3/29/2019

Hard to believe the 3rd month of the year is almost over. 1/4 of 2019 is fading fast! What’s really hard to believe is we haven’t begun to do what needs to be done this year. We’re way behind! 

I did arise today with grace on my mind—as a matter of fact, it was He Giveth More Grace by Annie Johnson Flint. Orphaned to be raised by a neighboring family, she devoted her life to the Lord and wrote several songs, none finer than this picture of God’s amazing grace, however. A good SIMH.

Reminds me of a song Barb and I were listening to a few days ago and wondering if it is one we heard at a bible conference back in the 80s or early 90s. Bro. Moore had an old friend, an Irishman (and proud of it) —Irish tenor—come to the conference and led singing, and he sang a magnificent song about grace as a special. We couldn’t find it anywhere afterward, but hearing the song below, on the ‘net the other day, I seem to think this was it. If any of you were there and remember Johnny (the Irish tenor) singing, was this it?

Your grace that leads this sinner home

From death to life forever

And sings the song of righteousness

By blood and not by merit

Your grace that reaches far and wide

To every tribe and nation

Has called my heart to enter in

The joy of Your salvation

By grace I am redeemed

By grace I am restored

And now I freely walk

Into the arms of Christ my Lord

Your grace that I cannot explain

Not by my earthly wisdom

The Prince of life, without a stain

Was traded for this sinner

By grace I am redeemed

By grace I am restored

And now I freely walk

Into the arms of Christ my Lord

Let praise rise up and overflow

My song resound forever

For grace will see me welcomed home

To walk beside my Saviour

By grace I am redeemed

By grace I am restored

And now I freely walk

Into the arms of Christ my Lord

By grace I am redeemed

By grace I am restored

And now I freely walk

Into the arms of Christ my Lord

If not, look this song up: video recorded by an ensemble called City Alight. they are very good and the song expresses grace beautifully, as well.

2 weeks till the conference in Round Rock, TX. Looking forward to seeing the folks out there. Miss them all. Hoping for a lot of folks to show up there. And, once again, hoping Brad Davis can make it and present us with some music! What a great guitarist—a Flat-Picker! Y’all know what that is, right?

Once in a while the events going on around me and around the whole world sort of collide with normalcy and crash head-on into spiritual expectations. From the recent wacko investigative conclusion in the Chicago case, to the conclusion of the “Mueller Investigation,” to the nationwide responses to those and more events, including one close to home,  brings this ol’ dude to the conclusion—I don’t think I possess an explanation that would satisfy even myself, let alone would be something I would care to write about or expound upon. What I wish is for simple justice, simple politics, simple familial love, and simple living to return. 

But, that just probably isn’t going to happen—not here, not now, maybe never. It is symptomatic of the way things have gone for the last 60 years, or so.

I read about a high school buddy passing away. He was a fun teenager to run around with, always close to the edge, just not quite outside of what was acceptable behavior. His behavior, done in today’s environment, probably wouldn’t have even been noticed. He taught me how to play poker, he taught me how to do “donuts” on a gravel road in a pickup truck without turning over or running into a tree! He even taught me how to really dislike (hate?) someone and yet abide them in life.

You see, he loved a girl, but she didn’t love him. She used him as a backup if her “love” was not willing to come around or take her out or whatever. My friend couldn’t stand the other guy, yet he never let it be known except to me and maybe one or two other close friends. After about a year of on again-off again dating of the girl, she became with child by the other guy. He wouldn’t marry her or claim it. My friend married her, though knowing she didn’t love him. The marriage was doomed from the start, but he didn’t give up, he stayed and raised the girl before finally getting out of that failed-from-the-start marriage.

I admired what he did. We didn’t stay in close touch, but a brief reunion 11 years ago told me he remembered our friendship as a fond memory, as did I. It is my understanding they raised a fine daughter. 

Making my way through memories of my home town, I ran across a FB conversation about how our school used to observe “Good Friday”— a day erroneously about the cross of Christ. In spite of the error of the calendar, it is an interesting thing that a public school was never challenged by anyone about doing that. I think they continued till the school was consolidated in 1967-68 school year. More to come about this and other home town recollections.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

3/22/2019

I just read a fairly recent quote from a Muslim something-or-other who said “in two years, America will be a Muslim nation.” You believe that? One year after the next presidential election—we’ll all be under sharia law? Somehow, I doubt that very much. But, just in case I could possibly be wrong and that dude be right, what do you think “we” (you and me) should do about it? anything? Should we fight somebody? Should we elect somebody? Or, should we do what we do now? Wait, he said we had two years. Shall we wait 720 days doing nothing, and just “see how it pans out?”

