In the just previous blog, time was spent on plastics, with which we’re compelled to tolerate. Thought of a few more things I wanted to say about it. 

Having lived this long and having no choice as to when I was brought forth in this world, there have been several different industries which made provisions for my family. Many of you probably noticed I just wrote a short announcement and thank you to my wife for having put up with me for 64 years. Which means I entered the “market place” for work in 1960. Just as I finished high school and about a month before we were married, VanCamp Hardware & Iron company hired me. They were what used to be called a hardware wholesaler company. There were several very large companies like this. The largest around our state was actually in Louisville, KY— Belknap Wholesale, largest in the nation for many years.

But VanCamp’s was the largest in Indianapolis. Their building had 8 floors and each floor was a department; 6th floor was Sporting Goods, 7th was cardboard/paper, 8th floor was lightbulbs/air filters (that’s where I worked.) The other floors going down were increasingly heavier boxes, larger and more cumbersome items. 

There was good reasoning about the floor distinctions: we didn’t use an elevator to get the purchased item to the shipping room. Instead, we had a circular chute (imagine a circular stairway, but about 5 feet wide, and a slick metal bottom going down from the 8th floor to the shipping department on the first floor.) Each floor would fill the chute with the day’s orders from our entry, which had a barrier. We couldn’t release the ordered product until the floor below us released theirs, then we pulled the barrier bar and released our gathered products, thereby the heaviest went first, then smaller/lighter, etc., all the way to 8th being light bulbs and furnace filters. First floor items which never were in the chute were things like heavy plumbing, chains, motor parts, some utility parts for wagons, trailers, etc.

Sorry, that part got a little long. My point about this job was the absence in those days of things plastic. Very few items in an 8 story warehouse which filled the shelves of 100s of small hardware stores and other stores all over Indiana and central Ohio and Illinois were ever made from plastics! Very few.

VanCamp Hardware & Iron began in 1886, was controlled by the family until sold and moved to New York in 1967. Many collector’s item sold by them are still being re-marketed today. My employment was only 4 months, but I still remember the lessons learned. In case you were wondering, it wasn’t the same company which canned the famous pork and beans but it was the same family.

After a whole bevy of other jobs for a couple of years, everything from County road work to selling cookware on the dinner party plan, I was hired by Hamilton Cosco in Columbus, In. Plastics were just on the brink of taking over the baby furniture world and Cosco was thrilled—so much lighter and easier to package and ship! And so much safer for the babies!

While in Columbus for 2 1/2 years, I worked part time for Dalton&Payne men’s wear store and in came merchandise made of nylon, rayon, dacron and just about all of it wrapped in plastic bags from sox to shirts to suits. The smell of plastic bags was the smell of new merchandise. (Once had on a fairly expensive suit when I backed up to a fireplace to get warm and my pantleg melted and shriveled into hard plastic.) The merchandise world was a-changin!

The next four years were spent managing a jewelry store, one a chain of ten “credit” jewelry stores. Besides jewelry we sold a variety of household items people would put on their charge account. Radios and HiFi record players, even tape recorders were just being switched over to plastic casings and cabinets. Again, another industry being saturated with plastics. Most before this would come in wooden casings and cabinets, usually quite prettily designed, but no, plastic won.

The next four years? Carpet—nylon, antron, dacron, acrylic, even the backing on tufted carpet switched from jute (hemp product from India) to plastics and fiberglass. All,these materials were called man-made fibers and they virtually wiped out the use of wool and cotton as rug materials. Sold much carpet in those days, truly 99.5% man made fibers.

So now, fifty years later none of this has changed. Now there are many more than a few industries even more filled with petroleum by-products that we just can’t get along with out. It seems my generation has been the leaders and thereby the guilty portrayers of this awful scourge on the earth. Besides the oceans filled with the debris and landfills loaded with non-rotting plastics, we just keep on using it—convenient and cheap, I guess. Ah me, thank the Lord God of Heaven and Earth, and His Son our Lord Jesus Christ for His forgiveness of this world-wide shortcoming. You probably don’t feel responsible for any of the plastic problem. That’s ok, most of you didn’t do a single thing wrong, but like me, you have just lived in it, and now continue to live it.

Thanks for reading, the Elder 

Sitting in the coffee shop this morning with a friend, we began to wade through thoughts about the state of mind most people are in today; everything from working habits, working places, to vacations, retirements, and deaths of heroes, relatives and loved ones. We cover a wide gamut of subjects and draw the only useful alternatives practically every time we do this. But mostly we hold forth with our opinion of others’ opinions, seriously contending that our opinions supersede “theirs.”

The primary targets today were small items like the subject matter of cabinet positions in our government: Secretary of Defense—I don’t understand the Republican Senators objecting to calling for the draft registration of women. Some Democrat introduced a bill to make it so and the Republican Senators, being led by a non-elected opinion (ex-VP Mike Pence) all object to it, some more vigorously than others. What I don’t understand about their objection is the idea that females don’t fit the objectives of the military draftees the way males do. Wait, what have those of the “fairer sex” been screaming about for 50 years?—Equality! ERA amendment! Same job, same pay! and, “How dare we men say women should not be in combat!!!” 

