March 28, 2025

Sometimes while driving on a trip or when taking a long walk in our neighborhood I have extremely long thought patterns about what to write here in this blog. Then, when home and relaxed those interesting subjects which were so clear before seem to have gone away. Not sure what I should do about that or if there is anything I can do about it. Is it simply because I’m aging? Or are the thoughts things I probably shouldn’t write about? Or am I afraid I would just bore you to death and sort of,, “nobody wants to read that!” Off I go.

One Day Trip

A couple of days ago, Barb and I drove to Berea, KY to attend the funeral of her cousin, an adult-lifelong resident of the beautiful town of Berea. By all accounts, he was a fine Christian man, a top-notch plumbing contractor, good father and a man devoted to and hard working in his church. It was a blessing to meet many people in his family. 

But the city of Berea still captivated us! Though we had only a short visit we marveled at how the little town had become somewhat larger than when we were there several years back, yet still is centered by Berea College, some 1600 students strong who pay no tuition to attend! Other expenses for being there for the year are as low as about $4,000, rising according to the family’s income up to possibly about  $12,000. The no tuition has been true since it’s inception about 130 years ago. 

When I say “centered” by the college I mean centered—the beautiful campus is in the center of the town! And 15,000 people abide it and love living there. Quite a remarkable community. If you’ve never been, please go see it, dine there, stay a couple of days and enjoy its atmosphere. I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Our Hydration Renewed

Further current prominent thinking of another involvement of mine is along the lines of why there are not more genuine alkaline water stores in America. Why am I wondering this  you asked? (You did ask, right?)

For multi-millennia humanity has survived best by drinking high alkaline water, first from wonderful wells of natural springs gushing forth the greatest tasting water from aquifers deep under the earth’s surface, then hand dug, then drilled wells to accommodate where we peoples decided to live, and so forth. 

Then, a few centuries back more massive collectives for living called “urban areas” began to believe water should be gathered in reservoirs to be piped into homes and other useful entities. Then because that created a new problem, these reservoir waters began to be treated to stop collecting bacteria or other such pestilent properties. Treated with chemicals which, though they halt the bacterial problem, they can bring long range problems to our bodies and, besides that, the water tasted bad, often with malodorous presence. Here we remain today, en masse. 

So, knowing this and desiring to get around the continually recurring problem caused our eyes to look earnestly for a “how-do-I-fix-for-my-family” solution, and just like that! the answer knocked on my door.

[A noteworthy addition before I get to the answer: about 32 years ago, I had become addicted to a diet soda, it was about all I drank; a little water, a little coffee — nothing else. Our family was visiting the San Antonio Zoo on a very hot September day and upon leaving we were all very thirsty. At a convenience store, my daughter-in-law brought me a huge paper cup full of my diet soda. I took a look at the size of that thing and at the liquid I was about to swallow…and said to myself, “There is nothing in this cup that resembles food or anything I should be putting in my body, especially not this much of it.” From that day forward I have not drank any of the phony soft drinks (an occasional root beer, but not diet.)]

About 15 years ago, a friend walked into the church I pastored and gave me a gallon of water and showed me a brochure to tell me how that water was manufactured…in a machine that set on the kitchen cabinet, hooked up to the cold water at the sink, and for a mere $4,000 I could get Alkaline water any time I wanted it. I said, “Mike, I’m sorry, but I don’t have $4,000 to buy this.” He said, “Jerry, show this to all your members and they’ll buy one and you’ll be paid a huge commission!” “In the first place,” I said, “we don’t have members. And if we did, I would’t introduce a scheme like that to them in a building dedicated to the Lord’s word and the gospel of Christ.” He understood, and on departing he said, “I’ll pray for you to get a way to get this water.” 

In just a few days, another friend walked in with a box and said of its contents, “for $250 you can have Alkaline water through his water pitcher.” I bought it. That was the basic methodology we still use today for thousands of people in retail stores now and expecting more rapid growth in this area, everywhere in America. After I retired from being a pastor (not retired from preaching, don’t know how to stop that) and with the help of our partners, we help people build alkaline water stores using our version of the simple technology of filtering out the bad stuff from our water supply, then running the water through the proper natural minerals allowing the water to leach from the minerals all it takes to become the best water can become. —-“Water the way it’s meant to be!”

Thanks for reading, the Elder