Haven't the Ability to Get Things Done

I had really bad shipping day.  I won't bore you with the details.

 

I have a lot of people who ask me to sell the trees and shrubs they have.  I'm happy to do so IF, and that is a very large IF they can dig a good tree, load it with good judgment and get it shipped. 

 

This isn't rocket science.  People do it all day long.

 

But today was a catastrophe.  And it's all because there are some people who can't get things done.  I can't work with that.

 

I won't ever use this supplier again until there is a management change.  He just can't make it come together.

 

There are men in the ranks who are gonna stay in the ranks,  WHY?  I'll tell you why, simply because they haven't the ability to get things done.

 

Sadly that is a larger and larger portion of our population.

Humans Have NOTHING TO DO with Global Warming - PERIOD

There are certain things that I will always beat the drum about. I'm kind of focused and narrow in my consideration of any other options. When I Investigate the options I discover that the arguments on the other side are political and manipulative.

Some of those are:

• Gas Prices are going to go DOWN, not UP.
• The Black Hip Hop culture is destroying the Black Culture completely
• The Muslim community is duplicitous. There are nearly NO moderate Muslims.
• The Iraq war is and was essential.
• George Bush is too Liberal and spends too much money
• Ethanol is a waste of time and money
• The party formerly known as Democrat is led by the nuttiest people on earth
• There is no conservatism left in the Republican party
• Spines are very rare in government today
• Jesus is the only way.
• Most Atheists will die in terror and horror
• People of good faith can disagree and still be civil
• We need to plant more trees on the wide open prairie
  
• Organized religion is becoming disorganized and restructured
• The left is easily fooled by it's gurus.
• So is the right.
• The idea that man causes global warming is the pinnacle of megalomania

It's that last one I am forwarding along. Yet another person of significant science is saying what most people know in their hearts. This whole idea of human caused global warming is a vat of snake oil and must be opposed before some nut leads us all down the primrose path.

Besides, it froze last night in St. Charles IL, It's May 18th. And, we had the coldest April on record. Do the math.

Here's the article:


Global Warming caused by humans will be considered a joke in five years time, meteorologist Augie Auer told the annual meeting of Mid Canterbury Federated Farmers in Ashburton this week.

Man's contribution to the greenhouse gases was so small we couldn't change the climate if we tried, he maintained.

"We're all going to survive this. It's all going to be a joke in five years," he said.

A combination of misinterpreted and misguided science, media hype, and political spin had created the current hysteria and it was time to put a stop to it.

"It is time to attack the myth of global warming," he said.

Water vapour was responsible for 95 per cent of the greenhouse effect, an effect which was vital to keep the world warm, he explained.

"If we didn't have the greenhouse effect the planet would be at minus 18 deg C but because we do have the greenhouse effect it is plus 15 deg C, all the time."

The other greenhouse gases: carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogen dioxide, and various others including CFCs, contributed only five per cent of the effect, carbon dioxide being by far the greatest contributor at 3.6 per cent.

However, carbon dioxide as a result of man's activities was only 3.2 per cent of that, hence only 0.12 per cent of the greenhouse gases in total. Human-related methane, nitrogen dioxide and CFCs etc made similarly minuscule contributions to the effect: 0.066, 0.047 and 0.046 per cent respectively.

"That ought to be the end of the argument, there and then," he said.

"We couldn't do it (change the climate) even if we wanted to because water vapour dominates."

Yet the Greens continued to use phrases such as "The planet is groaning under the weight of CO2" and Government policies were about to hit industries such as farming, he warned.

"The Greens are really going to go after you because you put out 49 per cent of the countries emissions. Does anybody ask 49 per cent of what? Does anybody know how small that number is?

"It's become a witch-hunt; a Salem witch-hunt," he said.

You Can Do It We Can Help ----- LIE

I was looking for some materials for a project.  Therefore I went to Home Depot, Lowes, Ace, and Menards.  Looking for stuff I was asked several times "are you finding what you are looking for?"  I told them what I was looking for and they wandered about aimlessly wasting my time. After the 4th of these lost souls led me in circles I decided I didn't want to spend any more time following someone as lost as I am.  From then on when they asked, "Can I help you?", I just answered, nope I'm OK.  I wasn't but they couldn't help me.