What is our defense against lies (and everything preached by the Islamic nations is lies)? The several things which come to mind; defend our constitution, respect our flag, get out the vote, raise your voice against this or that, all pale beside the admonition of our Apostle Paul—“Preach the word, be instant in season, out of season. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine”—we are definitely in that time. If we preach the word, and be “ready always…to give a reason for the hope which is in you,” Can we sway people away from thinking the country should go a certain way, slide toward socialism or take a hard right turn?

To the next generation, let me just say, “I’m sorry. Sorry for giving this into your hands.” From the time of the beginning of the military incursion into South Vietnam until now. Our leadership has made horrible decisions after horrible decisions—compounding every bad thing. But, that’s a drop in the bucket to the bad decisions made during the same time period by the so called “church leaders.” How long has it been since the Lord’s word was spoken as the general rule or the authority for anything except in a few little churches and bible classes. How many church people today can even tell you where the word of the Lord is? America doesn’t need another politician, we have plenty. America doesn’t need a new or altered constitution, the one in place is sufficient. Neither do we need more this! or more that! What America needs is to begin again to walk in the “fear of the Lord.” Trusting “in the Lord with all (our) hearts” and “lean(ing) not on our own understanding.”

The Lord spoke, men wrote it down, the Lord promised to preserve it—then, intelligentsia came along and decided to re-write it. Result? Few know where to find it. I remember the challenge laid down before me in 1974: where is the word of God? I can, with a moments notice, give you dozens of reasons why I know where the word of God is and why I proclaim it. I’m 76, I can name you 25 or so men within 10 years of my age (both older and younger) who can do the same thing. How many more are there coming after us? There are some, praise the Lord, but how many, and are there enough? Can the course of human events be altered back into the safety of an absolute authority of the word of God-the King James Bible?

This is my prayer. Join me, please.

SIMH today is a really old one: “On the Wings of a Snow White Dove” (He sends His pure sweet love—a sign from above.) God Almighty DID send His pure sweet love, His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, who died for us that whether we wake or sleep, we might live together with Him for all eternity. Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised again from the dead to show the resurrection power necessary to raise us up to an eternal promise. Will you trust Christ, believe the gospel and be eternally secure today. No matter who is a muslim, who is too liberal or too far right or whatever thing you may fear the most. Trust Christ.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

3/18/2019

When I awakened this morning I was finishing the longest dream I’ve had in some time. I was called to a city, it seems, to preach a funeral. When I arrived, the motel said the only room available was the one an expected new employee was to have, but he hadn’t showed up. I said, “I’ll take it.” They said don’t be surprised if people with a “maintenance” problem knocked on my door. I took the room and the dream put my mind through several scenarios where I had to help someone with their room?!?!? Then, the dream took me on a car ride to where the funeral was to be and we saw other funerals being held along the way. 

At less than a mile from where my funeral was to be, the funeral director driving me pulled off the road at a house, went in and found his father passed away! He came out and told me to drive on to the funeral, then come back and get him. Apocalypse Now! What a dream! What could possibly make that dream appear and be so vivid?

Perhaps the dream caused the two songs in my he’d this morning, also: “I Need No Mansion Here Below” by many old gospel groups + my father, followed closely by “I’m Just a Ghost In This House” by Alison Krauss.

These songs and dreams make me a bit melancholy, but not at all depressed. First, remember, dreams are neither prophetic, nor trustworthy. They are just a product of our minds in a subconscious state. Almost like the deja vu events which occur. Secondly, the Lord’s promise is so very secure, that can not a worry arise. We who have believed on the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour, believing He died for our sins, He was buried, and He was raised for our justification, we know some things about our own future: one, we belong to Him; two, we are going to a place “far above all heavens;” three, we will indeed dwell in a “house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.” That “house” is how we will be clothed for all eternity with Christ (He’s the Head, we’re in His Body.) 