In all these things the legislative houses seem acquiesced already, what’s wrong with registering the females for the draft which, since its reconfiguration, has not yet occurred anyway? I say sign ‘em up! At least, we would know more about  them, right…or should we only have a right to rid ourselves of the men? When the loss of life from past wars is counted up it is vastly one-sided in loss of men versus loss of women. I study a lot of cities and counties in a multitude of states. There is no town found yet where men outnumber women. A large contributing factor is loss of men from military service. ,,,,Probably I’m failing to remember some salient point about this. But, and if this legislation is like many others, a Democrat will keep introducing such a bill and after some period of years the Republican voices will just fade away and it’ll be voted in at last. Pfap!

Secretary of Interior—Summer started several hours earlier this year, not sure that gives us an extra day of Summer or we whack it off of the back side come September. It seems experts say it actually started June 20, 2024 @ 3:50 pm Central time. Tilt of the earth toward the sun, they say. OK, what do I care. Here’s what I know about it: it doesn’t age me faster, it doesn’t make me younger, and it doesn’t effect my sleep. So, I don’t care.

Back to Secretary of Defense—Interestingly enough for a short conversation today is this fact about a military aid package for Ukraine. I mean, I believe we should help our allies, I believe NATO is a good deterrent to European conflict, I even believe we should stand up to and against Russia. Albeit, is there a lot of sense announcing that we’re sending gobs of Bang-Bang materials to Ukraine while Russia and the really, really “brilliant” kid running North Korea are signing a Nuclear proliferation accord? Anybody who thinks that isn’t provocative to Russia doesn’t know Putin!

The last and most comprehensive study of our coffee table discussions today was about a world in which we live becoming devoid of all plastic products! No more plastics. None. ….what would be the result of that? This may be a Secretary of Commerce debacle.

About 20 years or so ago, there was a pretty loud kerfuffle about Exxon/Mobil, so much so that there were people with T-shirts and bumper-stickers which told us which gasoline to not buy—mainly Exxon or Mobil. A friend of mine was multi-years into working for that giant in the industry and secure somewhere in middle management. I asked him how much he thought Exxon/Mobil would be hurt by such a boycott should it take hold. He shrugged his shoulders and said not at all. He said it wouldn’t be noticeable to the corporation because1.) they produced gasoline for many brands of filling stations; 2.) the bulk of corporate income came from the other uses of petroleum and gasoline was a small part of their income. 3.) Ergo, we live in a world 100% locked into the use of plastics of which almost 100% come from the petroleum by-products and their manufacturers. 

So, what if the world stopped producing the things we now use which are directly and indirectly coming from petroleum production. It would reach almost 20 million jobs worldwide, so pretty sure that would eliminate the livable income for about 70 million people. Roughly the population of the Midwest including Kentucky and Arkansas. What if????

Well, we would probably find several things could work favorably for us. It would be a boon to craft-builders. Think about such things as glass being used again for dishes, drinking glasses, bottles; forms of metals being used for lids, for car parts such as bumpers, trim accessories; interiors of most cars being made from metal and cloth; filter casings, filters themselves perhaps being made from paper; furniture being once again made from wood and metal, mattresses having no foam?? 

Craftsmanship would have to increase mightily just to get us through a year with no plastics. What would that make your world look like!  Imagine combing your hair with metal or bone! Shoes would all be leather again. Cotton production and flax production would once again be flourishing, as would the hemp growing and usage production as an industry. How long would it take to turn us into a strong vibrant and livable economy with no plastics?… Want to?… Should we who think we’d like that start writing to our President’s cabinet to seek support? 

Or do we live with plastics, live with the petroleum industry, live with the internal combustion engine which is the mother of all the plastics in the world and which plastics has outgrown its own mother? ….OK. Now, how do we solve the myriad of problems plastics cause? I think that’ll take a few more coffee table talks, what?

It’s a really great thing that our true answer to this world’s issues is for “the Lord himself (to descend) from heaven with a shout…” and take us to a glorious place where we are given a body “…fashioned like unto His glorious body…” and the military, Russia, petroleum and its plastics will never be a bother to us for all eternity. Amen?

thanks for reading, The Elder

5/27/24

The journey continues; the quest to get a greater grip on the wisdom of the Lord as set in contrast to the wisdom of the world in which we live. If I can. It’s easy for the two “wisdoms” to run together in such a manner as to give credit incorrectly. Take the perspective that follows, of instance.

When realizing how I wished or prayed for certain things in years past and then saw some semblance of that thing show up in my life I can now see why people write things concerning the principle, “you are what you think you are.” Thus, I partly agree with the call placed upon those desiring to better themselves; be it in business, in a sport, a relationship or whatever, it can be a valuable tool for gain by always thinking in terms of what’s necessary in one’s life to become better. Though in the process of one beginning to “think and grow rich,” as the book title says, seldom is this a straight line upward and onward. It doesn’t mean the principle is wrong, it means we live in the weakness of the flesh and form great desires to rise above a present situation. (aside: I always though the book “Great Expectations” should have been titled, “Too Great an Expectation!”)

The borrowed phrase from Prov.23:7 is, in its full context, not at all about practicing the principle for gain, as in the above paragraph. It is instead, taught for being aware of the evil that can surround one. In other words, “you are what you think you are” is not always positive. In which case, better to think on the things we’re taught which are right, good, and just. We find those things listed in Paul’s letter to us: in Phi.4:4-9—the greater good thoughts! Coming back to these verses later.