 

I looked at other customers getting materials for a job they were incompetent to do as well.  They can't do it, and the people at Depot, Lowes or Menards can't help.

 

What these stores really sell is the illusion that you can do it.  It's all fantasy.

 

I get these calls all the time from individuals who visit my Nursery website and want to buy big trees to install at their homes.  I explain the level of intensity to get this done.  They are bold and boasters until I explain that the average tree they are thinking of working with weighs a half ton each.  They thought they were going to throw it in the back of the Subaru.  Dreamers.

 

Then they come to reality after some helpful discouragement from me. 

 

It's the same with the do it your selfers after returning from the big box stores.  They have garages full of stuff and throwing more away of unfinished and failed projects.  Our neighborhood garbage piles on Monday mornings always has materials no one wanted still in the original packaging unopened from the big box home stores.  Not that I spend much time peeking in other folks garbage.  It's just that is the reality.

 

Here's another piece of reality:

 

You can't do it and they can't help. 

Cinco de Mayo - Phooey. Where's the Lefse?

Today is a huge holiday in certain parts of the country. Growing up this was big on my Mothers side. Going to church at a Norwegian Lutheran Church in Fargo (where Peggy and I were married) this was a sacred day.

Oh, sure, in the USA we fire off fireworks on the 4th. Every ethnic group has holdover memorials from the old country. Funny, I don't remember any particular celebration of the 4th when we lived in Germany. I guess the USA is the new country yet.

In any case today is  Settende Mai. Norwegian Independence Day.

If we were back in Fargo there would be Lefse with butter and cinnamon and sugar on it. Rommegrot and lingonberries (which I like very much). And transparent coffee. Seems like if you can't see the bottom of the cup it's not right. Compared to real coffee it always seemed like warm water. Even Peggy's mom likes it transparent today. Why bother drinking it was always my question.

So, eat your lefse today. I already did.

To my friend Barry, If you were in MINOT right now you would be in Norwegian Heaven.

Glade Konstitusjonen Dag

Mange Dak

More Kevin Tales

Once Kevin was in Hawaii with the family. We went to see the big volcano on the big Island. We were warned NOT to stray. That we could be eaten by Pele.

An hour after the bus was to leave Kevin having inspected the bowels of the caldera returned to a relieved tour director and parental units. He was puzzled why descending into the volcano was a problem.

Once Kevin and I were in Ixtapa Mexico together on vacation. We took a boat tour to a windswept island somewhere out in the Pacific. We went for a walk. He went further. An hour later I discovered he had scaled the side of the shear ragged cliff in his sandals and inspected the wash out tidal caves the pacific carves out. I was trying to figure out how to tell his mother that I had killed our Son. But then he shows up.

Once Kevin after visiting us in Germany and we were set to return to the states decided to stay behind for a more extensive tour of Europe. He was 18. He took his rail pass, everything that would fit in a 2X2 backpack and set off for Vienna and Prague CZ. He was gone 10 days. No word. He only had a few hundred bucks on him. Then, on the appointed day, with no confirmation I was at the airport and he shows up with a "WHAT" smile. I should have known he would navigate all by himself all over Europe and return safely. I should have known but didn't.

He is an amazing man. No fear.

One more. The air control system on his car was broken. He makes no claim to being a mechanic. But he knows how to read a book. So, he took a book, studied it and took the dash out of his car, repaired the faulty part and replaced the dash without help. I wouldn't tackle such a task.

With just a book he replaced a water pump on a Chrysler 300 convert once too. He doesn't claim to be a mechanic but his opinion is, "How hard can it be, if a mechanic can do it, so can I". That's Kevin. Can do it.

His mom calls him Heavenly Kevinly. Could be true.

I'm just proud of him.

All OUR Children are Above Average

I suppose I would be unusual if I considered our two sons just normal.  I believe them both to be far above average.  That is normal for those of us who are part of the Lake Woebegone mentality.

 

Poke nearly any parent of adult children and they will rehearse what magnificent kids they have.  Far above average.  That is normal.

 

But, they don't have this blog forum to brag on so I will. 

