Stories and other stuff

October baseball.  I'd like it a lot better if the Yankees didn't make it in but such is life. If the Dodgers were in, I'd have someone to root for.  As it is, I guess I'm gonna be a Cardinals fan for a while. I haven't been following baseball much this year.  Or anything else, really, for that matter, but it seems like things are getting a little better, a little easier.  October baseball is exciting.  Look for some really good "small ball" from the Cardinals.  Tony LaRusa is a master at get 'em on, get 'em over, get 'em in.  He's not afraid to pull out the stops either.  It would be my guess that you'll see at least one squeeze play from the Cardinals in the post season. Great pitching, great strategy, and clutch performances are all a part of October baseball.  Who will be the heroes this year?  Will the Yankees dominate?  We saw the Red Sox fall apart in the month of September and lose a 9 game lead in the wild card race. ...

I heard a very interesting and very telling sign of the times yesterday.  A news report mentioned that about 70% of the US economy is consumer spending and the word an analyst used to describe consumer sentiment was "depressed". I think of how many are unemployed.  How many of us are teetering on the brink because of a loss of an income; or how many have had to take lower paying jobs and are struggling.  One of the biggest things I've noticed lately is how empty the grocery store parking lots appear these days.  Maybe it's just because I don't go at the right times, but it's enough to notice that when I do, there aren't as many cars in the parking lot as there used to be.  I also see that the beef selections at the store aren't quite what they used to be.  I think that's another telling sign of how prices are hurting people. If we're the engine, and we can't shovel enough coal into that engine to keep it running by spending money we don...

Dear friends and readers of the blog, The words I want you to hear are not mine but they are powerful and they explain my life more than I ever could myself.  Sometimes, God calls us to circumstances we don't understand fully and just now I finished listening to a program on the radio that sums up not only my life these days but also adds to the conversation of why attending worship services is important (you really NEED to listen to this Xander, whoever you are!) As usual, my internet connection isn't going to let me post a link to the program but you can find it in one of three ways:  First, on the internet at either insight.org, or at oneplace.com.  The program you're looking for is called Insight for Living by Chuck Swindall.  The message today is the second part of one on the book of Hosea.  You can also hear a repeat of this program on the radio at 99.5 f.m., the Bible Broadcasting Network station in Ogden/SLC at 6:30 p.m. this evening. Take a half-h...

Yesterday, someone named Xander left a comment on my blog which I answered and after I did, I discovered a few typos and as I'm apt to do, a bit of rambling on a theme.  I didn't feel the answer in itself did the question justice so I spent some time in the scriptures last evening in the hope I could answer the question better.  This morning I think I can do that. First off, we have to look at what a church is.  Is it the building (mine is easily identifiable as a church by the style of architecture in its construction), as are many others?  You can't drive through a neighborhood in Utah without finding a ward house that belongs to the LDS church and most are easily identifiable.  The building has a purpose just as my church does.  It's where people meet to worship God. I'm not going to get into dogma with anyone.  First off I'm not educated enough in the scriptures to do that. I know what I believe; what I believe is the Truth that comes from God'...

Why is it you believe that just because some people don't attend church think you aren't going to heaven? You must not pay much attention to what your bible says. Acts 17: 230 Matt. 15: 9 It does not matter "where" or "how" you worship This was left as a comment on my blog.  I answered it, decided I needed to fix some typos and stuff but can't edit comments.  So I deleted my comment and I'm going to address the comment again in tomorrow's post.  I kept saying the same thing and the response wasn't well written.  I intend to fix that. Meanwhile, if you'd like to know more about church, may I suggest you start reading Paul's letters to the Romans, the Corinthians, the Thessalonians, the Collosians, and the Ephesians.  Church is something more than you just go to on Sunday but going is important and I want to talk about why. I ate way too much for dinner and I want to do a little more research with my very limited internet connec...

I had a great night at work tonight.  It was my last shift as a regular "fuelie"; a term of endearment for an aircraft fuels systems mechanic.  Me, I prefer the term "tank rat", but fuelie seems to be the one that sticks.  I got to work on the outside fuel dock which is something I really enjoy.  It's like working regular airplanes that fly soon, not just airplanes going through the overhaul process.  And then... Our boss came out and sent us out to the flight line.  I was happy because I always liked working on the ramp.  I do like the hangar because I'm old and it gets cold outside in the winter but it was nice to see the Hill flight line for the first time as a civilian.  I still can start a -86 which put me one step ahead of the guys I was working with.  Some things you just don't forget.  I'm sure most of my Guard friends could start one in their sleep. Anyway, as we were waiting for the airplane to be turned over to us, another...

