11/9/2019

Two of the largest remodel jobs on the new store building are needed to speed up the rest of the action. A new floor is essential, all ready to be put down when the laborers are available, followed soon after will be the HVAC. When those two things are done, the real store building will get underway in earnest! (That means we have to bring about a swift conversion.) It’s exciting to go through, but can also get frustrating if we’re not careful. More words of my dad: “Ah, its got to work out ok. What else is there?”

Barb and I will begin in a few days to ready the house in town, considerable work there, also. This really is a fun time. I guess the big thing I like about this is looking at (in my mind) the finished product. Whether the store unit or our house or the Gadsden store’s move and his new store look, it’s just enjoyable to be around it all. Jason and Sarah have a beautiful and historic home they are rapidly putting into the comfort zone they’re liking the best—great place! So, if weather and costs will stay in line, and all else being considered (like health, etc.) 2020 may be a really enjoyable year!

This morning was a repeat day SIMH-wise. When I thought about the SIMH, realizing it was the same song as a few weeks ago, my mind wondered to another song that also is one I had a few weeks before that, so I’ll not bore you with a song history lesson today. Precious memories that they are, it isn’t a very interesting reason for these songs to repeat.

When I was very young, maybe 5 or 6, my brother Jack being about two years older than me, and we used to walk from our house which was West of downtown Trafalgar to the East end where our grandparents lived. We called them Mom & Dad and called my parents Mommy & Daddy. When we walked across town, it was safer for us to walk on the railroad trackbed because we only had to look for cross traffic. Once, we headed home and were at about the Ray farm driveway, we heard the train coming! We looked and it was barely visible back toward Franklin. We decided we could beat the train to where it would stop—either the grain elevator or Pitcher’s Lumber Co. siding. 

We ran as hard as our little short legs could go and soon we heard the train make his presence known! He was closer than we suspected and we ran faster!! As I recall, and I may be wrong and all this life is just a dream, but I don’t believe he ran us down. No. Somewhere in our running, Jack made the wise decision to veer off the track—I think about where Harry Hughey lived, not real sure. I remember being very glad he made the decision, Jack made most of my decisions at that age, you know. So, as the comments on “Growing Up In Trafalgar” facebook page rolled on like old “jerkwater” would in those days, yes, I remember the old train real well.

But, what, you might say, were two little boys doing alone that far from home? It was an extremely safe place to live in the ‘50s. Besides, Jack and I knew our Mom made the best biscuits anywhere! They had a small 3 room house off the street, down an alley on the East end. 

Years later, a classmate of mine lived in that house. I was visited there with him one day and all of a sudden flames came up from behind the couch he was sitting on, I jumped up and yelled, “Fire!” and yelled to him, where’s the nearest phone—all panicky-like. Anthony calmly said, “Aw, we don’t need them.” He pulled the couch out from the wall, took a bath towel and beat the fire into oblivion. We opened the front door, let the smoke out, and went on about whatever we were planning as though nothing had even happened. (The fire was caused from his arrows which hand been standing up behind the couch, the friction on the feathers set them ablaze.) He didn’t seem surprised and his calm demeanor kept anything worse from happening.

Anthony may never know what a profound impact that had on my life. He’s not the only reason I’ve never panicked in a crisis, but he was the first to show me for real that a panic is not the way to handle your needs.(Although I have to say personal salvation through the finished work of Christ is the great stabilizer–see Rom.16:25) … Just another one of the many small lessons learned from a small town and, in this case, coming out of a small house built in 1946 for my Mom & Dad Earps.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

PS: Just in case you’re interested, I teach a live bible class on my Facebook timeline every Sunday at 4pm Central. Join us if you’d like. You can also find the classes each Monday on my You Tube Channel, Brother Jerry Lockhart. If you’re interested, you’re welcome.

11/6/2019

A beautiful young mother of four just came into the store for water. She is an exuberant person and her 4 children (at least the 3 I’ve met) are just as full of life as she is. The oldest is a girl, 8, and the boys are 5, 3, 18 months. They were a joy to see and be around. As she told me things about them, I was reminded of our 3 as they were growing. We had our two sons 18 months apart back when we were sooo young we didn’t know anything about raising children. But, we did it any way—mostly by the way we were raised (lucky for us my parents and Barb’s were all from Kentucky. Kentucky folks knew how to raise kids, at least back then.)