 

I have bragged on my oldest Tim, 40 his family, his ministry, his work, his teaching ability, his scholarly biblical depth and his good nature in the past. 

 

Today I am bragging on my younger, Kevin 35.

 

For mothers day he sent one of the most thoughtful and creative gifts to his mom.  She has been touched and amused by it.  I talked to Kevin yesterday about it.  The gift is a picture frame with scraps of paper in it and an interpretation of what those scraps mean.

 

Here's the story:

 

In 1977 Kevin was about 6 years old.  Attending school in Harwood elementary.  One day he took to school a toy robot for show and tell.  After school an older student, Scott asked if he could "Borrow it".  Kevin being a decent sort lent it to him.  Scott didn't give it back.  Kevin came home without out it.  The problem was that before he went to school he had promised his mother that he would not lose this expensive robot which probably cost $10 in those days.  Now he's home alone.  Peggy was working.  The bus dropped him off. We lived in the country.  He decides that he is going to retrieve the robot before Mom gets home.  Before trekking off in a cold January day in North Dakota to retrieve it, he leaves a note.  Not on one piece of paper.  But on 6 different pieces of paper.  In crayon.  Some backward letters.  Written like a 6 year old would write.  He explains he has departed to retrieve the toy Robot from Scott. 

 

Then this 6 year old boy puts on his parka, his hat, his gloves and boots and off across the field he treks. This would be late afternoon in January in North Dakota.  We lived far out in the country.  He marched across an open field, across the Sheyenne River which fortunately was frozen, up the other bank to Scott's house.  Marched up to the door, knocked, Scott brought the robot, Kevin marched back across the river, up the bank, across the field and home again.  All before anyone got home. 

 

The note is amazing because it's written by a 6 year old.  Hard to understand but he thought it important to leave information about his quest in case he didn't make it home.  I don't know how cold it was that winter but in ND in the country it couldn't have been swimsuit weather in January.

 

How did he know where Scott lived?  The bus dropped him off before Kevin so he had an idea. 

 

I have thought a great deal about what this says about Kevin's sense of responsibility, his willingness to strike out without fear, his determination, his caring and what that has meant in his life later.

 

Much.  Who we are as kids translates in large part into who we become as adults.

 

When he was a little guy he set off to drive his trike to Harwood.  Only the neighbors thought it strange he would strike off so boldly and called us did we know and retrieve him.

 

Later when the grade school he was attending had a fruit sales drive, Kevin marched up and down the streets of Fargo and sold huge numbers of Fruit boxes.  He didn't know you couldn't do this and had no fear to try and succeed.

 

Once he wanted to go see a friend.  So he hopped on a 4 wheeler at the age of 11 and drove all the way to Wheatland ND.  A trip of 30 miles one way. 

 

Later in life he did the same in deciding what and where to work and go to school.

 

Several years ago he just decided to pack up and move to Boston.  He had a little Ford Escort at that time (I believe).  He packed up all his worldly possessions in it and drove to Boston.  He slept in his car.  Went on line at the Public Library and in a day or so found a place to stay.  Then he signed up with a temp agency and in a few days more was working full time.  Eventually that led to working in the President of Harvard University's office and later in the Development office at Harvard with Millions of Dollars. 

 

Since the Arts have been his passion he pursued and took a job as a house manager at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston. 

 

That's where he is now.  He did all this with no guarantee of success.  No guarantee that anything would work out.  Just boldness and a belief that if you try it can succeed.  Then taking a step of faith and doing it.  WOW.

 

I have a sense that at 35 years old he is considering another move somewhere.  He is thinking about it.  I know this, the same determination and boldness that enabled him to retrieve an errant toy from someone a half mile away on a late January evening without fear will allow him to set off to whatever is next.

 

He makes me very proud.  And since from time to time he even reads his dear old dad's blog I hope he reads this.

 

Kevin my son, you are an exceptional young man.  YOU inspire me to be bold and strong in the face of danger or uncertainty.  Yet that gift to your mother was so sensitive, caring and creative it touched her at the deepest level.  That was exceptional.  You're a Good'n.

Falwell

Jerry Falwell died today.  I didn't know the man. I wasn't his acquaintance.  But he did a lot of good in America.  He will be missed. 