Seeing how Scripture defines the principle mentioned in the first paragraph doesn’t mean that the modern application of it is 100% incorrect. It does show how mankind makes grave errors in the handling of God’s wisdom, though. Why wouldn’t the schoolmasters of all things progressive, when pulling out the simple “think and grow rich” posing for people seeking success, keep in mind other words of the Lord’s wisdom and use even more obvious positive thinking principles and purposeful living verses from Scripture and say all these things correctly?( again, see Phi.4:4-9)…..Oh, if they did that they would have to give The Lord God Almighty the credit for it! But, if that was done in honesty, how could they sell their books for a profit, sell as many million copies, receive the great adulation of the world, and retire young and rich?! 

So, they do it the way they do it, and the overwhelming percentage of those who buy the books and watch the movies (The Secret) never give the glory to the ONE to which the glory belongs.

Let’s examine some Scripture on the subject: The Lord approached this very issue with some men whom He instructed to sell out (found in Matthew thru Acts 7), and have all things common and trust in Him. Yet, he taught the same principles found on the bookshelves about being successful. Look at these words: Luke 21:12-15. You say, “yeah, but that was the 12 Apostles!” Yes, it was. but if one will make a simple spiritual application using the words of Christ as you looked at them, can you not see why Paul would write to you saying Phi.4:19. Go back now and start at 4:12 and read straight through to v.19—can’t you see these premises and provisions in the same light as nearly all positive thinking rallies? 

Let’s try another: James 1:5,6, 8, 17. Yes, when you read them, you’ll say, “James was talking to the 12 tribes and they were going to go through the great tribulation!” You, would surely be correct. But, take each verse by the words, word by word, and tell me point blank, is God kidding? or are these truly the attributes of God toward His creation. Of course, they are His attributes and He never kids around!

You see our problem is this: we, you and me, we make a plan and then with our plan securely in tow, we say.”Oh, Lord! bring down thy blessings upon us as you promised!” Instead of this way, what better way comes to mind so that you can make a purer application of these things you have found the Scripture to declare, being the spiritual man of 1 Cor.2:9-16?

Let’s start with this: Study to Show Thyself Approved Unto God, A Workman That Needeth Not To Be Ashamed, rightly dividing The Word Of Truth. In case you didn’t know, that verse is 2 Tim.2:15, and it is exactly written to you and me in todays world, and bear in mind all the bible is written for us, but is not all written to us!

Here’s another consequential verse for you and me: For We Walk By Faith, Not By Sight, 2 Cor.5:7, also written directly to us today. This might  make us examine what we must have (see), rather than just walk on.

Oh, here’s another even better one: And God Is Able To Make All Grace Abound Toward You; That Ye, Always Having All Sufficiency in All Things, May Abound To Every Good Work, found in 2 Cor.9:8. Now this one is actually a straightforward promise of God based on the previous 2 verses, verse 6 & 7 are clearly the Lord bestowing a promise to us whom He knows—2 tim.2:19 (never forget this verse!)

May I suggest we all learn the best verses to apply for our every day lives and live according to God’s Holy word? May the Lord bless your study for Him to bless your lives. …And be as reasonably positive in your thinking as is possible.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

Cicadas in Our Ear—Sweet Music

We live on the upslope of a small hill in the middle of Fort Payne, AL. When we arrived home Sunday evening about 7pm, May 5th,  we could hear the long lost friends—they’ve arrived here. The pitch of their collective sound seems higher than what I remembered as a young man when they visited central Indiana, but it isn’t an irritable sound, rather pleasant, I muse. (Yes, that is a correct use off the word muse, as a noun.)

Cicadas are a joy, and I hope they are not a nuisance to you. They do a lot more FOR us than they do against us. Yes, when they finish what they are resurrected to do every 13 or 17 years, many of them sometimes die in the wrong places and make a mess we have to clean up. But, most die in the soil from whence they came and are the feed for everything from their own eggs to trees and fields full of necessary crops—dead Cicadas are very good for us (just like live ones are!) So, we should not gripe about a little cleanup, eh?

Don’t think me too weird when I tell you that my young life memory of the Cicadas (somewhere in my mid-teens, I think)—I remember missing them, sorrowing when they were gone: is that weird? I don’t remember studying them, nor even talking about them, but I remember wishing I could hear them again. Perhaps I lived where they came forth in the 60-some years between then and now, but I can’t remember hearing them in the loud concert of todays visit. So, it is a simple, pure, and unadulterated pleasure each morning almost exactly at 7AM when they begin making the unified “singing” of sorts —we seem to hear two different buzz-tones—while we sit outside enjoying our coffee. Still cool mornings, by the way, here on May 23rd.

A little Cicada story: As I left the house, walking into our downtown for exercise and a valuable asset for health and getting to my little office in the front of our warehouse, noticeably I did not hear any Cicadas. Then, in less than two blocks, their melodious sound came vibrating back into my hearing—no, I don’t understand that. It seems like they woke every one of their mates and fellows, then waited for some mysterious reason, noticed some did not get aroused (?) and started their chorus again. 