When our oldest was almost 12, second was 10+, our youngest was born. She was the boys’ little sister. The two of them liked being around her and “babysat” for us beginning not too long after she was born. We heard many opinions about raising children, but we never believed any of the negative things like “terrible twos,” —we thought they were “terrific twos”— and all the other frightening adjectives attached to how old they were. I think it is safe to declare we never had a bad year with any of the 3 of them. We found all our years with the 3 of them to be joyful. 

My SIMH is betraying me. This morning I had a very familiar tune in my head and as I tried to continue it to get to the title of the song, it was crowded out by a terrific song by the 3 most listenable female voices; “Telling Me Lies”—by the TRIO—Dolly, Linda, and EmmieLou, also a very great song which has now wandered around the back of my mind most of the day. “I cover my ears I close my eyes

Still hear your voice and it’s telling me lies”—written by Linda Thompson and Betty Cook, back in 1985. 

I am a retailer way down deep. When I started in retail, it was in an exclusive, selective menswear store, Dalton & Payne Clothiers. Just a single store with a satellite store in a shopping center on the edge of town. It was just a couple of months before I turned 20. I had tried selling—the hard way; party plan, door to door. Not much luck. But, that training did teach me some dos & don’ts when talking with people and especially when talking about their money! But menswear, that I really loved. I was hired part-time, maybe for some of the time, but was thrilled when Bruce Dalton told me he wanted me to work as many evenings as I wanted to in the satellite shopping center store. So, for most of two years, that’s what I did. I didn’t really want to quit. But, it was a lot of pressure to make more money than two jobs could provide. So, I took a manager training job and in about two months, I became a jewelry store manager—at 22. I stayed in retail for most of the next 20 years, before starting to just do nothing but preach and teach bible. (Which I continue to this day and love every moment of it and never shall I stop until the Lord stops my heartbeat.)

Since stepping away from being a pastor and only teaching 1,,2, or 3 times per week, I’ve re-entered retail and love it just like I did in 1962!

Everything about retail is different except the people. People are just the same. Retail is about presentation, not closing the sale. You make the product be as desirable and as valuable to the customer as you can…..and then you wait! on them. Wait: if they want what you have, they will buy. Both jewelry and later, carpet was more than simply presentation. It was just a tad more pressure to produce and more salesmanship filled urgency. When that era of my life’s work was done, I enjoyed my preaching/teaching/pastoring time more. I like retail!

When I enjoy the preaching/teaching most is when it is obvious those who are participating actually believe the bible is God’s word. That “levels all playing fields.” When I enjoy it the least is when I have to back up and reiterate how very truth-filled it is. Studying the bible is not a game nor is it fair game for any doubt-ridden argument. A person either believes the bible IS God’s word or they don’t. 

I enjoy retail when I know the product I’m presenting to those who come are way is like the bible to a study participant: I believe what I’m showing them and they can say yea or nay at their own choice.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/5/2019  (I wrote this yesterday and just discovered I didn’t post it, sorry)

A man came by to get his Alkaline water today and as we talked, it came out that he coaches 3rd, 4th grade boys basketball in some city league or church league action here in Fort Payne. So, since I spent several years doing that in Oxford,AL and New Braunfels, TX, I did a bit of “kibitzing” with him about it.

As he was leaving, I asked him if he ever watched NFL football games and he said he did. I asked him if he had seen that Kliff Kingsbury was now coaching the Arizona Cardinals? He had noticed that and we talked of the irony that brought that head coaching job about. Kliff was the Head Coach at his college alma mater, Texas Tech for a few years, having worked his way up from briefly playing pro ball, then small college, then Texas A & M quarterback coaching. Texas Tech expected more in the short number of years he was there than he could produce, so they fired him at the close of last season. He then was offered the quarterback coaching job at USC. It was hardly cooled as a news item till it was announced Kliff was the new Head Coach of the Arizona Cardinals! Wow! a strange set of events!

Why is this an interesting topic for my blog? Because from 3rd grade in New Braunfels, Kliff has been a favorite athlete of mine. (At 3rd grade level, he competed in junior olympic running and scored nationally.) I watched him for about 12 years, the first 6 (4th grade through 9th grade) in football and basketball. His Sophomore year in High School he became exclusively football. He never had a bad game or an unproductive day or game in his chosen sports back then. And, I was privileged to be his 6th grade basketball coach in the NB city league.