 

His body wasn't cool yet when the vitriol commenced on NPR.  Hateful stuff.  Leftwingnuts calling him all kinds of names.  And the hosts just sat there and let it fly.  I will NEVER send a penny to NPR.  Never.

 

I'm not shocked.  I have come to expect nothing less from the left.

 

Read daily Kos or Huffington.  If there is any more hateful tirades I don't know what they would be.

 

These are the same people that screamed bloody murder when the right wing commented that they wouldn't miss Molly Ivins. 

 

If I have a choice of who I will hang around with, Jerry Falwell is more my type.  Molly never was.

 

So long Dr. Falwell.  You did good work.  Well done good and faithful servant.  He heard that today.

 

Makes you wonder what Molly heard doesn't it.  I had to say that to make up for the evil being said on the lefty blogs tonight.

 

They have no shame.

 

The War in Iraq - a Prophetic View

Chuck Pierce is a recognized prophet of God.  I have met but do NOT have a personal relationship with him.  I trust that he hears from Father and so when he writes I listen.  C Peter Wagner is the Apostle he works with.  Some of what Dr Wagner writes is more declarative and not prophetic.  In other words, he's giving his opinion, not God's. 

But I think it's all worth reading.  I think there is even deeper meaning to the whole Iraq War and if we don't understand it we will have made a grave mistake. 

Gene

 

May 14, 2007

Chuck Pierce with C. Peter Wagner:

"IRAQ--A NEED FOR UNDERSTANDING AND INSIGHT NOW!"

Dear Friends:

I want to thank you for praying for me as I completed God's Unfolding Battle Plan. That book should be out this Fall. Writing God's Unfolding Battle Plan caused me to have to look at the unfolding events of conflict in the world for the next 20 years. While writing these past few weeks, I developed a greater concern for our nation. One of my burdens is how the war in Iraq seems to be filled with endless confusion and destruction. When I was visiting Colorado Springs last month, I asked C. Peter Wagner to give me his opinion of the war that we are fighting in Iraq, which I share below. I am also including the dream I had after 9/11. This dream revealed how a new plan was moving forward for our nation, but how we were on thin ice. If we moved out of time with wrong revelation, we could actually crash, and the whole nation could be severely damaged. After you read this dream, look at Peter's opinion and insights on the war. Please pray NOW!

THE U.S. PUZZLE DREAM

On September 24, 2001, I dreamed the following: I was standing looking at a huge lake. The lake was covered with a coat of thin ice. A puzzle piece would drop from Heaven and I would walk out upon the icy lake and put the piece in place. Before long, I recognized the puzzle that was covering the lake was a map of the United States. I finally laid the last piece of the puzzle in place. It was the state of New Mexico. Once I did that, it was as if I ascended three levels into the heavens. The best way to describe this ascension was a staircase that would go up. At each floor there was a meeting room where I would watch a counsel convening and discussing their plans. I would then walk up to the next level. These meetings were governmental type meetings. I would watch these meetings as they occurred.

THREE LEVELS OF COUNCIL MEETINGS

The first government council was the council of the enemy. His government was unable to see the plan of destiny that was in place over this nation. In this meeting they continued to plan and plot their wicked schemes over how to disrupt and bring chaos. On the next floor was the council of civil governments. These were able to better understand the present times and issues regarding the United States, and were discussing how to protect this nation. The third floor held the council of God. His government had been called into council over how to advance His Kingdom in the United States.

I BEGAN TO YELL, "NOT YET! NOT YET!"

On this floor I was able to walk into the council and see all the key issues regarding the United States and its future. Because I was at a higher level, I could fully see the key places in the United States where the Church needed to reinforce itself. I could also see key cities that needed to be on "watch" against the enemy's plan. It seemed as if I could also see the time frame that was necessary for the Church to intercede so that the wisdom of God could come into full maturity and be executed in the earth realm. While I was watching from this third floor, someone from the second floor began to approach the puzzle map that was in place upon the lake. I began to yell, "Not yet! Not yet!" He could not hear my voice and proceeded without caution, causing the ice to break, and the entire puzzle plan fell into the lake.