I know a man who would do just about anything for anyone.  If you need something and he has it, he's always the first guy to loan it out.  He's the last guy to ask for help.  He's funny, articulate, and a good guy. With just about the darkest side I've ever seen in a person.  He's cynical, defensive, and can be down right mean.  And he's OK with the fact that he's going to hell.  I mean that.  He does all these good things, has this good streak in him.  Helps out people.  And then, he knows he's going to hell and doesn't care. That's so sad to me because I see the good things in him, the good side he has, then I hear him say things like that and I wonder to myself "Why?" He's married so it's not like he's out chasing girls or this big womanizer.  He's kind of a my-way-or-the-highway kind of guy at times, but he's so giving too.  I don't get why he wouldn't accept the Good News.  I really don't because s...

Dumb stuff happens to me.  That's not a news flash to anyone but this latest little malady takes the cake. Apparently I did something to the nerves in my left chest that is making my fingers tingle like my hand is going to sleep.  It's been coming and going for a while but last night I aggravated it pushing a piece of foam into a fuel tank.  It started with the two smaller fingers but spread to my thumb and the finger next to it.  The finger that lets folks know they're number one strangely is not tinging.  I haven't done that in quite some time but apparently some Facebook fan let me know on Monday that he disliked my driving with a thumbs down.  You know, that was a much greater way to tell me I was driving with my head not on the road.  I felt bad, not angry because he didn't tell me I was #1. The thumbs down was priceless.  Non threatening, not anger provoking.  Just what was called for in the situation. I had my head someplace else...

Hi gang! Not much to say today, really.  I was selected for a detail into another area at work and I'm very happy about that.  I get a break from fuel tanks and get to work on parts of the airplane I never have before, which is a great thing.  I'm really looking forward to starting Monday. That's not all I want to share today. I'm convinced that there is a passage in the Bible for just about everything.  If you've never read it, you ought to. That's all I have for today.  I hope the Lord is blessing you and your life is bringing glory to God. Coop

The carpet cleaner was broken.  And then it wasn't. I needed new shoes.  The shoe budget was tight.  I found a really nice pair of shoes at Big 5 on clearance for $19.99.  I have new shoes on my feet which always makes you feel good, right? I don't want to smoke anymore.  I just don't enjoy it like I used to.  Maybe it's that whole thing about our bodies being a temple for the Holy Spirit.  He's been letting me know lately He's not a fan of Camel Blue 99s.  Or Nat Shermans for that matter.  I think I might be more serious about it this time. I threw away a half-pack of cigarettes on my way into the hangar tonight. It's little things.  Like walking into Einstein's to buy a cup of coffee, hoping they brought back that autumn blend with the chestnut in it that you really like, and finding it.  Or walking into Harmon's because they're about the only store that carries Johnathan apples in the fall anymore and finding them.  Th...

Yesterday I had breakfast with the guys from church.  During the meal, Pastor Karl reminded us that "Mens' Sunday" is coming up and we needed to be thinking about the service and who was going to do what.  He also mentioned that one of us or some of us together would be responsible for giving the sermon. I kind of thought about that as I left the restaurant and throughout the day, but then the excitement of going to a football game, and then coming home and watching the second half of the Utah-BYU game kind of pushed it to the back of my mind, until... I was saying my nightly prayers and it came to me to ask God if it would be in his good and perfect will for me, that could I be the one to give the sermon?  I wasn't going to volunteer or ask Pastor Karl.  Yes it's something I'd really like to do, but I wouldn't want to unless God thought I was going to do a good job for His glory.  That's why I asked Him. This morning, Pastor Karl after the servi...

I do still have a sense of humor.  It doesn't come out much but it's still there. A lot of weird things started happening to me just about a year ago.  A lot of sad things at first, then a lot of really weird things that became really weird when Bucket, the wondermutt ran away from home.  I was telling the story of how I got a ticket for violating the leash law last year when Bucket got away from me and the dog catcher brought him back home with the leash still attached to his collar.  To me, that's irony and completely funny! That was before Buckey ran away and I wrote the story of my dog, "Max". Today when I was driving down the very south end of Harrison Blvd, I saw the message on the sign for the vet clinic there.  It asked me, and pretty much everyone else if "Max" was up to date on all his shots. At this point, I'd say probably not.  Just thought it was funny to see that sign today.  I didn't know Max was such a popular name for a d...

Tomorrow marks a yea of this here little blog.  As of this morning, 9,400 page views and counting (it doesn't count my own).  I was surprised at that number and I'm glad it gets read about a dozen times a day. At least someone finds the little stories interesting. Every now and again, someone will look back at some of the older posts and I think that's good as well.  Some are good.  Some, not so much, but like I said, it's just a little online journal of things that either happen to me or come into my head and I hope you find some inspiration in some of what you read. When I gripe about politics or social issues, if we disagree, I hope you at least think a little more, delve a little more into the facts surrounding the issues, even just to validate your own point-of-view. Maybe the stories aren't as good (I just can't...sorry) as they used to be because they're not as personal.  The gripping human drama of he-said/she said is a lot better entertainment t...