Yes, I was Kliff’s basketball coach in the 6th grade. I may have been the reason for his success in football. You see, he was a terrific basketball player for his age in 6th grade. But, when he was in 9th grade he was  singularly the best 9th grade basketballer I had ever seen up close…and I’ve seen a few. But, a year later, he chose football over basketball and I’ve lamented that decision ever since, taking full responsibility for losing him from round ball to pointy ball! 

In our 6th grade league we had a 3 pass rule (every time down the floor the team with the ball must make 3 passes before anyone can shoot) which was a really good rule for learning basketball. But, in the 4th quarter the passing rule would make it impossible for the team behind to catch up. So the rule didn’t apply to the 4th quarter. If we were behind, I would say to Kliff at the end of the 3rd quarter, “Kliff, take the ball to the basket and score.” He would say, “yessir,” and do just that. We had one game we were behind something like 15-4. In the 4th quarter, Kliff scored 12 points and had 3 assists and we won 22-20! That’s how good he was.I saw a 9th grade game, his first after football season, in which he came off the bench in the middle of the 3rd quarter, team behind by about 10-12 points. In the remaining 12 minutes of play, Kliff had about 16-18 points, 3 or 4 assists, 5 or 6 rebounds and we won by about a dozen or so!! Yet he became a football player!…uh…I mean super star! (I still claim I taught him what he needed to know, that’s why he became a superstar in a different sport. Make sense to you?)

Go! AZ Cardinals, Go! Go, Kliff, Go!

The SIMH today was “Why Not Me?” by the Judds (back when they were both beautiful, mother and daughter.) As a matter of fact this song was the title song to their first album to hit the charts. The song was never one of my favorites, but as I’ve said before the SIMH comes for no particular reason, just is there, bouncing around in my head. The Judds were, however, quite unique in music lore. Mother/Daughter duos, especially with the daughter being lead are very rare: can you name another?

Another college basketball season has kicked off (Go Will!) and has a big blast night tonight in Madison Square Garden. Duke vs. Kansas and Kentucky vs. Michigan State—top four rated teams in their opening games, kind of unusual. I wonder if the losers will still be ranked that high tomorrow.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

11/2/2019

Often in the last few months, I have wondered why “Unchained Melody” has not been the SIMH. It’s long been one of my top 5 favorite popular songs of all time, yet it never had been first on my mind when I awoke. Today, it was. The Righteous Brothers, first together in a group called the Paramours, got their name from black Marines who visited the club where they were singing regularly and began to say about their music, “that was righteous, brothers!” and it soon became their greeting (as in, “Hey, Righteous Brothers!”), so began the very successful career of two men who knew when and how to grab the “brass ring.”(1965 till one of them died. It is revived with a new member, but I don’t know their music.)

Somehow, sometimes the month begins to unfold rapidly as does this one. We’re in the planning and unfolding of a timeline for Sarah’s new Blue Jug  location and we need to hustle! If humanly possible, we need to be in the new store by Christmas. Looking at the building and the priority list today might make this seem unlikely. But, duty calls. The owner has the front (windows and doors) new framework in and the glass, but not yet the doors. Yesterday, it looked like parking lot work was being done, also. And so it goes.

On the other new store front, we’ve got two more near lease signing with their respective landlords, so two more stores open before the end of the year is still a possibility, though tempus fugit!

The next two months of Bible Classes will be steadily the same, even through holiday week. Christmas day/New Year’s day is Wednesday, so unless there is a vacation coming up I don’t know about, the classes will not be interrupted. First and third Sundays in Alexandria, AL and the 4pm afternoon class at our house will not get cancelled on either Sunday. Hmm, most years that sort of normalcy doesn’t occur in November and December.

The other day I wrote a short paragraph on a FaceBook page called “Growing up in Trafalgar,” a page for memories and comments about the little town where I grew up. It’s a fun page; comments from a few older than me, some contemporary to me, even more from those in the next 1/2 generation after me. What I wrote was a little bit braggingly, in that I knew so many townspeople, it seemed to me I knew them all. This turned into reading several comments, finding a friend was related to some other friends which I hadn’t known before, things like that. In the process of the string our conversation turned to the pool hall and the people who spent time there. There were several older men who came, not to play pool, but to play Euchre, and sometimes Rum (or Ginrummy.) One such was a slightly disabled farmer who was called HughDad Brock. After the card games would get interrupted, HughDad would flop down beside the best pool table in the house and watch the games.

