Business as Usual...

I have finally come to the conclusion that, no matter what kind of superhero mental image I have for myself, I am just a plain ol' human. I see others doing things that I judge to be wrong, condemn them without mercy, and pronounce sentence in the form of a disparagement of some sort, usually with the word "moron" included in there somewhere. This has been brought to the fore recently, and just today I found out just how wrong I could be.

My wife and I have a favored Mexican food restaurant that we patronize quite often. As it happens, we found ourselves there this evening for an early dinner. As we pulled into the disabled parking (I have mobility issues with my hip) I noted a late model GM pickup parked the the handicapped spot next to mine didn't appear to have any sort of disabled placard or plate visible. My wife, perhaps sensing what was coming, put a hand on my arm and warned me, in this case, not to go into "cop mode" (I was once in law enforcement) and to keep my tongue in check.

Now this, you would think, would keep me from making an idiot out of myself. Uh, no. While I didn't go on a rant or actually start shouting or anything, I did circle the vehicle, noting make, model, and plate number. My wife simply rolled her eyes at me, waited patiently, and when I was done, took my arm and directed me firmly into the restaurant. After we were seated, I once more made some comment regarding people who would so callously ignore the laws we live under, again using the "m" word.

It was at this point that a man with what appeared to be two broken legs came by on crutches escorted by his wife's firm grip on his shoulder. Needless to say, they weren't moving very fast. As they went out the door near us, I heard the man note to his wife that he had forgot to take the placard out of the glove box.

They got into the pickup that was parked next to mine.

Yeah, that pickup.

G-d tells us in His Word that we should be careful in our judgements of others. He reminds us through things like what happened today that we can't treat everybody as guilty even though the world would say otherwise. All fall short of G-d's expectations and it is only because of what His son did for us on the cross that we are forgiven our shortcomings.

This means me, too.

Fortunately, G-d loves me and keeps a piece of "divine pine" handy just for occasions like this when I need some humility knocked into me...

G-d Bless You and Keep You!

Changes

Everything Changes...



G-d has seen fit to allow me to go back to school. This is due to nothing that I have done. I am happy to report that I was able to maintain a 4.0 through my initial semester.



But this is not the big change...



G-d has allowed me to start to remake my home into a refuge for those who seek His word and council. We have begun to add rooms and to increase the library of spiritual information G-d has bestowed upon us.



But this isn't it, either.



G-d has provided a new means of increasing my mobility in the form of a power chair, a piece of equipment that will greatly enhance my ability to get around during my day to day life.



Nope, not this.



The thing that truly shows the greatest change?



My wife has embraced her calling, and now wears Purple Clerics, which symbolize that she is a pastor to pastors. As is written,




Eph 4:22-24

22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,



23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,



24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.


James's instruction is in James 1:21-22



21 Therefore putting aside all filthiness and all that remains of wickedness, in humility receive the word implanted, which is able to save your souls.



22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves

G-d Bless!

Lawn Tractors and Other Ways to Get Around

Today I have become a Tractor Owner. I am so proud.

Recently, as recorded elsewhere in this electronic tome, I became disabled in a manner that renders walking a chore. This becomes problematical whenever I get a wild idea, like mowing the yard. While my existing mower is quite a good one, ie., self propelled, mulching, lots of power, trendy brand name, etc., it still requires someone to follow along behind it lest it continues unabated down the street to callously mow down some defenseless flower garden. Since this is, in effect, walking the lawnmower I find that my yard tended to go somewhat longish intervals between cuts. My dogs love it; unfortunately my neighbors do not.

Humph. What to do?

Enter the Craftsman 1100 series 48" deck Lawn/Garden TRACTOR.

Oh Yeah!!!

Now, Lest thee think that this is an anemic riding mower with a paltry 11hp let me assure you that it has been upgraded in that most american of ways: MORE POWER. It seems that the original owner, upon getting the tractor home from Sears (in 2001 -- yes, it is slightly used) decided to light the tractor off without first adding oil. One 16hp engine later, complete with the requisite oil, and we have the tractor that so wonderfully mows my yard today. All the extra power is amusing in that if you put the tractor into high gear, set the engine at max power, and then drop the clutch a rather amusing wheely is carried for about 8 ft. Too Cool. Not that I have ever actually tried this. Oh no, not me. It did make loading the thing onto my truck rather amusing to watch, or so I'm told. I was driving it at the time...

Just one thing remains to do to said machine:

Green paint with Yellow wheels.

God Bless!

Hmmmmm

Time flies like an arrow; fruit flies like a banana.

And the Answer is...

The man with no name, as referred to in my previous post, is.....

In the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" trilogy, book two,
"The Restaurant at the End of the Universe", Zaphod Beeblebrox uses the Infinite Improbability Drive to locate the man who actually rules the Universe. Since, as we all know, nobody who wants to rule the universe can be allowed to, there arose the necessity of finding that one person least likely to ever want to, and make him the ruler. As it happens, he was found and, since he had become extremely valuable, hidden away on a planet surrounded by an unprobability field. This, in effect, made it almost infinitly improbable that he would ever be found, unless you had an Infinite Improbability Drive.

The upshot of all this is Zaphod found the planet, and asked the ruler what his name was.

So now you know. Fun, Huh?

Quotable quotes

Who said,

"I don't have a name. I never saw the need to give a bundle of vague sensory perceptions a name. Do you think it's important?"