Stories and other stuff

At the outset, let me say that I don't write this thing to blow my own horn.  For a long time, I wrote it just to share the amazing things God does in my life, and brother, what a seven year journey that has been.  And then the things that God is doing in my life became so very intimate, so very even hard-to-believe that I didn't feel it right to share.  And then I bought a smartphone and decided to pay that bill and my utilities vs. internet every month and I kinda quit writing at all. So, I'm back to writing because I needed some internets to do my taxes.  And there's a lot to write about if you're an American who loves his/her country and you've been watching the debacle in Washington, D.C. this week. Debacle is being generous. So, we're gonna build a wall and Mexico is gonna pay us for it.  Later.  Maybe. So, let's take a quick history lesson about walls, my dear friends, and the sheer stupidity of them. Our first lesson on walls comes from t...

So, I hurt my back.  Badly.  Again. And I'm not whining, but boy, it's really sore, almost to the point where I'm seriously considering medical attention.  I don't know if it was done by helping someone out, or what, but nothing seems to be helping it right now. That said, it's not snowing.  That's a blessing.  The snow has also been a blessing, but when it melts, hoo boy, what a mess there will be underneath it.  Happens every winter, so I'm used to it. I'm thinking about millennials today, in the context of how to reach them.  Half of the ones I know and have personal friendships with are dealing with the after-effects of meth use, which means I have about six millennials I consider friends. So, I'm wondering in Utah if we have traditional millennials. I have one friend who is very artsy.  I say that as a compliment, because she classes up my facebook feed by sharing some interesting painting pictures and photographs.  Two others, t...

Today's story is just a story about people and cats. Somehow, through Miss June, because I would have flat out said NO!, I wound up with Tami Jo's cat. It's a long story, most of it is none of my business, let alone having me tell it to the world; but Tami Jo's cat wound up with us. I was told that we were watching it for the person Miss June gave it to (and it's June's story to tell) and apparently this person dropped off the face of the earth.  So Lilee is at my house, occupying a room meant for someone else because Lilee does not play well with other cats, let alone the dogs.  She also does not like children. Lilee has been farmed out before, and for some reason, because I was nice to Tami and let her stay here for a while when things weren't going well for her, the old lady seems to think I'm responsible for her cat.  Or we are, or that the cat needs to go back to Tami (most of which isn't going to happen).  I had June have Wendi reach out ...

So, the message lately is:  Don't go backwards. On Wednesday, I just had a funny feeling something was going on with my job.  I couldn't put my finger on it, but it was like I was going to be re-assigned.  Just a funny feeling, and Wednesday, nothing came of it. Thursday morning, I found something in my coat pocket, a wire clamp that is used in a fuel tank.  I haven't used one of those since I worked in the section that does fuel tank maintenance.  I took it back to work with me and put it away.  I have no idea how it got in my coat pocket.  It didn't belong there. Later on, I spoke to the guy in charge of our training and told him I got an e-mail about some training that was coming due I needed.  He went to look in the computer, but couldn't pull up my records because, somehow or other, I had been re-assigned to a different supervisor, who is in charge of fuel tank maintenance. Yesterday, the error was corrected, but nobody can explain ho...

I forgot to tell this story from the weekend. Saturday I was laying on the bed, just being kinda lazy when I got into one of those fights with myself. It's kind of being nagged by the Spirit. You need to go to the store.  Tacos for dinner. OK, it's not Tuesday and I'll go later. No, go NOW. All right, all right, I'll go now. In the kitchen speaking to Miss June: " How about tacos for dinner?" "OK"?  We needed bathroom tissue too.  Something she forgot to mention when I was out earlier with the cat food thingie.  How we went through 12 rolls of paper in 10 days, I don't know, but that's a story for another century. So, off to Winco.  Not Smith's.  I need to go to Winco. I need to interrupt the story to say this: Sometimes I find little road markers that remind me I'm on the right path.  A penny here and there, and on the really uncertain days, it's usually a shiny dime. When you walk into Winco, they herd you ...

No, I don't have a cold.  I just did battle with Monday.  At this hour, I am uncertain who won. Monday tried.  I fought back, but not with any amount of strength I have. It started innocently enough.  I needed trash bags and light bulbs.  Off to the evil Wal-marts.  I am so broke.  I hadn't driven my truck recently, but I noticed the last time I moved it to clear snow in the driveway that it started a little sluggishly, so I thought I'd drive it today to charge up the battery. There was a brilliant idea. I got to said Walmarts.  And that's where the battery gave up the ghost. There were lots better things to do with money than buy a battery today, so I called the old lady, hoping she'd give me a jump start.  She doesn't answer her phone. Wunderbar.  Just Wunderbar. So I go into the store and buy a battery.  Guy at the counter doesn't mention he has a machine 3 freaking feet away from him that charges and tests batterie...

OK, that's better.  For a minute, the HTML button was pushed and all kinds of gobbledy-gook was appearing. Today's post is kind of about talking to strangers, because I spent a lot of time today talking to strangers.  But it starts with, and comes back to me and Miss June, which is sometimes like speaking to a wall. I needed to go out today for some things; namely gas and rib rub.  As I'm getting ready to leave, I asked June:  "I'm going to Sam's Club.  Do we need anything?" Her:  "I am going out later.  I'll get it at Smith's" As I said, I had to go get fuel for the car, so I went to Sam's club because it's about 14¢ a gallon cheaper than anywhere else.  BTW, it's work to get that cents sign in there.  Used to be on the main keyboard, but now that a candy bar costs more than a dollar, what's the point?  Anyway, I digress, but you should ought to be used to that by now. Today I was getting said fuel and the...

Yesterday, I talked about blowing an opportunity to invite my friends to join me in a word of thanks to God for the wonderful food we enjoyed. It kinda bugged me all day, and pretty much set the tone for a crappy evening. My life runs in concentric circles and here's a bit of what happened. Seven years or so ago, Ogden City had a contest for business plans. Our entry was "Coop's Burgers". We won a prize in this contest: $5000.00. We started up, but then, well, no reason to get into all that again. The winner of the contest was a baked potato joint, which is still in business.  I have never been there, but the guys at work ordered out from there last night. When the food showed up, there was one potato missing: Yup. Mine. Instead of getting mad, or acting all butt-hurt, I chose to show some grace. My buddy was lots more upset by it than I was. I actually saw the humor in the situation, given the small little link in my life between this place and my own...

Wow, has it really been since October that I wrote and published a blog post? That's a long time to not write, but then again, with everything going on, there has been much to live through but not to share. Lots going on at work, but can't speak in public forums about my work. Company policy. And there's quite a bit in my life going on too and I'll try to share some of that with all y'all. I rang in the new year quietly at home with Miss June. There were no trips to the vet E.R. to start of 2017, just an unbelievable sigh of relief with the shouting of "happy New Year!". Miss June said she just felt cleansed inside. I felt like the weight of the world had been lifted off my shoulders. That's still there today. There are many battles to face each day, but I find strength in God and lately, I have seen His Word do some great things. I think I want to talk about that today. God's Word, the Holy Bible, is an incredible thing. It just com...