A little Cicada story #2: As I walked on and going on a downhill path, in front of me sitting facing away from me was a healthy looking Cicada. As I came within a couple of steps of it, it rose like a small plane taking off, and flying forward at about my eye height, going about the same speed as me, it flew 15-20 feet, then veered to the left and went into its descent like a small plane would descend. It landed on a lawn in much the slow glide pattern to a stop——just like a relative of the Kitty Hawk would have landed. Beautiful. Ain’t the Lord’s creation grand?!

Great Conversations

As long as I have been a saved man (Oct.1964), I have believed that believers (not necessarily yet saved, but believers) do not meet accidentally. I believe we meet for a purpose. 2Tim. 2:19 says this: “Nevertheless, the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal; the Lord knoweth them that are his…” Then it’s easy for me to say what I just wrote because He, the Lord knows us. Each day I look for the next one I will meet. Consequently, I meet a lot of people which may or may not be known by the Lord. And even though I have no “pop-quiz” to give them in order to make a judgment of that, it’s my intention with friendly words to speak allowing my “conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ”—Phi.1:27. 

Probably not a surprise to you that my words many times fall on deaf ears instead of receptive listeners and in fact, many times I know down inside “don’t bother, Ol’Jer, it ain’t going that direction,” and I often turn the conversation to another subject with the hope of engaging them to one day, some day, there will be another chance. I don’t keep records or tally sheets about any of it. Also, there’s some abrupt ends which mean is wasn’t a conversation after all. But, if there is a continuing chat it probably has to be in one of these categories:

The Lord

His Word

Our Testimony

Our Ministry, or

Basketball

Baseball

Football

Exercise, or

Alkaline Water

Alkaline Water stores

Local Alkaline Water availability, or

our kids

former employment, present employment, or

Schools

Those are things I can talk about for hours. So, if you get near me and I start talking, we’ll either talk about you or one of the above. Whichever way you want to go. So let’s meet up, shall we?

Thanks for reading, the Elder

6 Months? Are You Kidding? Since When?

Well, I declare! How time flies when you’re having fun! …er, How time flies when you are this old? maybe? So, you’d think I would have something worthwhile to say after this long. Let’s see what this brings forth.

We just returned from a normal semi-annual trip to Indiana, the May 1st trip being for my high school alumni banquet. But, this year it got extended due to a not so pleasant a cause. My brother Pete had three sons and about the 28th of April his second son, Doug, died in an auto accident. They scheduled his memorial service for this past Thursday afternoon, so we were privileged to go and say a collective goodbye to Doug. I was asked to speak at the close of the service after 3 others had said their tributes and goodbyes. Doug was greatly loved. Even in some dark times of his life, Doug was always upbeat, had a wonderful winning smile, and never seemed defeated. He also possessed a wonderful testimony of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. I was privileged to have him tell me about his salvation moment twice. It occurred while he was incarcerated, and got so low; low enough to see and understand he could not save himself eternally, and knowing that, he placed his trust in what Christ did for him. he was comfortable in professing that to me.

Wanting to relay that message from Doug to all his friends and relatives, I spoke simply about why Christ was the answer, why His sacrifice was acceptable to God the Father, and then if anyone wanted to be sure they would see Doug again, they should do as the bible plainly says, “Believe on then Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.”

It was a pleasure to be in the company of his family (and mine) as well as many friends of his and the family’s. Many fun stories occur in these situations and we heard a fair share of them. His brother told of growing up years with a neighborhood of close aged friends and pre-electronic get-togethers to play baseball, football, and other young boy foolishness. Sounded rather ideal compared to the eyes-on-the-screen world we live in today.

From there we proceeded to my home town in expectation of the alumni banquet. We picked up my 96 year old sister and took her—oldest alum attending for the 3rd year in a row. My class was represented by only two of us, I was schoolmates with Martha for 12 years, even though at the end she married the star basketball player for a rival school!..grr. but, we’ve all come to respect and honor him being at our banquet, also.

Since there were only 7 graduate years after my own (1960) making our youngest alumnus being about 74, our number each year is shrinking. From last year we had lost 17 people to whom we gave a moment of honor by name with a brief obit telling how they had spent their life. I found that very interesting as well as enlightening concerning some folks. Each seemed to have had truly individual lives of various values. One such, a member of my class, when they came to his name, I secretly hoped they didn’t try to read his published obituary—it would have taken maaaaany minutes to read all that he had been involved with for all his adult life. That man was busy! But, thankfully Mary Jane. the historian was content to say it in few words. 

On Sunday morning, we attended GracePoint Church in New Whiteland, IN, to listen to Brother Jim Devney preach. He said he had changed his mind about what to preach and he went back to a perfect subject for new bible students who desire to practice “rightly dividing the word of truth:” A study of why do we follow Paul’s writings—it was truly an excellent message. You can watch it on their website; gpindy.net or on YouTube channel GracePoint of Whiteland. It will bless and teach and remind you of the “simplicity that is in Christ Jesus.” You’ll be glad you listened.

There is probably not a “grace” preacher that I would agree with 100%, word for word about how they spell out the doctrine. But the differences are so minute that they hardly amount to division or even simple separation. Basics are wonderfully the same for us all, and Brother Jim’s presentation was terrific! We were very glad we went.