HughDad would watch with great interest and if a player shot poorly or couldn’t figure how to take a shot, HughDad would yell out, “Perfect bank!”—generally irritating the player. One day, a regular player in a game which probably had an unknown side bet was his target: “Perfect Bank, “ he cried out. The player turned to HughDad and said, “If you’re so $#@@#$ smart, why don’t you show me how!?” HughDad looked at the players opponent and asked, “Is that all right with you if I win this game for him?” The opponent laughed and said, “sure thing, old man.”

HughDad, with a great deal of effort, got up, took the cue stick from the player, leaned on the rail to take his shot, called a two bank shot and made it. Then walked to the end of the table, called another two bank shot, took it and made it. He then said, “I’ll kick the 8 ball in off the 3rd rail,” took the shot and made it. MR. BROCK handed the cue back to the player and sat back down, never changing his expression. Absolutely the quietest I had ever heard that pool hall. 

To me, he was Mr. Brock from then on. Oh, by the way: this was just about the time school started for my Senior year. Mr. Brock couldn’t sit through a basketball game on account of his bad hip. But, the first time I would see him after the game, he would ask me how I played. He already knew the outcome, he wanted to know how I played. A fella just can’t easily forget a man like that.

[One of at least 439 stories from my 18 years in Trafalgar]

Thanks for reading, the Elder

10/31/2019

On the first day of this month, I wrote about beautiful, cool sun-shiny mornings with still very hot afternoons. This is the last day of October and to day is cool (but it has been raining all day yesterday and all night and is still), raining, and getting colder by the hour. A couple hundred miles West of hear it is snowing. Not going to get that cold, but it is going down into the 30s before bedtime. Wow, where and when did Fall happen. Maybe a few days. 

<<>>

SIMH today is another Don Williams song, not quite as well known as any others, but still a good hit for him, I think. “Say It Again”—a unique love song as most of his were. Co-written with McDill Roberts, Don Williams remains one of our favorite songsters of the 20th century. Many of his songs come to mind regularly, but this one was what I awakened with today.

<<>>

It’s important to notice things which alter our life or pattern of living as they occur. If we have opportunity to teach the next generation anything of this nature, we should emphasize the importance of “acting” rather than “reacting.” When we act on a matter we are initializing an original thought. If we react, we are making a secondary thought to whomever originated. Of course, there are always things we must react to and cannot always bring forth the original thought. But our preparation should be otherwise. 

Our pattern of living should be such that we do our best to protect or enhance our own position. Not for the purpose of being “right” or being “foremost” at anything, but for the heritage of truth and trust. One might say, I’m not sure of this or that. Well, back up and carry out your own “due diligence” in order to be sure! It’s being principled correctly that is the driving force of being prepared. You’ve heard of one having the “courage of his convictions?” This is how it is determined. Clear thinking about truth carries out the trust of a principled life.

How shall we gather enough information into our heart and mind to be this well principled? We must look at available data which purports to teach us right things. The Bible, more specifically the King James Bible is able to establish itself in absolute truth by being what it is: the only volume or collection of words which will identify untruths as it unfolds truth. It is an interpreter of itself like no other work. If one doubts that the KJB is the preserved word of God, let him try it. I mean put it on trial. 

The first principle of truth to unfold is the author’s intention. Not the writer of a particular book, but the author of the whole of it, the inspiration for the work to show what He wishes to show. 

Next, the principle of revealed truth. How the plan is exposed, then carried out. He tells the whole story, inspiring men to write what has been done, what is going on now, and how it will end up. This is unparalleled in literature because all has not been completed, yet this Author, being the God of the universe, has brought the entire plan forth—He who knows the beginning from the end has told us all of it.

Finally, the principle of a finished work. If it is finished, let it be finished. There is no more to do except be a teacher to show the great plan and its fruition from the pages of His book and proclaim the glory to whom He has given it and to whom it belongs: The Lord Jesus Christ! 

2 Timothy 2:15, a verse we hang our hats on for study, Instructs us to practice “rightly dividing the word of truth.” The Bible contains the word of truth and in it, defines the word of truth thusly: “the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation.” Rightly dividing the word of truth is to discern the gospel of your salvation and the passages in the book that will prove it to be this gospel of your salvation. If one does that, he’ll learn what constitutes wrongly dividing and conversely he’ll know how to practice the principle of rightly dividing. 