It was a story about a cat.  A little silly, perhaps, because two grown people are doting on a cat. It's been a week of things that just aren't for sharing, except to say that earlier in the week I prayed a small prayer that God would use me to glorify Him, at my expense.  He did.  And that's OK with me. I wrote about doing to others as you would have them do to you.  Interestingly, the book of Matthew isn't the only place that admonition appears in Scripture.  You can find it in the book of Luke. Last night at work, I came to realize something I hadn't before.  There were a couple of lessons in my little story about the pussycat.  Luke 6:26-36 will serve as a guide for what you can learn. First off, that I felt comfortable telling that story should explain something.  God expects us to be His humble servants.  A proud man never would have told that story; admitted to catering to a cat, one that he used to hate. Second, caring for t...

This isn't a story for everybody.  Mostly it's for a person that for whatever reason isn't speaking to me again.  No, in the great "do over", I'm not gonna do that again.  It's a just a story about Ba the cat and what he's doing to my dog and what he's doing to the rest of us. First off, Ba seems to be happy to be home.  He's using his box like he should.  He's actually grooming himself again.  He's eating well and Grandma is happier than I've seen her in months because Ba is here.  She dotes on him. Dotes. Ba is king of this here house.  Not me.  Certainly not the dog. I guess I do have a soft heart these days and what was a love/hate relationship between me and "fat ass" has changed into something I never dreamed of. Simba isn't the same pussycat who tried to poop in my shoe.  He's old.  He's frail.  But he's still Simba.  It took him seriously about a week to venture out of the little bathroom.  ...

Today's little blog post is gonna take some effort on your part to follow up on some of what I'm going to talk about if you so choose.  One of the things I decided to give up was my high-speed internet connection until I'm in a better financial position to afford it.  When coffee is $11 for less than a 3 pound can, something has to go and the internet connection is the latest casualty of my economic reality. I use my cell phone as a modem, but the data transfer rate is less than a 28K modem.  If you thought dial up was slow, you ought to try the frustration of this little process.  Loading basic pages like the blog is fine, but slow.  Loading interactive content or opening two windows at once just isn't going to happen which is why you don't see hyperlinks to things like Bible verses any more.  There's the explanation.  Here's the story. I woke up in a pretty good mood.  I told Miss June that today I felt like I'd have some answers, whatever t...

I've been kind of playing around with a blog topic along these lines all week, and if you could peek into my electronic filing cabinet, you'd see several drafts of this post saved.  You can't though so you'll just have to take my word for it. In the Bible, Jesus in Matthew 7:12 pretty much spells out what is probably better known as the "Golden Rule"; the verse itself from the NIV reads this way:  "So in everything, do unto others as you would have them do unto you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets."  You've heard this a lot in your life, to be sure, in some variation.  I remember hearing that most major religions in the world have a variation of the Golden Rule. The verse says a lot.  It also doesn't say a lot.  For instance, it doesn't say that you'll be treated in a likewise manner.  Quite frankly, the opposite happens a lot  these days.  My most vivid lesson in this is something my ex (no not the Mrs., the ex-Mrs) did...

I really enjoy following Weber State football.  I actually got to see Tim Toone catch a pass on TV for the Detroit Lions.  It was a nice gain for him.  Two plays later, I saw him crackback block someone and get flagged for 15 yards.  Hey, it happens, but it was nice to see a Weber State alum in an NFL game. The Wildcats lost a heartbreaker in Wyoming last week.  They scored a ton of points, but gave up a ton, too.  Kind of like the NFL game on Thursday night.  I have Drew Brees as my QB on my fantasy team, but had New Orleans defense.  My buddy KP had Green Bay's defense.  I don't feel so bad now. Weber plays at Utah State on Saturday.  Utah State came really close to beating Auburn last week.  I don't think I'd want to be the Wildcats and heading up there this weekend.  Playing Wyoming tough is something to be proud of, but almost taking out Auburn, well, that's something to be really proud of. I missed the game last week. ...

ed. note:  Sometimes blogging at two a.m. isn't the best time to do things.  I was a bit tired and when I had coffee this morning, I thought I'd fix this up a bit.   I sometimes over-think things.  I don't mean to, and it's usually limited to things I do not understand.  I consider myself at least of average intelligence and have a pretty good command of the English language, or so I thought anyway.  I got schooled this evening and in the first five minutes of the lesson, I had something I've been needing for a long, long, time. The lesson came as they often do; through a radio program.  We're in the big hangar again at work so I walked out to my truck at lunch to listen to a program I enjoy.  The subject tonight was about what a paradox was. As soon as he said the word and gave the definition, I knew it perfectly described my situation.  Here's a working definition of the word "paradox": A statement or proposition, that, despite sound ...