So, we have no worries about the eternal side of our expectations. In this world, we may have sorrow as expressed in the other song, but it only brings the desire to go to our “long home.” Again, no worries, all is well.

On a more worldly note, this is just a couple days away from Spring—do you remember Spring? I do, it brings, among all the sunshine and flowers and outdoor activities, a lot of expectations of greater things! And that brings to mind another AK song—“There is a Reason for it All!”

Had a great time for a short time Saturday in Arab, AL, at their bible conference. Heard some great preaching, visited with some old friends I hadn’t seen for a while, and fellowshipped with some over a really good mealtime. Very thankful for the opportunity. (Once again, very blessed to listen to Bro. Fred Maynard, at 91, preaching the gospel of Christ very strongly! He says he’s on his 54th trip through the bible in a year. His formula is 3 chapters a day, Monday through Friday and 4 chapters on Saturday and Sunday. That’ll do it.)

Seeing great improvements and advances in the next few months in the “Water With Alkalinity” world. Several people are very serious about building new stores in their towns and we hope some of them let us help them get that done. We have the finest equipment to be found in the world to make “Water the Way it was Meant to be!” Fresh water comes from the sky, the way the Lord intended, hits the mineral rich soil, soaks into and through that, gathers and runs to seek its own level over the rocks and harder minerals till is forms in pools available to burst forth out of a spring or be drawn or pumped to the surface for us to drink. But, now it is interfered with by systems to bring it through miles of pipelines to our homes treated with chemicals. We just simply correct it for drinking and bathing purposes. We love what we do to and for the most precious compound on earth.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

3/14/2019

What causes reluctance? Reluctance isn’t always just cautionary, it is sometimes driven by fear. Fear of loss or fear of ridicule. Fear of going “against the grain.” (I’m pretty sure I could come up with some other reasons for reluctance.) I think what brings about the difference in an entrepreneur’s mindset and a non-entrepreneur is one of the above reason’s, don’t you? Take the caution side: during the 1930s, a pessimist would say, “better not invest in this or that, we’ve got this depression going on.” Then, in the next boom, the pessimist would say, “better not invest in this or that, we can’t trust this boom to last forever! Remember that depression we had?”

But, the entrepreneur in the 30s would say, “Wow! prices will never be cheaper, now’s a great time to invest!” and later, in the boom, he would say, “Wow! what a great time to invest heavier, let’s take advantage of the boom!”

In a strictly cash-driven society such as we had in America during the first half of the last century, I suppose it took both kinds of capitalization. Some saved and hoarded their worth; others would seek loans and delve into new ventures because “the timing was so right.”

How does your mindset fit into the above explanation? Do you think, “let’s do it!” Or, do you think, “better not”? It isn’t a contest, not even necessary to tell anyone how your thinking goes, just a practice in rhetoric. It is, however, important to know where you are along these lines. 

Today, those who operate with credit cards and debit cards represent about half of all moneys spent. Hopefully, that stat is weighted toward debit cards. At least, that means they have the money in their bank accounts. I haven’t heard for a few years now, whether the CC debt is still rising or going down. I’m betting it is a little less per capita since unemployment is lower now. 

New start-ups are on the rise, according to my sources, in less than $100,000 investments. That means it is a good climate for small “mom and pop” style businesses. Probably why Blue Jug stores have been being built in this past year. Our (the wholesale supplier) side of this is under a more stringent challenge: become the good wholesale provider we need to be and as we intend for our stores. All it takes is “let’s do it!”

On another note:

In recent days, Barb and I have both had conversations with people who are suffering or are close to someone suffering from harsh diseases such as might make death imminent. Spiritually, we pray for the opportunity to speak with these folks about peace with God, coming to know their eternal life is in Christ by having the opportunity to speak the gospel of Christ unto them, to make them see the great fellowship (of the mystery) which we have in Christ; remembering, Christ died for our sins, was buried, and was raised again for our justification. Believe that.