The basic study key begins with believing what you read. This same author inspired another writer to say this: “he that cometh to God must believe that HE IS, and that HE is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” (caps mine.) Believe what you read. Could God be lying to you? Not a chance! Remember, He also inspired another writer to say “For we walk by faith, not by sight.” If you are going to hunt down and hold truth only if you see it, you will never find truth; you’ll never trust the Lord, and you’ll wind up in a sea of regret. There can be nothing worse than leaving this life with the regret of never having believed by faith—the “substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” Believe and trust what the truth will show you on the pages of your King James Bible.

Thanks for reading, the Elder.

10/29/2019

Morning! I know, I was in Navarre, FL, for the weekend bible conference and just couldn’t find the time to write this past Saturday on this blog. That’s two Saturdays in a row, I think. Up till now, Saturdays have been the easiest days to find time to write. Funny what tiny changes bring sometimes, isn’t it? Maybe from now till the end of the year, Saturdays will be more normal. Maybe. Hmm, normalcy, what IS that?

The SIMH today is from my past, clear back to early childhood days and going to Separate Baptist associational meetings. These were special Sunday “all day meetings” for things like each month which had a fifth Sunday brought a 5TH Sunday dinner and meeting. After church service was lunch followed by music and usually a special guest preacher. Then there was the same thing only on other Sundays called Young People’s meeting. Annually, there was a 3 day meeting called the Central Indiana Associational meeting. These special days, as I remember, brought a special song leader, as well. Because multiple churches were always involved, the most popular song leader would be who led singing. One such whom I always hoped would be there was an elderly man named Freeman, I think his first name was Pikey. (There were lots of Freemans around our area then.)

There was something inspiring to me about the way Ol’ Pikey led singing. He loved to start the “song service” with “Come Unto Me”—a song of the calling, sort of. The chorus was from the well-known verse, Matt. 11:28, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” He sang that with such verve! His voice was very strong and he sang loud, as he should, of course. But, he was especially vigorous in his leadership on that song! I love it. (Found out when I was a little older that my folks didn’t care so much for his style of song-leading: they never told me why. But, that song and his rendition of it is still in my head today!)

The Navarre, FL bible conference was really a great blessing. Some new, little bit younger preachers participated, plus enough of us old dudes. In total, Bro. Byron Wiggins had 11 people speak, some shorter times than others, but not a bad or terribly incorrect message in the bunch. Two men from Louisiana, 4 from Florida, 3 from Alabama, 2 from Texas, all really good bible messages, with total emphasis on living in the Grace of God. 

On my way down Friday, I took the time to drive through Wetumpka, then Millbrook, and then Prattville. These 3 cities sit along the North shore of the Alabama River across from Montgomery, (Prattville sitting atop a hill and a little further North.) Combined population of the 3 cities is in the neighborhood of 60,000 people. If a couple wanted to go into the Blue Jug Alkaline Water and Health Markets business there, it would be a great market to build two stores at once —one in Prattville, the other somewhere along the hwy between Wetumpka and Millbrook—what a great market they’d have from which to build two really great stores. Hope I can find such a couple!

As I arrived in Navarre (coming from the Ft. Walton area) I saw terrific potential places for a great Blue Jug store there. But, as you probably know, those who own real estate for rent anywhere close to water, believe their building is made of pure gold. Hard to rent reasonably in the area. But, we’ve endured heavy rents before.

Since I’ve mentioned prospective new stores, I want to tell you about an interesting stop on the way home Sunday afternoon. As I neared Montgomery, I remembered Priester’s Pecans, a favorite stopping place for travelers since the early part of last century. I stopped there once with my good friend Steve Atwood and it seems like once with Barb. Anyway, I had not had any lunch, so a few minutes after 3, I stopped at Priester’s. They advertise a Sunday lunch special. When I got to the food service area, they had taken down the food. The man at the cash register said, “I’m sorry, we stopped serving at 3.” I said that’s ok, and I went to look around at all the Pecan goodies (and they have scads of pecan this and pecan that, as you can imagine.) 

While looking, a very nice lady with a kitchen apron on said, “May I help you find something?” I explained that I thought I should go get something to eat before choosing a pecan sweet. She replied, “Well, I’m sure the kitchen can make you a sandwich or something.” I said, naw, that’s alright, they are trying to close. She said, “I will see to it you get a good sandwich, I’m the boss, I tell them when they can close!” with a big smile. I said, wow, what kind of a boss are you, she said, “I am one of the owners, what kind of sandwich would you like?” with a big smile. I introduced myself and chose a sandwich. she checked on my twice after that to see that I got a good sandwich and good service. Very impressive. (I went to my car, got a gallon of the world’s best drinking water and rewarded her with it.) She seemed genuinely happy to get something in return for her good retail attendance. And, I’m still talking about her and her place of business! Retail, that’s how it works best. 