I awakened. The Spirit of God began to speak to me and give me a portion of the interpretation of the dream. He said, "I have a clear plan for America. I am calling the Body of Christ into a new, mature strength. I am calling My people into intercession NOW. This plan will produce victory in days ahead, and will bring justice that will affect the world. I am calling My people to pray for the civil government of this land. I am a God who puts leaders in place. I have positioned the leadership of this nation for such a time as this. Even though the civil government is gaining a clearer direction of My purpose, the plan that is forming and maturing is on very thin ice at this time.

"The civil government of this nation has developed a unity and is gaining timely wisdom. Unless my people pray, this plan will not be in firm place to advance, and much destruction can occur. If My people who are called by My name will pray, not only will I heal and secure their land, but from their land I will touch the world in an incredible way, reveal My Glory, and call forth My inheritance in every nation. I can foil the plans of the enemy that are set against cities in this nation and cause many cities to experience a sweeping move of My Spirit. However, the civil government of this nation must move in My perfect timing."

I believe this dream was linked with the war on terror that we have been propelled into during this seven-year war season. Even though this dream can have several significant meanings and be for several situations in our nation, I actually believe we moved forward in Iraq to dethrone a strong man that could have worked great destruction in the world. But after uprooting, our plan of rebuilding was weak to none.

Apostles and Prophets are linked together to advance God's army. I asked the apostolic leader that I am aligned with, C. Peter Wagner, to give me his insights on the continuing conflict in Iraq. He submitted the following:

SOME THOUGHTS ON IRAQ

by C. Peter Wagner

The perspective I bring as I express these thoughts is that of a professional missiologist--one who specializes in the cross-cultural communication of the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. My supposition is that there might be some insights from missiology that could help us to understand and pray more clearly about the current situation in Iraq.

Let me be clear that I agree that Saddam Hussein was an international criminal who deserved to be removed and punished. George Bush, the father, should have and could have removed him, but it took George Bush, the son, to do the job.

However the design for rebuilding Iraq was flawed from the beginning because it was based on four questionable assumptions, all of them derived from the premise that if everyone in the world had a free choice they would want to be like Americans and would want their nation to be governed like America. This is very similar to the faulty presumption on the part of early American missionaries that churches all over the world should look and behave like churches in America.

The first questionable assumption was that the government of a nation like Iraq could move from a dictatorship to a democracy in a relatively short time as long as there is a superior military force to impose a new government. Most Americans believed that as soon as Saddam Hussein was removed, there would be rejoicing in the streets all over Iraq, that everyone would embrace democracy, and that Iraq would live happily ever after. The reality is that the transition from totalitarianism to freedom is an extremely slow process that requires a timeline, undoubtedly a much longer one than the corporate patience of America could endure.

The second questionable assumption was that Iraq is a nation and that Iraqi nationalism would trump any internal cultural and religious differences. The reality is that Iraq is only a pseudo-nation, not created by the will of its own people but with boundaries imposed from the beginning by outside forces. Missiologists know that loyalty to the homogeneous cultural unit is, in fact, the highest social loyalty. In Iraq, Kurds, Sunnis and Shiites have a greater loyalty to their respective people group than to their artificial nation. Realistically, they should be regarded as three nations who do not particularly like each other. Think, for example, of trying to create one nation from Germans, French and Spanish.

The third questionable assumption was that democracy and free national elections would produce strong national leadership. The reality is that under Saddam Hussein there was no second in command on a national level. Shiites are the majority and their leadership, with virtually no past experience of leading a nation, would predictably take charge in a democratic election, but they could not expect to be accepted as leaders by the others, especially by the Sunnis. The Sunnis could not use the democratic process to change this, so their resource becomes force.

The fourth questionable assumption was that Allah is just another name for the true God. This was a great victory for the enemy who is attempting to control the spiritual atmosphere over Iraq. The reality is that Allah is a high-ranking demonic spirit who has come to steal, to kill, and to destroy. As long as Iraqi people worship him, he has legal right to accomplish his vile purposes in their nation. Political correctness may attempt to deny this spiritual reality, but it only plays into the hands of the evil principalities and powers over Babylon. Intercessors need to recognize that in the invisible world this is a clash of kingdoms. The question is: Who will rule? The kingdom of darkness or the Kingdom of Light?