Hope this was interesting enough to read. Thanks for doing so.

the Elder

We’ve just spent two days with all our family except two who couldn’t make it home, and several long time friends who came in celebration, remembering the life of our recently passed daughter-in-law. The usual joy and happy atmosphere of the season had special meaning for each of us. We laughed, we sang, we ate! And perhaps more privately, we served our sadness with our hopes, and the usual uplifting spirit hope always brings with it. Some of us prayed for furthering peace and comfort, some of us received it gladly. But, of course, some mysteries remain unresolved. Yet Great Our Rejoicing, through Jesus Christ, our Lord.

In a few more days, we’ll enter another year because we have a thing called a calendar. Most know the calendar as a series of pages to denote coming days, weeks, months, and years. Some calendars mark the things as they pass; each day, week, month, year. The Lockhart Calendar, for instance, is the latter. We can see days ahead in a “blank schedule,” so to speak, but we more than likely will “mark” the days which are passed. 

This is UP week. It’s like this: finish UP, give UP, count UP, take UP, put UP, get ready to start UP., while looking UP. The whole thought is this:

1. Finish the things that must be finished to end the year.
2. Give away or let go of things you cannot finish
3. Count the ways you’ve fulfilled your purpose for the year
4. Take your new thoughts as being personal and prosperous
5. Put away sorrows with the season’s decorations, and leave them
6. Prepare yourself to start the new year with a whole new outlook on your life and the lives you will effect.
7. LOOKING UP and expecting the Lord’s swift return!

Seldom do I have any real thought out or thought through resolutions made for the new year. But, at this point, carefully denoting several possible interruptions, I intend to travel a bit more to see relatives; my soon to be 96 year old sister, her children, my brother & his children, all the rest of my siblings’ (who have passed away) children, as well as accompanying my wife in her plans to do more of the same, er.. not that I’m setting her goals, but “if.”

I also intend to travel towards and through as many cities/ towns/ countrysides where it would be a good idea for them to have a Blue Jug Alkaline Water store—everyone should have water with true alkalinity available to them, somehow. We’ve been poisoning ourselves and our progeny for so long, we sometimes have to be reacquainted with it to know we need it.

Hopefully for all these journeys, I will be privileged to speak the name of the Lord and preach His word clearly as I go. As much as possible in this new year, I will still do the Sunday evening live bible class at 5PM, central time. If they’ll continue to have me, I will go to Alexandria, AL twice each month and teach, as well as Grace Bible Church of Chattanooga at least once per month, and any where else I’m welcomed. Planning on being in Gatlinburg March 1-3. In Tobaccoville, NC the last weekend in April, at least 3 other conferences if they continue to have them; Arab, AL—Chattanooga, TN—Pensacola, FL, and I’m hoping for a chance to go to Texas for another conference. 

You know, that looks like a lot of things there when I write it out like that. But, the fact is, even counting travel time, that only adds up to about one third (1/3) of a year. Leaves a lot of time for “retirement days” doesn’t it? A verse of Scripture comes to mind: “And I will gladly spend and be spent for you….”

Here’s hoping you have a great UP week. Don’t let anything get you down or steal your grace! Happy New Year, everyone!

Thanks for reading, the Elder

I’m going to write again before this year has terminated. We must always reflect on the recent past while words, thoughts, expressions of love, friendship, and expectations must be brought kept in mind. (I don’t mention regrets in that same sentence because regrets should not be worried over with the same intensity.)

In the process of reaching forward to a new year —less than 3 weeks left in this one—remembering the past does help us project expectations. 

As concerning this year, I really thought differently, at the end of 2022, I thought this year would be rapidly different. But the first 94.3% has now been laid to rest in history and though many small changes have come our way not all were welcome. 

We suffered a great loss and we still daily grieve for the passing of our daughter-in-law. Oh, how we loved her, so much. She was a wonderful part of our family for almost 40 years. Our son is devastated, of course, and their two children. What took her was not instantaneous, but it wasn’t a very long illness, either. We’ll be a while recovering and shall ever keep hold of our memories of Dana.

Grief over a lost loved one touches so many avenues of our lives and always astounds me. Just a few days back, as we sat in the patio enjoying the cool of the morning we discussed the personal interruption our mourning process causes. Like the lack of concentration on other tasks or studies because memory rushes back bringing some aspect of the loss to the forefront leading us to fight morosity, which is tiring. Each of us, in very distinctly different ways, suffer this. Death has no conscience. Death has no known schedule. And when we love someone, the death is not final; it lingers, and lingers in variable timeframes for each individual who’s suffering with it. Mourning is, like a fingerprint—they’re all similar, but also very distinct. It is an especially personal process, so our own must run its course. 

Time is not standing still, as you might have noticed, and here we are into the last month before another new year. There have been some progresses in some areas of the life to which I’m connected. The alkaline water business is going pretty well, a new store opened, one more being built, and several more being planned. These last few weeks might prove to be very fruitful where this is concerned. I truly believe this is the water everyone should be drinking. All indications show every person who tries high alkaline water knows it is best. From old people, people remembering spring water or well water to young people knowing there is definitely something wrong with tap water, all the way to kids saying, “I like this water!” —everyone likes our water!

More importantly in the whole of life’s purposes, I’m still privileged to continue teaching bible classes regularly and, as always, enjoying it. Bigger question is whether these classes are profitable to those who listen and study with me. My prayer is multi-fold: May they all see that God’s word is the final authority (not me nor any other teacher), May I never misuse or misrepresent the Lord’s words, and May the Lord always get glory from the classes and conversations.

