting in horrendous, tornado like vertigo. Changes in the movement of your head can bring on these events.  Mine were usually caused by trying to lie down or get up.  Sometimes it was just movement of my head from left to right.

         Fortunately the individual events only last a few minutes although they sometimes include nausea. BPPV can result from a head injury or simply occur among those who are older. A specific cause is often not found.  I have no idea what brought on mine unless it was the extensive dental work I have had in recent months and still need in the weeks ahead.

          The good news for most of you is that usually it affects those 50 to 70 years old - except for me since I am 76 - and only about 2.4% are ever affected at some point.  I am wondering, if I am really part of the 2.4%, should I try playing the lottery?  I guess not - those winners would be a different 2.4%.

          The major way to regain normal functioning is to do something to get the rocks back in place.  Maybe you could do that by hitting your head with a hammer or standing on your head.  There is a maneuver that does not address the actual presence of the particles (otoconia); rather it changes their location. The maneuver (see the picture above) aims to move these particles from some locations in the inner ear which cause symptoms, and reposition them to where they do not cause these problems.  I had two of these very painful maneuvers done by a physical therapist.  They lay you down with your head hanging over the table and that sets you off.  Then they twist your head to your armpit which makes it worse.  They hold it there a few seconds which appears to make the crystals move.

          It took two of these treatments to make me feel normal again.  On the third appointment the therapist was not able to make it explode again.  PTL!  She released me but is holding my account open for a month in case it comes back.  Please pray that it doesn't.

         So there is your health lesson for this week.  It is probably more than you ever wanted to know about something which I hope never happens to you.

         But this has been an interesting reminder to me of how intricate God's creation really is.  Amazing!  He even made the small crystals to control our balance.  What an awesome God!

         And yes, I have "rocks" in my head, but so do you!        

Round And Round And Round

        Growing up as a teenager one of my favorite secular songs was "Round and Round", sung by Perry Como.  That was back when love songs were sensible, clean, and easy to sing, unlike today's music.  Now I will admit that like many things from years ago, I had forgotten most of the words until I did a search for them. But what I did remember were phrases like "find a wheel and it goes round, round, round" and "your head goes spinning round, round, round 'cause you've found what you've been dreamin' of."
          Now it is strange how these words have come back to me in recent weeks as I've suffered from a severe case of Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, or BPPV, which landed me in the hospital for four days and complicated my life.  My head had been "spinning round, round, round" but not because I've found what I've been dreaming of.  Such a dream would be more like a nightmare.

          On our 55th wedding anniversary, Friday, June 2, we led a hymn sing at Pinebrook.  To cut down on travel we stayed two nights at a motel in Bethlehem.  The Lord answered prayer and the sing went very well. Friday was a great day.

          But on Saturday morning, when I woke up, I found the room exploding.  When I tried to get up everything was rocking like a tornado.  I was worried that I was going to end up in a hospital in that area, maybe with a stroke.  But I was able to get stable and I told Dianne that we had to get home as quickly as possible.  In about five minutes we packed, loaded the car, and she drove us home.  When we got home I called our family practice only to find that they were closing for the day.  However, when they heard my problem, one of the doctors agreed to wait and see me.  She diagnosed my problem as vertigo, prescribed a med and sent me home with the warning that if it happened again I should go to the ER for a full evaluation.

         The remainder of the day I was relatively fine.  But when I tried to go to bed that night my life exploded again - worse than before.  I knew I had to go to the ER but didn't think I could get there in the car, so we called an ambulance.  In the ER they put me through a series of tests, including a CT scan which was horrible because of my "tornado" problem, tried unsuccessfully to get me to walk, and then, about 3 am, decided to admit me to the hospital.  That was actually fine with me because I really was too scared to go home.

         During the next four days I had a variety of tests, including an MRI of my brain - yes they could fine one. I also had a heart monitor, an IV and blood tests.  I saw about five different doctors from the Internal Medicine Specialists, but only found out what I didn't have.  I was checked by a physical therapist who didn't think I was a candidate for vestibular therapy as they had expected.  As the days went on my serious problem came only whenever I tried to get up or when I tried to lay down. The elevated bed helped me with that.  Apparently BPPV isn't the same as "normal" vertigo that many suffer with.  Then finally, after two successful walks in the hall, they decided they couldn't help me anymore and sent me home.

          One of the "bummers" of the hospital stay was the fact that the first two nights I was in a nice, quiet single room on the observation floor.  But then when my time there expired,  they officially admitted me to the hospital and moved me to a semiprivate room. Fortunately, my fellow patient was fine to live with, although I missed the privacy.

          My stay at home was mixed - some good days and some bad ones. I went to the doctor twice and still have more visits scheduled. I did start vestibular therapy which at times was very painful and disruptive.  I learned that there are "stones" in your ear which control balance.  At times they can spill into your ear canals and create vertigo. (More about this in next week's blog.) The procedure to get them back where they belong usually brings temporary severe vertigo.  My sessions were not fun but appear to be the only way to get things back to somewhat normal.  Shots and medicine given to me did little but make me sleepy.  

          I am amazed how as soon as people learn that I have vertigo, they tell me that they have also suffered with it.  They give all sorts of advice and horror stories.  Now I must admit, that like many, I never felt that those who had vertigo really suffered more than a few days.  Most were helped with medicine.  However, I now know that there are different types of vertigo.  For some it is moderate dizziness and nausea, like being on a merry go round.  For others, like me, it is like being in a tornado where you need to quickly find something to hold on to while the world explodes around you.  And for those who have experienced this form, I apologize for not having been more sympathetic. I didn't know how you were really suffering. The attacks can be worse than kidney stone pain because you lose complete control. But, fortunately, they don't last nearly as long as kidney stone pain does.

          So that is my new physical problem of the month and I will appreciate your prayers for me. Maybe I need to write a book about all that has happened to my body in the last two years.  But who would read it?   The Lord is still good and continues to teach me many lessons which I guess I still need to learn.  I feel His presence in my life and have spent many moments talking to Him.  I am reminded often that I am His workmanship and that He knows all my ways.

          When we had our family ministry we often taught Bible verses by singing them to tunes which I had written.  One of my favorites was Psalm 139:3 (KJV). "Thou compassest my path and my lying down, and art acquainted with all my ways."  Being a math teacher I often think of the compass that we use to make circles.  So this verse reminds me that God encircles my life with His love and care.  My path represents my daily activities.  The lying down are the times that I can't be active, especially times of illness or injury as I have been experiencing.  And all my ways means what it says - ALL MY WAYS - the good and the challenging.  And,PTL, I have found that true.