Sweet and Sour isn’t just Pork, and Nostalgia isn’t what I Remember it to be

I’m in Fargo ND, actually I think you can say just Fargo, because to my knowledge there is only one in the whole USA. This is a trip of nostalgia and of remembrance. And some family things layered on top.

So, it’s nice to see people who you knew when and it’s hard to review your life in the same way. Sweet and Sour.

The only two things I did in college that amounted to anything at all were study plants (horticulture) and sing in the concert choir. The relationships and friendships developed there endure to this day. We fought a lot of battles together. It was all worth it.

So, last night I was at the general choir reunion. What is interesting is there were moms who sang in the choir and sons, and soon a 3rd generation. The oldest fellow there was a man from the late 30’s and early 40’s who sang under Van Vlissengen. I didn’t spell his name right. I sang under Van Vlissengen in the early 60’s. That all by itself is weird. But concert choir per se didn’t start until Dr. Robert Godwin came to NDSU in 1957. I joined in 1963. Now it’s 2006. Many of the marriages that took place between choir members have now created kids who sing in the choir.

They sang a few numbers and were fabulous. But disappointing, (sour), there was no one from the time I was in choir to join us last night. Not one. I was there 3 years. Not one Overlap to say Remember WHEN?

So, I visited, ate, was polite and left. Tonight is the “real” reunion. I’m really looking forward to it. I hope it doesn’t go sour. This will be people who sang under Dr. Godwin between the years of 1956-1970.

And, I had forgotten how darn windy it is in North Dakota. I say that every time I come. The wind is amazing. Constant. Inexorable. Buffeting.

So, it is, we press on.

Looking forward to tonight.

Double Hexing Day

Today is in the waning hours of Friday the 13th.

I am not superstitious. But, maybe I should be. Because today is a double hexing day. If you add up the whole numbers from today’s date 10/13/2006 you get, well look at this:

10=1
13=4
2006=8

1+4+8=13

Now that’s scary.

I called my buddy Jack on his radio program as I was coming into Fargo. I shared this interesting bit of trivia. Let me be kind, as a mathematician, Jack is a great radio announcer. He didn’t get it. Note, I didn’t blame his lack of grasping of the obvious on his further left than my political leanings. Although Air America went bankrupt today. Naaa, no relationship at all.

So, find a black cat to walk across your path, find a ladder to walk under, be very loose with broken mirrors and that like diet coke canceling out a doughnut’s calories will take care of things.

Just don’t ask Jack to do your taxes. THAT would be unlucky.

The Gleaner on the Road

Family and other issues have me driving north to Dakota again.  One part is a long anticipated reunion with people I spent years traveling the world with.  Our fearless leader of over 80 years on this earth, Dr Godwin won't in fact be attending as planned.  His wife Norma had a Heart Attack and so he is not coming.  But 57 of the faithful will be there and we are preparing a video hookup of wherever he is.  Semper Fei

 

I'll miss seeing him. At any of our ages life and times has a way of turning a hard corner and changing our plans.  We press on.

 

In addition, as noted in an earlier post, there is a family situation.  Seems like all will be well or as well as can be expected.  I will be in Ellendale probably Sunday Night.  Presence is more important than presents.

 

This means that those of you who do read this missive will find me absent unless the Blog-god allows me access to a connection or a computer somewhere so I can send off an update.  I doubt it.

I have a kerosene driven computer and nothing wireless touches my flesh.

 

So, I leave my precious wife and travel alone.  I should be back next Wednesday sometime.  Hopefully that will be soon enough.  This is my second busy season.  I hadn't planned the extended vacation. 

 

In the meantime, I will share my guilty blog pleasures with you to read:

Say Anything (there are two now, read them both)

Julie's Blog

Ron McKinzie

Barry Kolb

 

So until you hear (see) otherwise, be back in a week. 

 

You were warned.

 

 

 

Mob Rule Averted in Iraq

I have never been a big fan of democracy. In companies, churches or governments. It’s basically mob rule. Ideal for despots. Hitler was elected in a democracy, Saddam Hussein was elected in a democracy, a deomocracy crucified Jesus.

The Democrat party would like us to abolish the Electoral College so we could have a "true Democracy". That would be horrid. The founding fathers hated that Idea and so do I.

I like the fact that the USA is not a democracy, it’s a republic. We elect people who represent us. If they don't we get someone who will. That's the republican way.

I also like the fact that we are states and that issues regarding Illinois or North Dakota are not decided from Washington. We have some of that now, too much, I would like to see less.

So it was with some pleasure that I saw Iraq moving toward a federalist form of government. Sovereign states that choose to work together. A united states of Iraq. Works everywhere it’s tried.

Now if we could just get rid of the idea of universal democracy in the USA our republic would be safe. Vote Republican.

Hammer Blows

The thing I appreciate about the prophetic word is that it works like a hammer blow, or a hammer and chisel. God forms and shapes us into his purpose by the prophetic word like a hammer forms a piece of rock into the statue of David.

We know that our character and destiny is being formed from glory to glory into the image of Jesus. In fact when we get there we will look just like him. It's done primarily thru the prophetic word.

Turns out, the main tool he uses to reveal our destiny is the Proclamation and Declaration of the prophetic word. Our purpose is revealed. Our character is formed. Sometimes correction comes. But it is always to form us in to his image.

Like Mount Rushmore, many people wish they could just have all the dynamite put in place, one blast and viola the faces are revealed. If that much dynamite were placed it would destroy the faces. A little here, a little there and eventually the face of Jesus emerges. He finds a small hard spot and with a word of encouragement thru the prophetic helps remove the impediment. He finds a soft spot and thru a well placed word strengthens it.

The prophetic changes everything, we are never the same after an encounter with the Prophetic. But it's never quick, it's never instant, it is intended to be like hundreds of hammer blows to change us. Most people don't have the patience to wait for God to do what he wants to do in our lives and we get discouraged. That is called being stuck. We don't KNOW we are discouraged, we just no longer believe there is more or we think that's all there is.

That's why I love it so much.

It’s Impossible to Keep a GOOD Man Down

I got a phone call that “Dad”, my uncle Earl, who raised me from the age of 13 fell and broke his hip last night. He’s 90 years old.

This isn’t good news. I don’t have a prognosis this side of the veil.

I do have one for the other side for certain.

It’s impossible to keep a good man down. No matter how hard this will be, no matter what happens, no matter when he is able to come home, there will come a day for him when he will run, jump and shout again. He will dance on streets of Gold. He will bow down and get back up without any pain. He will once again be the handsome vigorous man people know him as, even in his advanced years he is still that man.

Oh, there will be some pain between here and there. Certainly those who love him and care for him like his wife Ruth of 65 years will see pain.

But there comes a day when all tears are dried, all pain is gone, all suffering ended, all loss erased and when that day comes as it will for every one of us it is a magnificent thing to know that a place, a mansion, is prepared for all of us.

Some may go and occupy them before I do, or maybe not. But there is one there, in need of a little work, in need of a window fixed; a tree trimmed, a garden hoed. It’s right there around the corner. I think Jesus made it that way just for Earl. I’ll get to see it some day.

We all will.

UPDATE:
Apparently Earl is going to have a ball and socket put in. I got a nice note from Jane Ahlin who I grew up with, her mom had recieved a ball and socket and was up and around in a few days. Probably not doing the Cha Cha but who knows.

SO, it's true, it's hard to keep a good man (or woman) down.

Thanks for the encouragement Jane. Sorry be being just a bit pessimistic. I guess I underestimate everything sometimes.