But, physically, we seek the opportunity to tell these folks about how they can help themselves without being totally dependent upon chemical drugs (pharmaceuticals.) There are so many natural things to add to the regimen of making our lives (or even in the dying process) easier. Or, perhaps a grand aid in the healing process. We’re aware of both aspects of illness in people and we desire to be beneficial with our words, our prayers, and our suggestions. Pray for the ill, pray for us.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

3/12/2019

Last night, the 10th Monday night of this year, 10th straight Monday night I taught on things found in the book of Ephesians, marked the finish of the most precious section of Scripture written to us. It was wonderful to get to do that in the format of 1 hour per week. The first 3 chapters of Ephesians is so full of wonderful doctrines which shape today’s walk with the Lord, it isn’t possible in only 10 hours to fully teach it all. However, as I recapped last night, my thoughts were along the line of trying to go beyond chapter 3 (into the last 3 chapters of the book), and how I will need to make many referrals back to the doctrines we’ve just studied. At least, from my view point, it’ll be interesting.

SIMH this morning is an old John Denver song, “Country Roads, take me home, to the place I belong, West Virginia, mountain momma, take me home…” John was an interesting bright star of the 25 year (or so) era of variety shows on television. He was an okay host, an okay comedian, but a terrific musician. Barb and I took our sons to see him in concert at the Birmingham Civic Center in 1975. It was quite a show—1 man, in the round. He sang for about 2 1/2 hours without a serious break, using two or three different guitars, but he was the only performer. What an excellent singer he was. Like many bright stars, his was snuffed out in a moment: a plane crash which had him as the pilot of an experimental plane.

On the alkaline water side of my life, the 8th Blue Jug Alkaline Water and Health Market has now opened and we’re excited to be in league with these great people who own these stores. Of course, we believe more will open soon, perhaps as early as Summer, but whenever more new stores come our way, we know they’ll also have “water the way it’s meant be.”

In the 8 stores, the owners are a wide variation of peoples: we have one single man, one single woman, one large corporation, one man (though married) who partners with another in the store, and the same with one woman (though married), she runs the store, and 3 couples running stores. Interesting mix. We try not to dictate anything about that. If someone wants to invest and own a store, our purpose is to educate the product to the people who are going to be in the store, and to give as much understanding of retailing as we can.

Retailing as a concept has changed many times in my lifetime and yet what has stayed the same is people. The people who become loyal to a particular store have an interesting “take”on their loyalties: some have a singular product they will stay loyal to come in for because it serves them specifically well for a certain part of their life; some might be fiercely loyal to an owner due to having been served exceptionally well; some, loyal to a store only as long as their friend works there; others, loyal to a brand. And so it goes. Even a strong loyalty feeling can be hacked. 

Store owners truly appreciate the various loyalties which bring people coming in and sharing their spendable income. And good store owners constantly seek enhancements for its continuation and growth. Institutes of higher learning have made whole curricula out of studying the giants of retail; John Wanamaker, JC Penney, Sam Walton, and many, many more. From the mid-1800s to today, retail has survived dozens of adverse conditions, yet is continually growing and thriving. Restaurants (the most prolific) have the highest fail rate of all—60% fail within 2 years, and 60% of the rest will fail within 2 more years—about 85% failing by the fourth year. Most other retail categories have a better stability rate, but too many fail. The most common cause is under capitalization (not enough money.)

On that cheery note, I think I’ll go open the store! And work on that capitalization!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

Sitting in the motel in Newport, TN, waiting to go to the Bible Believers Cowboy Church to fellowship with the folks this morning. Bro. Sam has been in Oklahoma doing a memorial service for his mother. I’m hoping all went well with that yesterday and that Bro. Sam has an uneventful trip back home. 

Hopefully, we’ll have a good bible class this morning, centered on the gospel of Christ as our hope and our glory. The Lord’s word is so full of good doctrines, good teachings to speak on. Pray with me that it is clear from my thoughts and words to theirs who hear.

Been thinking about how to write a eulogy (of sorts) concerning Buddy, our companion for more than 13 years—pictured at the top of this blog. Buddy passed away Feb.27th. He showed no signs of a former illness until the morning he died. He was a happy dog, living in a happy, peaceful place—except for that ol’ white cat next door. When that cat came out in our front yard and Buddy was behind the fence, he would stand upright and do considerable barking to tell that cat to go away. She deserved to die—he was sure! she paid no attention and we usually lost the argument when we tried to get him to shut up about that cat! 