Short, but hopefully helpful thoughts.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

Shortly after I turned 19, I finally got what my world called a good job. A solid position of 40 hours a week with some benefits. Mostly, in those days the “benefits package” in employment didn’t really exist. But, the company was solid, the manufacturer of solid goods which were in constant demand, very little chance for a layoff, progress being a very important part of their long view of themselves. I’ve told a few short stories which occurred while I worked for them.

A few months into the work (I was placed in the printshop) where we did everything imaginable that a company might print. This shop had magnificent machines —latest thing to the old offset standbys. I was on a simple repetition machine which made copies for invoices. But, I was with 9 other guys in a large room where we could all see each others’ work. There was never much criticism or carping amongst us, but a couple of them thought we should be unionized like the factory was. I disagreed on the principle that our work was attached to the office not the factory so I spoke up against it. In short, my argument against it caused the vote to meet about a union to fail and we dropped the subject.

Little did I know that the office manager and our department head took notice of my stand and within a few days after it was decided, they transferred me into the sales department and I had to begin wearing a coat and tie every day (of which I had a short supply—more on that in a couple of paragraphs.)

This move into an open office atmosphere and sat me next to the first of the 3 Bills I mentioned in the title—Bill Lego. He was an Inside Salesman who took calls from field sales staff and customers from all over the country. We had very busy mornings, then an hour or so after lunch, but then it would be relatively slow for the last couple of hours. That’s where Bill’s importance to me came full stage.

Bill Lego was an artist—not with music or oils—an artist with the handling of irate customers and frustrated field salesmen. Bill talked to me every day (5 minutes to 50 minutes, depending on his time) in the manner of being my teacher. He probably didn’t mean it like that, but it was to me. His most beguiling principle to me for about 18 months was this: there is nothing more important in your day than to get the days work done! He handed me this quotation and it became imbedded on my work ethic until this day:

If you work for a man, in heaven’s name work for him, speak well of him, and stand by the institution he represents. Remember, an ounce of loyalty is worth a pound of cleverness. If you must growl, condemn, and eternally find fault – resign your position, and when you are outside, damn to your heart’s content – but as long as you are part of the institution, do not condemn it. If you do, the first high wind that comes along will blow you away, and probably you will never know why.

Elbert Hubbard

That was Bill Lego, personified.

During the time I sat next to Bill, Barb and I concluded I needed a part time job for two reasons: first, we needed more money and second, I now needed shirts and ties and sport coats and a suit or two. So, I walked into a men’s specialty shop (in those days there were a lot of those) and asked for a job. It was a Wednesday and the owner said, “Can you start tomorrow night?”— I had a job. When I got there the next evening, it seemed it was the beginning of this stores “annual sale” and “When Bruce has a sale it is always a great sale”—that’s what their ad said. Bruce immediately said to his right hand man, “put this young man wherever you want him to be.”The second Bill motioned for me to follow him up front. Bill Myers said, “go behind this counter here and start familiarizing yourself with these ties—tonight, you are going to sell ties. Then he said, “you got $2?” I said yes. He picked up a tie, put it around his own neck and tied it, loosened it, took it off and said, “give me the $2, take off that ugly tie and put this tie on. Now you can say you’re a Dalton&Payne man!”—and I was.

Bill said, “you’ll primarily sell to ladies for their husbands and sons tonight, but you’ll learn three things: When to suggest, when to be quiet, when to say will there be anything else.” Boy, was he right! they unlocked the door and people flooded in. That night I sold $2, $4, $6 ties—dozens of them. I simply was flabbergasted at the numbers. Before the night was over, I had also sold shirts, underwear, sox and even one sport coat.When I sold the latter, Bill saw me, came over and said, “You must have learned those 3 things—you’re a haberdasher!” Two years later, Bill moved on to a small Jewelry chain of stores and recommended me to become on of their managers, which I did.

That was Bill Myers, the second Bill

While I worked in the men’s wear store, the owner started a second store on the edge of town in a shopping center, open every night till 9, which afforded me to get more hours. He agreed to have me work there instead of the downtown store. My manager there was a kid who was actually younger than me. He’s the 3rd Bill. 

Bill Kitzinger was a student of life like I had not seen before. His father was very elderly, a professional musician who taught violin and one or two other instruments at his home. Bill was an only child and also a musician. But, his work ethic was just remarkable and how he measured success was daily to a weekly to a monthly finish. He laid out his plans for each (or the success of already reaching these individual success plots) every time I went to work. We thought things through for that store as if it were our own—he being the lead thinker.

Once, he and I went to the downtown store to get some inventory moved to our branch and the owner had just opened a box which had the wrong item shipped in error in it. It was a lightweight rain slick and it came in, not the zip up front, but a pullover. The owner was livid, now he’ll have to send them back, etc., kind of livid. Bill said to me, “Let’s look at these. don’t you think we could sell these in our location?” I said I liked them and thought we would. Bill said to the owner, “How many are there?” 18, he said. “what if me and Lockhart took a dozen to the shopping center and sold them by, say Monday night? How much commission will you give us?” He mumbled something about not paying commissions, but then said, “If you take a dozen and sell them by Monday night I’ll give you $2 per piece besides your regular pay!” We took them, and by 9pm when we closed Bill had sold 7 and I had sold 5, job done. Bill smiled for a week, Bruce learned something about the two of us, but I came away with the fulfillment of a Scripture which at the time I didn’t even know existed: “The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul!”—Prov.13:19 

Nothing quite as noticeable as a life well planned, Bill’s dad taught him that. 