Today's blog is about choices.  We all make them, some are big choices, like do I buy this house, take that job, do this or that.  Some are small, like what to have for dinner, or what tie to wear with what shirt, or for that matter, what shirt to wear.  Making choices is a part of life. I noticed the other day I'd been wearing a lot of red shirts lately so today I made a choice to wear a grey shirt.  I don't want to get into a rut.  OK, I'm in a rut, but at least I don't have to wear a red shirt every day of the week.  The choices I've made, both years ago, and now, keep me where I'm at.  I'm mindful of that and also mindful of the choices I make and why I make them. There are two great stories in the Bible about choices.  One is the book of Job.  At one point, so many things befall Job that even his own wife says "Are you still holding on to your integrity?  Curse God and die!"  His reply was, "You are talking like a foolish w...

I like it that my church has a casual dress code.  But for the life of me, I can't not wear slacks and dress pants to church on Sunday.  It's a me thing, not a church thing. Sometimes, we just get things stuck in our heads and that's the way it is.  I did wear a sport shirt today and haven't worn a tie in a while.  I don't think God minds.  Not a bit.  But I can't seem to get past this thing. Here are some more things I cannot get past: Putting ketchup on a hot dog.  Here's what goes on a hot dog:  Mustard, relish, onions, or chili with or without cheese, even a little sauerkraut every now and again.  But you do NOT put ketchup on a hot dog. I have a great ketchup story, that doesn't involve hot dogs.  A man I worked with several years back went to a mexican restaurant with several of us for lunch one day.  He ordered a plate of burritos and the owner of the restaurant was proud of his food.  This man asked for a bottle of ...

Hi, readers! This is gonna be long and of course I have to tell two stories to tell the real story. My pastor shared something on Facebook regarding a sermon he was working on and asked if it was random or coincidence that he should find that video clip.  I threw in my two pennies worth and said I don't believe in random or coincidence.  This is important to remember because it's gonna be huge.  That's the first story. The second story is this:  I was working on a blog entry for the other day; one that won't ever see the light of day for two reasons.  The first, and primary reason is that it was kind of mean spirited.  The second, lesser reason is that a lot of my friends don't think I'm playing with all the cards in the deck these days and as I read the post, it could have been taken the wrong way.  The subject was a tongue-in-cheek look at what would happen if my ticket was punched and I didn't want anyone to think I was looking at using the se...

I woke up this morning.  I have another day to try and get things right. I was paid today.  Others get paid today.  There isn't much left over and some that need to be paid will have to wait a bit longer.  But there's enough to squeak by. I'm blessed to be able to work overtime today and tomorrow.  It's the first time since I've worked at Hill that they've let us work overtime over a four day weekend.  I'm really surprised.  And grateful. Miss June is on the mend.  I can tell she feels better.  She's making a fuss over our houseguest, tracking what he eats, what he drinks, when it moves through him (I know, TMI).  She had a good day yesterday and it really lifted her spirits. These are all little things, I know.  We work, we get paid.  It's part of the deal.  We take for granted we're gonna wake up each morning.  We make plans to do this or that and go about our lives.  We do this, go here and there, it's...

I have a houseguest.  Not the houseguest(s) I was hoping for but I'm happy he's here.  I kind of missed the cantankerous, grumpy thing. Ba is back. Simba is a pussycat.  Simba really never liked me that much (until the last time I saw him in Ohio).  His dislike for me was so severe that one night at Wendi's, he tried to poop in my shoe.  I'm not kidding, he hunched up, backed up, and aimed (and missed) for my shoe. Not everybody is happy to see Ba.  Katie wasn't thrilled.  Neither was Simba.  He still hates the dog.  Old as he his, he tried to smack her.  I guess he still thinks he owns the joint. Me and Ba have that love/hate thing going on.  I didn't ever really care for Ba that much.  I used to like to pet him because he hated it.  I was just trying to be nice, of course, but Wendi used to get mad at me because I was antagonizing her pussycat.  Me and Snot, we had big fun.  Me and Ba, well, we put up w...

I woke up this morning at 7:45.  I went to bed at two. I didn't want to wake up that early.  But who can sleep with all this noise?   Lark Circle is usually pretty quiet.  Not today.  Here's a sampling of the friendly noises I've heard in the last fifteen minutes: Cooper, a very large dog that belongs to my neighbors' kids is visiting.  He's currently in the dog run in my neighbor's yard.  Cooper (no joke, the dog's name is "Cooper") doesn't like the dog run and he's letting the neighborhood know it.  Funny story:  Cooper got loose one day and my neighbor is out yelling for him.  I didn't know the dog's name was Cooper.  I was working on my truck and thought he was trying to get my attention.  The look on his face when he figured out what he was saying was priceless... The young man who I'm letting use my driveway just got here.  He needs a muffler.  He's going to Weber State and apparently parking is an issue. ...