But, beyond the cat, he was a very contented dog. A wonderful friend, as only dogs can be. In the words of an old friend about his dog: “Buddy was the one member of the family who loved us just the way we were.” He never tried to change us and, in fact, he would carefully deliberate our attempts to change him, then usually noted he might receive some good thing for changing and complied. He had enough “herd” blood in him to understand things as he saw them. He never pretended. You might remember my description of how we came to have buddy for our own, but, indulge me a little. I hope you enjoy reading the story again. Back at the start of this blog I wrote:

Old Buddy (whose in the picture at the top.) He’s just a couple months away from being 13 years old. And, for a rescue dog, he’s had a good life with us. How we came to get Buddy was quite something. Barb had never particularly wanted a dog at all. But, she started mentioning every now and then that a large dog on our place in Texas might be a good thing.

A friend and coffee house mate told me about rescuing a really great dog out of a ditch that ran through some property he was developing. He said he got the dog out of the ditch, gave him some water, then got in his truck and drove home (just a couple of blocks.) When he got out of his truck, here came that dog. Well, he had no place to put him, so he asked his neighbor could she keep him for a day or so to see if my friend could find the owner. He couldn’t find the owner. He told me about this and asked if I knew anyone who might want a nice young big dog. When I told Barb, I asked if she would like to go look at the dog and, to my surprise, she said yes.

We went to the neighbor’s house with my friend. The neighbors were very gracious people and we talked a few minutes and she said let me bring “Sandy” (her name for the dog) in. She went to the back door and opened it and here came Buddy. He walked past her husband, me, my friend, went right to where Barbara sat and put his head on her knee! —-I am not kidding. She said, “Are you my buddy?” and we had a dog. They have loved each other for 13 years. (He tolerates me rather well, too.)

We had to rename him because we had friends (both male and female) named Sandy who would not have thought there was any humor in us having given our dog their name. So, since he was obviously Barbara’s “Buddy”, buddy it was. We found out a little later that is is the 4th most common name for dogs. Harumph!

So, we miss having Buddy in the backyard. but, I doubt if another dog is in our future. I hope you have a great day.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

3/5/2019

It’s been too long without writing. No one could call me a “blog-meister” with these kinds of habits, now could they. I’ve no real excuse for not writing, either, just couldn’t wrap my head around it. There is a SIMH this morning, however. It’s a throwback to a somewhat younger version of myself. This may have been prompted by going to bed unable to finish some things I wanted to do and at the same time, remembering it had been several days since I wrote on this blog: Too Long…no, I mean that was the SIMH; “You’ve been Too Gone For Too Long” —a Randy Travis short song (barely 2 minutes.) But, I don’t want it to end the way his song did—“so why don’t you just turn back now!” No, no! I like doing this, just some things get in the way of my feeble mind.

We went to Gatlinburg this past weekend and had great fellowship with many friends, old and new. I really enjoy these conferences; they are all for the fellowship around the word of God, yet they extend into fellowship over and around meal-times, and even sometimes on the way home, a last get together at a restaurant on the way! For several years, we’ve stopped at a special place in Maryville, TN for a really great meal. This year, knowing two families were headed in the same direction and one of them had a favorite place to eat which closed, we asked them both to join us—an added treat “post-conference!” We enjoyed that, hope they did, too.

The start of our exposure to and inclusion in conferences began in 1978, I think the month was March. Bro. E.C. Moore held a small conference in Gulf Shores, AL, in a motel ran by some friends. There were just a few of us there—maybe 35-40 people. And, as I recall, only 3 preachers. I can’t remember him doing that the next Spring, but the next year in September, 1979, Hurricane Frederick wiped that little motel off the map completely! So then, just shortly after that, Brother Moore scheduled a conference in Pensacola Beach and for several years we had an annual visit there. Staring in 1980, the Grace Bible Church in Chattanooga held a conference each year, as did the church in Baton Rouge. 

Early in the ‘80s, the church in Meridian, MS added to the list, followed in 1985, by a group in Texas that turned into being our church in New Braunfels for about 27 years straight. The first was held in Houston with Brother Barry Hampton hosting it. (If you see an old picture of a bunch of preachers you know, that’s where it was taken. As a matter of fact, the photographer was Bro. Moore’s son Tom.) 