When I arrived home Sunday evening about 7:15, Barb enjoyed the Priester’s treat I brought her, too. I was very happy to get home. I rested very well Sunday night and last night. Today, I feel back to normal (if only I could fully define normalcy!)

Thanks for reading, the Elder.

10/24/2019

Awoke this morning to the melodious memory of “I Will Survive”—by Gloria Gaynor. Back in 1978, it was a big hit and has “survived” all these years in the deep recesses of my mind. I’m thinking of all the little items we have to remember to do to get this house ready to sell, then to remodel the one to which we’re moving: maybe that’s why “I Will Survive!” is the SIMH: an attempt at assuring myself we can get through all this—guffaw!

Tomorrow morning, as early as I can get away, I’m headed to Navarre, FL for the last scheduled Bible Conference of the year. Hosted by Bro. Byron Wiggins and his congregation. I think this is the 6th annual, since the area’s restart of having an annual conference. This is the general area of the coastline which Bro. E.C. Moore had annual conferences from 1980 to about 2007, or so. I always enjoy going to this conference, partly because we lived in Mobile for 7 years (from ’79-’86) and attended all those conferences sponsored by Bro. Moore.

It might be possible, on this trip down, to visit some old friends in Mobile. I’ll know about that later today. Either way, I’ll leave as early as possible to “scout around” looking for possibilities along the way. You might ask, “possibilities for what?” Well, we have a store to move and a big building to fill with furnishings, equipment and inventory. Looking at variations-on-a-theme stores help fill in blank spaces, sometimes just in my mind, others with finds which can be used. This is also fun to do (for me.) 

For the next couple of months I may make other comments about things in the above paragraph. There are many experiences which come from going places and looking for needed stuff, everything from filler pieces to essential construction necessities. Some things are hard to find, some are plentiful. It’s great to look for and find resources, the where, when and how to find it makes good story material. 

Many years ago, one of my grandsons and I went on an alternate hwy route to get to one of my bible classes. we found some interesting things.  We saw the oldest live oak tree in the country—closest estimate was around 700 years old, as I recall. We went to a small beach in a city park we didn’t know existed, we scrounged around in an antique store till we found something we made the executive decision to buy. It was an old farm dinner bell! I’d always wanted one, he’d never seen one, so I bought it. When I got it home I began to plot my way toward getting it up on a pole where it could be rung for a reason. 

This caused me to study about church bells ringing: who started that tradition and why. I was fascinated by it. European cathedrals many hundreds of years ago (I toured a couple of them built in the 13th, 14th centuries) had the privilege of having early versions of carillons which were played for the communities to know the hour was drawing near to come to services. But, in the American founding days, small towns consisted of 1, 2, or 3 congregations though very often there was only one church building, even more often that was also the one room school!

On Sundays, the first congregation to use the building would call their attendees with a certain pattern of bell-ringing (a farm dinner bell was the most common); when their service was over they would ring the bell with one short cadence, so that the second group would come and ring for theirs to hear it was time to show up: repeat as necessary! Pretty cool, huh?! I wrote a one page synopsis of this and sent it to the local paper for the oped page. Yep, they printed it.

Well, I never got my bell hung up. So I brought it to Alabama, I think I’ll put it when we finally move.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

10/22/2019

We’ve begun to fix it up, this house we now live in. A few little improvements and touch-ups and we’ll seek a buyer. The biggest turnoff when hunting a new home is things which don’t work right. We go around the house and the property making sure we see anything that might fall into that category. If we do, we add it to our list. We just about always find more items than expected. But, we’ve sold a few houses, and the way to sell them quickly is to eliminate the negatives (and, of course, depend on the market-place!) 

SIMH this morning was an old (probably WW1 or WW2 era) song, “Sound the Battle Cry!” —“Rouse, then, soldiers, rally round the banner, ready, steady, pass the word along!”—end result: “Christ is Captain of the might throng!” William Sherwin actually wrote the poem in 1869, so the writer’s thoughts might have been to stop thinking of war (i.e. “study war no more”) and think of being “on the battle field for my Lord.” The latter being the greater war! Though the words and music both were written by Mr. Sherwin, it was not to the forefront of the evangelical cry till the early 20th century. I love to hear (in my head) a good ol’ “by ear” piano player make this into the rousing “battle cry” it was meant to be.