In conclusion, it would be well to recognize that "E. Pluribus Unum" has not worked in Iraq, just like it could not work in Yugoslavia. Why, then, did it work in America? It worked because the 13 colonies agreed on a common enemy. They overthrew the enemy from the ground up, not by the will of outside forces. They had strong indigenous leadership such as Washington and Jefferson. They agreed on a national ideology through the Federalist Papers, largely written by Alexander Hamilton. Most of all, they enjoyed the blessing of God. Not all were Christian believers, but none of the founders of America, as far as we know, openly worshiped a false god such as Allah. This cleared the Heavens for the work of the prophetic intercessors and the leaders of the Church and allowed the United States to be established and to succeed.

HOW TO PRAY!

Since Peter has given us the opinion of a missiologist, and since I have an intercessory burden for our nation and troops in Iraq, here are some areas that we can be concentrating on in prayer.

Read Psalm 2, Ephesians 2, and 1 Peter 2

Why do the Nations Rage? I see the Church needs to be on full alert at this time. I see this as a time of revelation. I see that the Lord is calling together spiritual councils and releasing wisdom and direction into the earth realm. I see a need for apostolic leadership in cities to rise up. I see a need for full communication between God's intercessory prophetic dimension and apostolic leaders in the key cities of our nation. I see this is a time that we do not need to debate on whether we should support our government. This is a time that we need to obey the Word of God and pray for those in authority. This is not a time to get caught up in political dissension. Call forth to a Holy God for intervention! Perhaps a key to our nation is the prayers of the apostolic leaders of God's government.

Read Matthew 13 and 25

This is a time for the Church to repent of allowing a political spirit to bring dissension and divide us. I also see that we need to hear a clear message arise from our top officials. When the statue of Saddam Hussein fell, they declared, "We have won the war!" There needs to be a statement made to renounce this and then humbly ask for wisdom over how to redevelop a plan of recovery for the part of the world called Iraq. This declaration of victory has caused us to lose power and credibility in the war. Desolation and destruction has come into the midst of our troops who are battling so bravely against the terror of the future. We as a Church can come into agreement with the Throne Room of Heaven and release revelation to the earth so that civil government will gain clarity of God's purposes of justice in the earth realm. These are times to fully find our footing so we know how to stand in the future. I see that if we gather the revelation God is releasing from Heaven, we can see God's plan shifted into place in the area of the world called Iraq. We can also secure the borders of our states. We must develop a Kingdom mentality.

Read Ezekiel 22, 33 and Daniel 7

I see that God has a plan to rise up the watchman anointing in every key city in our nation. I see the Church standing! If the Church does not find their firm footing at this time, we will see civil government moving outside of God's timing. Daniel 7:25 says, "He shall speak pompous words against the Most High, shall persecute the saints of the Most High, and shall intend to change times and the law." God has a perfect plan of victory, but we must reevaluate how we are watching and what we are seeing. The plan needs to mature. If this plan is moved upon and acted out prematurely, God's plan of justice will be postponed. We must surround God's plans with prayers and intercessions. We must renew our prayer life for this nation. If we do not see a shift soon, our voice as a nation will lose its credibility.

Read Daniel 10, 11, and Jeremiah 50, 51

Pray for the next three weeks. Will the nations rage? The answer is YES! However, never forget that there is a God on the Throne. His Son gave His life to save the people of the earth. He will always have the last word! Let's listen and stand carefully.

Blessings,

Chuck D. Pierce
Glory of Zion Ministries

ElijahList Publications
310 2nd Ave SE,
Albany, OR 97321
www.elijahlist.com
email: info@elijahlist.net
Phone 1-541-926-3250

Life's short, and this is your wake-up call

One of my favorite reads is Mary Schmich in the Chicago Tribune.  She is funny, thoughtful, bright and wise.  She hates me saying so, but Mary's style reminds me a lot of someone else I read every day on the internet.  Smart and wise women.   That's what I loved about the movie The 300.  The protagonist's wife was smart and wise.  In any case, Mary wrote about a billboard that a divorce lawyer had put up in Chicago.  It's down now.  Stupid thing.  Life is Short, Get a Divorce.  What follows are some thoughts Mary made without my edit or comment.  She's right.  Life IS Short. 