There was also the on-going Pineview Bible Camp each year, which had its start in the late ‘60s and continued till about 1989. Along the way, there were others which were fine conferences, some lasting just a year or two. Some, like Brother Jack Lockhart’s group hosted which became the largest attended one, going for several years, I expect about 20 years or so, in Guntersville, AL. 

We also held a bible camp for a few years in Texas which was profitable for salvation and edification, as well. We were granted permission by a camp to use their facilities for nothing more than an offering taken especially for them. Most years, the one offering taken for them they told me was more than larger groups gave, and we’ve always found that sort of generosity to be true of grace believing groups.

Even with some hurricane interference which stopped 4 (I think—3 of Bro. Moore’s coastal conferences and one in Meridian, MS because of motel overflow of those escaping the coast) and even though there was an occasional argument which got a bit out of hand, these conferences saw many people come to salvation, a time when they trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior. Think about that, hundreds of people used the camps and conferences as the venue for once and for all “hearing” the words of truth, the gospel of their salvation, and gaining eternal life in Christ. How many getting saved would have made all of them worthwhile, folks? One. Just one would have made them all worthwhile. But, there were hundreds, praise the Lord for His matchless grace!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

2/28/2019

Well, “goodbye, February.” It wasn’t a very friendly month for a huge part of our country. Massive Winter storms in many states and horrendous flooding still going on. Kentucky really had more than its share of both. We, also, have had way over our Winter average for rain and the ground is very soggy and unstable on hillsides. Here’s hoping an early Spring and brisk winds dries us out to a normal condition soon. 

Speaking of floods, we know a thing or two about floods. In 1981, in Mobile, AL, we had shortly before moved into a rental home along 3-mile creek. There had been a flood there before, but much work had been done and more being done on a new dam upstream in a beautiful city park. Seemed very safe, by the assurances of the landlord and his son, who lived across the road. We loved the house and it fit our needs quite well. About 7-8 months later, in May, we were holding a Shaklee “Wellness” meeting in our home with about a dozen or so friends. It was raining pretty hard and after the meeting, the friends ran to their cars and left except for two couples. We sat and enjoyed their company and at about 9:30, water was obviously standing in the driveway. We joked about them swimming to get into their cars and they decided to wait till it let up. 

On that same day, at noon on local radio, the Mayor of Mobile talked about all the work done in the park on the new dam, how it was a double reinforced steel base and they had just closed the spillway to allow this new dam to hold a beautiful lake the people would truly love, etc. At noon, he said this.

That morning, because we had planted some garden near the creek’s edge, I went back there and had looked at the creek level. The water was probably 7-8 feet below grade, running shallow, and the creek bed was truly wide in back of our lot. But that night, at about 10:30, that wonderful new reinforced steel dam burst! The day had been filled with 11 inches of rain in about 8 hours, and the dam just couldn’t take it. All that water rushed to fill the 3-Mile creek, and come rushing into ours and one neighbors yards (our two houses got all the silt and debris), ultimately flooding about 18-20 houses.

So, there we were, four of us plus the 2 visiting couples, stuck in a house with rising water, the water coming in the house (which was about 30inches above ground level, finally rising to 4’ inside our house (the level of most light switches.) We fought to save as much as possible of our stuff; the friends helped us reason clearly, saving things like pictures and other mementos. Finally with water still rising, we put Sarah (who was small) and one of the friends (who was expecting a baby) up in the attic where we had already put our momma cat and kittens. 

As water continued to rise to my armpits, Everyone got up in the attic except one friend and our son Steve (the two tallest.) Around 3:30, a flat bottom motor boat came up to the front door, which we had left open at some point, to rescue us. The young expectant mother, we handed down and across the living room to the door, keeping her out of the water. Then, the rest of us climbed in the boat, which was the landlord’s son, and he took us to higher ground, to homes which still had phone service and had taken in other refugees. We called a friend and told him our dilemma. It took him about two hours to make his way around other flooded areas in town and get to us.

By that time, day had dawned and others were becoming aware of the city’s plight and began seeking whom they could assist. One young man came to our house as the waters receded, climbed into our attic and got the cat and kittens out and brought them to where we had been taken. Later, that same day many friends came to help us. Some of those stories are just almost overwhelming. One lady, wonderful friend, but not one you would think ever would have been the one who did this, she donned her oldest shoes, rolled up her slacks, brought a couple of friends, went into our closets and drawers taking practically all of our clothes to her house, doling them out to neighbors to put into their washing machines and cleaning our stuff for hours, if not days. She separated the dry clean only, taking them to dry cleaners.