Back to the house for one moment: we have a counter top range and a separate oven which, upon discovery, neither has a “pigtail” but both are wired direct. Another learning process, is this normal? I never knew. I thought 220amp wiring was required to have a plug for kitchen appliances—guess not. You see, that changes the way and what we buy to replace it. And now, we will have a “dead” 220amp circuit in our electric panel. I suppose that’ll be ok. 

Ever have someone say something about you that, while it wasn’t a lie, just told enough about you to cause a lack of confidence the listener had in seeking you out for something? In the last year, a happening occurred to which I fully expected to be invited. No invitation. Another person asked the host if I was going to attend and the host replied of me, “He doesn’t do this anymore.” Someone told the host it wouldn’t do any good to invite me, I wouldn’t have been there anyway. It’s the kind of thing which makes one ponder, what did I ever do to that person who told the host that? I’m amazed at how that hurts. Of course, it passes. But why did it come out that way to the host? Retracing conversational steps doesn’t seem to relieve the hurt. I can’t find any reason for that to be said about me. Trying my best not to feel or show any offense, know what I mean?

Since I’ve brought up this sort of thing, many times we let our mouth run faster than our brain does (not literally) so what comes out is not what we really should’ve said. There are other times when what we realize later is we just shouldn’t have said anything. These things should always be tended to quickly, not letting time elapse and thereby allowing the other party to conjure up their own meanings to our words. Oh the words we use! Great for many reasons, but phased differently can be like  stones thrown or fiery darts! Remember ol’ Hank’s Luke the Drifter song, “Be careful of the Stones that You Throw”? …..moving on

You know folks, some things are just simple. Take the fairly common occurrence in adults in America, Acid Reflux. When you consider what that is, it is obvious what needs to change to get it to go away. Simple: change the acidity in the stomach, If one’s primary drink is water with alkalinity, it begins to change the stomach content in the correct manner, that’s all. It will then continue to change the stomach to a more balanced pH and it will never destroy good bacteria and the stomach will maintain itself for the acid it needs. It is simple: got acid reflux? drink Blue Jug Alkaline Water. It is water with the proper alkalinity defined by the mineral content. “Water the way it’s meant to be!” Hey, that would be a great slogan—oh, wait, it already IS our slogan!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

10/19/2019

We now have used our furnace to warm the house in early morning these last two days. If the temperature stayed in the 50s at night, we would not need to do that, but 38-41 demands a heater! Weather is very difficult: I must stop talking about it on here, it frustrates me. I cannot do a single thing about it. Let’s talk SIMH.

This morning, about 5:15, I had two songs sort of alternating inside my beady little brain. One was Roy Orbison’s “Crying!” —did you know he covers two complete octaves with his voice in that song? Fantastic! What a voice. The other was “Ain’t No Sunshine When She’s Gone,” Bill Withers, in the era of Booker T and the MGs (about 1971.) Bill says he was 32 years old, watching the movie “Days of Wine and Roses” when this song came to him. Isn’t inspiration enlightening? He actually recorded this song as what was then known as the “B” side, but DJs played it and switched it to “A” preference. (His only really big hit.) Fate? No. Luck? Maybe. “Time and chance happeneth to us all,” the Bible says.

We’re fixing a few things around our house to prepare it to sell when we’re ready. Sometime before Spring, we’ll move down to the “ditch”
 wherein sits Fort Payne proper. We’ve lived on the mountaintop long enough. It’s time we experienced the valley! Not really, we like the near downtown feel of the neighborhood where we’re going. And, we’ll have a lot less property for which to be caretakers. We’re hoping to be very comfortable there.

But, at this house, we’re repairing a couple of things; changing the gates on the fence, replacing a broken shutter, etc. All of which are just going to make the house curb-appeal better. Inside, we’re fixing a builder’s flaw in the kitchen and it necessitates changing a couple of things noticeably. Shouldn’t take long.

Now the work on the house we’ll be moving into, that’s another story. We’ll be working on that project a bit longer. But, we’re optimistic we can get into it and not get overwhelmed. This is a fun project to add to all the other fun projects with which we’re already involved. Gonna take a while, though, gonna take a while.