Life's short, and this is your wake-up call

by Mary Schmich

May 11, 2007

They've taken down the Gold Coast billboard that said, "Life's short. Get a divorce," but the hard truth remains: Life is short.

We all need daily reminders of how easy it is to fritter away our fleeting tour of the planet, so here are a few more billboards I'd like to see around town:

Life's short.

Make that call.

Life's short.

Write that letter.

Life's short.

You'll live longer if you fix that thing that's driving you nuts.

Life's short.

Too short for bad wine, bad coffee and uncomfortable underwear. But there's always room for "American Idol."

Life's short.

Embarrassing e-mails live forever.

Are you sure you should hit "Send?"

Life's short.

Don't waste another day with a hangover.

Life's short.

Spend less time looking in the mirror and more time looking at the sky.

Life's short.

When was the last time you watched the stars?

Life's short.

Get TiVo.

Life's short.

Too short to figure out TiVo. Just get rid of the TV. But not until "American Idol" is over.

Life's short.

No point sniffling for Melinda and Blake when Jordin wins. You'll soon forget them all.

Life's short.

Don't waste it arguing about "American Idol."

Life is too short to finish boring books.

Life's short.

Get over it.

Get over the grudge.

Get over the sorrow.

Get over the fear.

Get over your parents.

Get over the memory.

Get over the disbelief that on the cosmic clock your life lasts barely longer than a cough.

Life's short.

Shorter now than when you started reading this.

Life's short.

Be ready to die.

Life's short.

Stop making excuses.

Life is short but there's still time for breakfast.

Life's short.

So am I.

What's wrong with short?

Life's short.

But never too short to help a friend.

Life's short.

Good weather is shorter.

Go outside.

Life's short.

But there's no need to rush.

Life's short.

Lengthen. Your. Breath.

(Billboard footnote: According to some ancient yogis, we're each granted a limited number of breaths in life. The more slowly you breathe, the longer you'll live.)

Life's short.

Do you really want to watch that rerun of a rerun of that sitcom rerun?

Life's short.

Show your neck and knees while you're young.

Life's short.

How much of yours will you waste at a computer?

Life's short.

Yours is longer than some.

How short is life? It's long enough to read "Our Ancestors' Short Lives" by the great Polish poet Wislawa Szymborska, which ends with this line:

"Life, however long, will always be short. Too short for anything to be added."

mschmich@tribune.com

Copyright © 2007, Chicago Tribune

Candle burned on BOTH ends

I'm tired.

Friday Loaded 50 boxes of plants, delivered them all. Unpacked them. Picked up a load of pots, delivered them. Late into the evening. Load the truck for the shipment Saturday. Collapse into bed.

Saturday early help a crew at the church get going and work for a couple hours. Come home. Shower up, off to northern WI to deliver a truck and trailerload of plants. Peggy goes with. Nice trip.

Spend the next few hours touring the place we delivered to. Fascinating and very wild. Quick burger and we're off back to St. Charles. Get back to town near 10PM.

Return the trailer to the rental. Go home, go to bed.

Up again at 6. Once more over my notes. I'm preaching. By 8 we're out the door driving nearly 50 minutes to Berwyn to the Church. Get things set up. Decide to play in the band too. I needed that like......

Preach, minister, prophesy. People didn't stone me. I didn't offend them too badly even when I talked of word curses Mothers sometimes put on their children. We have a pretty ethnic congregation and when I rehearsed the one "You're just like your father" they winced. But we ended on a high note of hope.

Then we took the Pastor and his wife to dinner to talk about strategies for the work and God's plans. Get home at 4. Lay down for a nap. 5PM doorbell rings. We had invited a friend to go to Rockford to Faith Center. We wake up, rinse off and down the road an hour we go.

Big service. Pastor Lyon preaches. Wonderful stuff. On the Prophetic. Title, "Prophets are Valuable". Text was from 2 Chronicles 20:12-25. Emphasis on verse 20B. Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful. Very encouraging and embracing. Prophet John Makan and I visit about the Collar Controversy. Much fun. Get out of Rockford by 8:30 and Home by 9:30.

I'm tired. I need a nap. Today I'm going to lay low. I need a new candle. The other one is all burned out.