The rest of this story, and the experience of another flood in a different set of circumstances will have to wait for another day. Suffice to say about all this: the grace of God is never fully understood without some adversity in our lives. I wouldn’t ever want anyone to go through what we went through, but I do thank the Lord for the myriad of ways He made the riches of his grace known to us, again and again and again.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

2/25/2019

Morning! Had a wonderful time of fellowship yesterday and was blessed by the Word being preached. I hope you had a place to go for fellowship and for hearing the gospel preached plainly and simply. If you didn’t let’s see if we can find you one. Now, where’s my “grace gospel map…”

Years ago, I had a United States map all marked up showing every grace group I knew of, maybe about 1990, or so. It would be hard to keep up with today. Probably a worthwhile project, though. Like the listings that Sharon McEntee has done on FaceBook -page Mid-Acts Pauline Bible Conferences and Functions. I know that’s hard to keep up with, but many people benefit from knowing that page is there. Hats off to Sharon, she’s a great friend to us all and we thank you, Sharon.

I’ve always loved maps, I don’t know why…does that mean I have a geographic mind? Remember the big case of maps that hung above the chalk board in our school rooms? I think from the 3rd grade to 8th, we had them. Then for high school, we had them in special classes; history, government, etc. My favorite days were the ones when (whoever) teacher would pull down a map and explain something from it. Especially Mr. Utterback or Mr. McNeely. They were the kind of teachers who would just get absorbed in what they were teaching you. Even the class clown or distractor couldn’t take them from their task. 

Somewhere in all that, there was a time when I could identify any country in the world when I saw the shape of it. Now that there’s twice as many countries, I can only still identify some of the old ones. Ask any high school student where South Korea is on a world map. Or Luxembourg. In Texas, a few years back, only 30% or so, of high school seniors could name the neighboring states, let alone the world’s countries. For shame!

It must be from some higher up authority to have changed what is important basic knowledge (I mean, what’s worse than not knowing where you are?), probably instigated by the NEA. That’a a government agency which ought not to be (one of many.) Let’s see, we don’t need to teach Home Economics any more, only sex ed—-Wait! What are they going to call that now, “Multi-Gender Patterns of Life” class? I read somewhere the other day that some African country has identified and is teaching there are 14 genders. Please, don’t anyone send me the names of these “genders.” It was and always shall be that there are two genders—male and female. 

They will not change their gender by changing body parts. (I’m well aware of the issue some have at birth which causes much confusion and hurt for many years. But, even so, there will be a day in the life of these exceptions when they are settled as to which gender they belong and it isn’t a new one, it is one or the other.) Some of these documented stories are heartbreaking and thought provoking, some studies have caused birthing doctors to take a different approach for the child’s and parent’s sakes, which is good. But, ultimately, when the unusual child is settled in his or her mind, that’s what they are, one or the other. 

Our Creator, God the Father to me, has made us simple. It is a definable Enemy who has fouled up the simple world God made. This enemy is all over the place, running this world under his plan, a usurped authority which he stole from the first man, Adam, and the Lord God has given His creation several dispensations of time to see the truth, instead of following a lie. In each dispensation of time God has shown Himself to be true to His word, and has shown the enemy, Satan, Lucifer, to be what he is: a liar. Jesus said, “he is a liar, and the father of it!” IT. There’s only one lie, and that is as the Liar said to Eve in so many words: God is lying to you. Eve believed The Liar, and disobeyed the voice of the True God, and ever since, as Mark Twain once said, “God made man a little lower than the angels, and he’s been getting a little lower ever since.” Spoken by a man who had great respect of God the Father, but little to no respect for man’s ideas about God.

“A little lower ever since” is a truism. Who can deny it? The only ones who could claim that not to be true are those who believe mankind is getting better as time goes on. Unfortunately, that is one of Satan’s lies that he screams the loudest about. Because we are bombarded with what any current generation believes is new knowledge the general public falls for that lie, discounting how brilliant long past generations were in favor of elevating the current “new” news. 