You know, if I were to “bid” on a project, I would try my best to be specific in my bid. That is, if I was not sure of a cost, I’d try not to bid till I was sure. If I really didn’t know how to do that, I think I would not bid, at all. Or, if I really didn’t want the job, I would just politely bow out of the bidding. A man gave us a bid which was vague, to say the least. Details of certain portions of the work were not listed at all, leaving us to guess on many things which might have altered our course. Then, just as though he had been perfectly specific in his enumerating, at the end he said—“Unknowns, $10,855”—how can “unknowns” be specific? Nothing else was. Befuddling.

We’re thinking we’ll act as our own general contractor, that way we can have some control of when we get the individual items done. Working on my list now.

More prospects showing up for more Blue Jug stores in our area, just not yet have anyone “pull the trigger!” Soon, though, very soon. Even still, it is fun being involved with the expansion of the licensed stores. A lady who is in charge of 7 dialysis locations in the Chattanooga area, told me this morning she has someone who’s interested in putting a store in a very viable area of Chattanooga suburbs. Hope she’s right, I look forward to meeting them soon. 

Tomorrow, I go again to Alexandria for Bible Class, then back here for our Sunday afternoon 4 0’clock class. Love the time spent with friends in the word of God.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

10/17/2019

Well, many were beginning to wonder whether we would ever have Fall weather here in NE-AL. I’d say we are. It’s 4:30am at this moment and 41degrees. That’s downright cold. Yesterday, I think the high was only 69, today it is only going to be a high of 61. Yes, Virginia, there is a Fall season, and it is here.

The SIMH is “I Can’t Help it (If I’m Still in Love With You)” Hm. Old Hank (Hank Williams) wrote this. According to Colin Escott’s 2004 book Hank Williams: The Biography, fiddler Jerry Rivers always claimed that Hank wrote the song in the touring Sedan, and when he came up with the opening line, “Today I passed you on the street,” and then asked for suggestions, steel guitarist Don Helms replied, “And I smelled your rotten feet.” …I think Hank came up with a slightly better line: “and my heart fell at your feet.” This was written in the era of “Your Cheatin’ Heart,” not quite ready yet for “Does Your Chewing Gum Lose Its Flavor On The Bedpost Over Night!”

Anyway, Hank wrote many songs. This one is right up near the top of songs covered (recorded by different artists.) At least ten of the top country singers —from Conway Twitty to Linda Ronstadt to Willie Nelson, many have done well in making this one of their own. Isn’t it interesting about songs which endure? Hank had many.

<<>>

Store #10 is finally being planned and the site they’ve chosen looks like a winner! It will be in Lakeway, TX—a suburb of Austin. Numbers 11 & 12 are purchased, but haven’t settled on a location. Some areas are much easier to find acceptable locations, some are very difficult. We have several more people looking us and the business over in several different states. We’re hoping for some more decisions to be made right away. It has been interesting, thus far, to notice the difference in our wholesale supply chain and our warehousing, etc., as stores are added. Till now, it’s still a practice of “educated/uneducated guesswork” as to how and what products stores will use. So, we understand that change is going to occur and we must learn to be able to shift our emphasis as store numbers grow and their inventory needs shift. We’re learning, we’re learning.

Our moving plans (for the store here in Fort Payne) have been slowed a little due to some illness, but it’s still on track to come about before the year ends. It is exciting to tell the regular customers about what we’re doing. Almost 100% of them are as excited as we are. They will all really benefit from the updated system for creating Alkaline Antioxidant water, as well as all the new things which will be available in store! More on this as progress is achieved.

I mentioned a few posts back that October was going to be a busy month and I was right. The further into the month we go, the more there is to do. We get to enjoy our second son and his wife for a couple more days and then they’ll go back home to upstate New York. They are a part of a most enjoyable family! I love being with all 3 kids. Wish they lived closer. Heck, I wish they all lived here! The whole bunch could fit into a house not much bigger than this one, let’s just add-on and have them all move in! Uh, not so fast, there, Mr. Fixit! It’s possible they wouldn’t like that so much. In fact, it’s possible we wouldn’t like it so much, either! So, I guess they should go home. But, why such a hurry?!

After this, there is still a Bible Conference to go to: Navarre, FL on the weekend of the 25th to the 27th. I’m looking forward to it. Should be many friends I haven’t seen for awhile and many good messages from the word of God.

Thanks for reading, the Elder