That was Bill Kitzinger, the third Bill 

Many more people helped me over the years, but I thought it sort of unique that these 3, in the time of my life when I was getting a college education without going to college, were all named Bill.

Thanks for reading, the Elder

“Where you from?” I ask the man who was my only early morning companion up for coffee in our hotel. “Southeastern North Carolina,” he said. “You?” I said we live in Fort Payne, AL now, but we’re from near here and we’ve lived (ad infinitum). He grinned and said, “Wow! I came up her 47 years ago, met my wife, got married and have lived in the same town all 46 years of our marriage.” Was she from Greenwood? “She was, I came up for another reason, but met her and we both knew we never wanted to be apart.” That’s a great love story, I said. (And it is, and there are many, many more just as love-filled.)

A few decades ago, I listened to several tapes (some of you may remember cassette tape decks in your cars) of Positive Thinking proponents: Zig Ziegler, Jim Rohn, Earl Nightingale, etc. My favorites were Jim and Zig. I could listen to them several times before I would give them away or make copies to give away—that was illegal, I never did that! But, I developed favorite stories. I can still tell some of those stories, I listened so often!

Zig would tell short ditties about his wife from time to time, always in the best of taste, and always showing her as smarter than he, being willing to place the brunt or the heavy line on himself. He called her “That Redhead” in these stories as an endearing term but often invoking a little humor to the story. But, once he was referring to what should get told and what should not and he referred to the Bible truth concerning Christ going to the cross because He loved us and died for our sins, was buried, and His Father raised Him from the dead to justify us, if we believed on Him. As Zig finished telling this, he said “that IS the greatest love story ever told, as the book says. And, we should always tell it as just that—the greatest!”…he paused, then said, “You know there are many great love stories in the lives of us normal sinners, but the truly great ones among us don’t get told! And I don’t think they should! Because they belong to the people in them, it is their story! their overwhelming love! and it is theirs to hold dear! Oh my, how wonderful is my story, me and That Redhead! But, I’m not telling it!!”

And he didn’t, but of course, he just had told it!

Most of us at the family reunion on the 14th (and our crowd was down about 50%—several had out of town trips they couldn’t avoid, a few had injuries or ailments to contend with, besides it being a chilly, rainy day) had a really great time together and with fewer people each little conversation pool was just a little longer than normal. But what I came away with was the interesting number there without their “better half.” Not a criticism: illness, recent surgery, working, and some who have passed away, all good honest reasons, but noticeable anyway. Of course, some younger ones not married or unmarried and some just kids, but it felt very filled with love for one another. Made me miss those who couldn’t be with us and made me remember some who have passed away. Mostly sweet memories. 

Remembering what we saw going North on this trip (as we went North on I-65 we saw South-bound traffic backups for miles in Kentucky) we decided to swerve at the river when returning, taking I-64 over to Lexington and I-75 South. We had done this the two weeks before having come up for the funeral of my wife’s lifelong friend and it was smooth sailing all the way. Hmmm, not this time; took an extra hour or so because of packed roads and a little bit of new road work. [Here’s a thought: not often do we say “believe the politicians,” but we can believe them when they say, “Our infra-structure is in bad shape!” since experience tells us when traveling it really is in bad shape.]

The friend who died had lived a very full life: of troubles, yes, but not dominated by them; of the love of a good man, yes; after he had passed, a very good old age companion who loved her and travelled with her for several years. But, her community life was equally commendable. After her children were raised, she spent around 20 years in public service to the people in Johnson County, IN. We believe her testimony of trusting in Christ was pure and simple as it should be. Hearing others speak of their love for her and testifying of her love for them was heart-warming.

On the morning of her funeral we arrived several minutes early so I sat down in the wide, mortuary corridor—you know, group seating spaced out down a long wide hall. With several of those in this place, I was surprised a man I didn’t know sat down right beside me. Because there was another funeral across the hall, I asked if he was there for our friend’s. He said he was “officiating” at hers, going on to tell me he didn’t know her, but was in Campus ministry with one of her sons. We talked a few minutes and it became obvious to me he was nervous about it. I told him of our conversations and hearing what we believed was a simple testimony of her faith in Christ. He became really excited to hear it! Saying he didn’t know and now he could see how to tell her story as her sons wanted it told. 

My opinion of his message was he didn’t deliver it perfectly, but he was totally at ease in his presentation and interaction with the audience about her life and her hope. 

That was a quick trip to Indiana because we knew we would go again as I wrote above barely two weeks later. Going “Back Home Again in Indiana” is a favorite thing for me, I enjoy going every time, even if it’s for a sad reason. Uuh, at least 9 months out of the year—those other 3, only if I know the ground is not covered with that dirty white stuff or frozen stiff when I stepped on it. 