But, Solomon wrote about 3,000 years ago and said, “there is nothing new under the sun.” He said, “what is now has already been,” etc. How come the brilliant minds of today don’t search out what Solomon meant? Because the believe the Liar when he says old time guys like Solomon or Job were just stupid or ignorant compared to today’s brilliant minds. How very wrong that is. Thank you, Lord, for defeating Satan. Trust in what Christ did for us. Everything is paid. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you’ll be saved from this ridiculous lie and from the Liar himself.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

2/23/2019

Sometimes when I sit down to write, I look into my current mind and measure what I see against my memory banks of the second half of the 20th century. Many things I saw and did and put forth as a good idea in that former 50 year period are still very valid. Many things are not. I don’t view myself as a “wise old man” now, however, I also don’t view my past self as being stupid. Naive, maybe; uninformed, most definitely. But, by examining when, how, and why the pattern of thought changed and I am not the same man exactly, yet hold to some absolute truths that do remain and shall remain, keeps me aware of myself. I’m not a “fool on a hill.”

Which was my SIMH this morning: “The Fool on the Hill”—written by John & Paul (Beatles) and made most famous by Sergio Mandes/Brazil. “Day after day, alone on a hill, The man with the foolish grin is sitting perfectly still, ….Nobody wants to know him, They can see that he’s just a fool. But he never gives an answer…..But the fool on the hill, Sees the sun going down, And the eyes in his head, See the world spinning round!”…..”His head in a cloud, The man with a foolish grin is talking perfectly loud,…but nobody wants to hear him, They can see that he’s just a fool….”  —-Maybe the foolish man had something to say, right?

In February of 1950, 69 years ago, the first “credit card” ever, came into existence. Known as the Diner’s Club, it is still in existence today. It started with 200 people having the card, 14 restaurants honoring it, and the rest, as they say, is history. Ten years later (1960) on my Senior class trip to New York/Washington, DC, our sponsor used one in a restaurant to show us how it was done. Most of us thought, pshaw, big deal, who would ever want to do that! Why not just pay for it. One boy in our 4-person hotel room thought it was a cool thing to do. The rest of us, just the opposite. 

Then, in 1970, another ten year period, our bank (in Danville, IL) sent a representative into the carpet store where I worked and taught us how to use cards, manual card readers, and how to refer to it as cash, even though when we put it in our bank account we didn’t get to keep it all, and it was OK with us.?? That was a dual system called Visa/Mastercard: ever heard of it? Then, of course, American Express, which was an old “traveller’s cheques” company for more than a hundred years, brought out their card in 1958, which became an elitist’s card by the time V/MC made cards available to the common man. Discover Card by Sears/1985 offered extended spending limits and changed the paradigm, once again.

There is a certain “air” which came about when people used these cards back then. An air of superiority by some who almost gloated over the fact that you didn’t get their cash when you took their card—as if that proved something, But, an air of apology by some because they just didn’t have the cash to buy something they either needed or wanted really badly. I believed back then, when seeing these two attitudes, the superior air came from that person knowing there was no doubt he would simply pay the card balance when the bill arrived, The other was most likely from one who doubted he would be able to pay the whole balance and would wind up paying high interest on what he still owed.

Some may not see this as major, but it signaled an overwhelming shift in the individual thoughts concerning buying power and what constituted a good personal budget and, subsequently, a solid national economy, and neither of these indicators has ever shifted back to the way things were.

In none of these money management shifts did anyone seem to pay attention to the biblical admonitions about borrowing and lending. After all, that was archaic thinking. It took about 50 years before a biblically principled man began to teach people a solid way to discipline themselves out of debt and into solvency—Dave Ramsey. Dave wrote a book about it in 1990, then promoted it by doing (free) a one hour radio program each day for a month in 1992(still syndicated.) He makes good biblical sense and it works if the people work it into their lives. They are taught to tear up or burn their credit cards, and pay off their mortgages (a thing which was originally thought of as bringing one to penury as late as the crash of ’29.)

It isn’t my purpose to rant about credit or rave about being above it. My business is mine and yours is yours. But, I wanted to show one of the things which has entirely happened in my lifetime, mostly in my adult lifetime, which changed the world we all now live in. 

The “fool on a hill’s” purpose never was known. What purpose does this fool carry? or the next fool coming down the path.

Thanks for reading, the Elder