Thanks for reading, the Elder

A NEW DECADE, NEW RULES TO LIVE BY

Just as though it wasn’t even noticeable, I just turned 81. That’s 81 years old. I did. Yes, me! I’m 81! Rushing headlong into my 9th decade of moving around on this earth, I can’t help but wonder how long this will continue. I’ve been asked by my heart doctor how long I want to live (as though he had an aging dial to twist over to the exact number of years I wanted.) Being sort of taken aback by the question, I came out with a smart-aleck answer, “411 years,” I said. He ignored the idiocy of the answer because he had pre-wired himself to give me a pitch, not for taking better care of myself, but for his latest chemical compilation to be sold once per year at some ridiculous price. The pitch didn’t work, but the thoughts continue and will, no doubt, influence the way I think about my longevity.

Since I am 100% not in charge of that final day when I lay down only to rise when The Lord Jesus Christ (himself) calls my name—see 1 Thess.4:16—I hope my management of these next days, weeks, months, years, decades will be improved by thoughtful preparation and supple availability of all the help (products and peoples alike) I need. It starts with me, of course. First thing comes to mind is diet, next would be rest and sleep, then, the proper amount of activity (work and/or exercise), then sustaining mental acuity. Hmm, all that sounds almost like a re-directing process. Can I do this?

Taking the above life-items in reverse order, 1) how do I keep or even work on mental issues? I believe whole-heartedly that all true wisdom comes from God and His words—which shall never perish. So I look to the Bible to gather as much knowledge/understanding/wisdom as I can. It seems reasonable that gathering knowledge in the graduation exercise of starting simple, moving to more complex, then in to experiential knowledge will show me a plan of God’s which leads from Adam & Eve in the Garden all the way to God, the Father and His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ in the city built 4-square—that is, knowledge of God’s plan to take back that which was usurped by an anointed cherub named Lucifer. This plan takes about 1400 (give or take according to size of type) pages of revealed plans (Gen. to Rev.) and how they have been fulfilled thus far and how much farther the finish is. It is a lifetime of study, and I am in my 9th decade.

[Other knowledge gathered along the way is useful or it is relegate down to not useful. Stored and only used for extraneous circumstances or frivolity.]

Now, a step further back in the management column I find work & exercise lumped into one category. It used to be that I would work all day, then have supper and go play ball—baseball, softball, or basketball for a whole bunch of the younger years. Now, it is work a few hours OR walk or other exercise, but not both. As I write this, however, I am recovering from a painful episode with my left knee. Don’t know the cause of it, but with some experts advice, I am going to begin again with long walking forthwith. Also, on 2,3, or 4 days a week I do some labor in the Blue Jug warehouse and/or a few hours in the local Blue Jug store. Not too strenuous at any rate.

[If work/exercise can be extended in my future days, I’ll be extremely happy.]

Rest and sleep at this age doesn’t seem to have a “usual” or “normal” setting. About 7-8 years back it became somewhat common that I would fall asleep in the daytime when I relaxed in an easy chair or on a couch. (In my heavy work years; 20s, 30, 40, 50, even 60s, if I fell asleep during the day I would awaken with a headache, so I sought ways to prevent it. Now I welcome a short nap even more than once in the day. Nighttime sleep has been changing ever since 50, but in the last 2-3 years with little difference as to when I go to bed, 5 1/2 hours later I wake up, go to the bathroom, return to bed but only about half the days do I go back to sleep. I’ve thought about taking an aid for sleep but haven’t yet found a natural one that works.

[It’s doubtful I’ll ever take a drug for sleep, so I look forward to better daytime naps or longer nights engineered by my will or an herbal concoction.]

The last (first on my list above) is diet. Ugh! Must I talk about this? Yes, I think I must. Having had two minor heart attacks from blocked arteries that were corrected by stents, it’s apparent that eating and drinking and snacking and desserting and on and on must be adjusted! But, I don’t want to! I want to eat whatever sounds good! Whatever sweet thing is gazing into my eyes and within my grasp both in reaching distance and affordability! I love bread! I love ice cream! I love pies and cakes! Does it seem fair to you that all this is to be taken away? No, of course not. It isn’t fair…..but, if I really want to live a long and useful life…..wait, I’ll start tomorrow….NO! START NOW!!

[An interesting side note to this is 6 weeks ago when my knee began to hurt really bad I stopped most exercise and even much of the warehouse work was curtailed. Yet I was faced with big meals, birthday cake, other diet temptations and was truly believing I had gained at least 3-4 pounds by now. But, today, I weighed and found no pounds added! Guess I better be thankful and knuckle down.]

Pretty sure this hasn’t been fun reading. Sorry, but it is up next on the blog, maybe I’ll be able to report progress in a few days, weeks, or months. We are entering into Fall today and all the fun but primarily ungodly holidays with all their goodies are close at hand. If that last statement sounds a little odd to you consider this: Christ was actually born about the 20-25 of September, though hardly anyone knows this and most of us who do don’t make the day special; Halloween has become an ungodly mess of goblins and devilish things; The Christmas traditions all come from pagan religions and were applied to a false birth date of the Christ-child of which there is no biblical call or instruction concerning making a special day out of it. The only holiday in the bunch actually worth observing is Thanksgiving, and yet it has become a big food and football day in most households in America.

But, by the grace of God and good friends and family, somehow we’ll get through all this, too, and maybe escape into the new year with a little less weight to carry around. Have a great Fall beginning and a very mild Winter, friends!

Thanks for reading, the Elder