HEAD(hed), (n.) 1. the top part of the human body or the front part of an animal where the eyes, nose, east and mouth are. "Your brain is in your head." DIBS(dibz), (n.) 2. a thick, sweet syrup made in countries of the East, especially the Middle East, from grape juice or dates. [Arabic "debs"]--World Book Dictionary, 1976.
The past few weeks have been stressful. Training new employees, dealing with difficult customers, not sleeping well, not exercising (I’ve gained 20 pounds in the last two years), getting through family drama (two life-threatening events in the same day, 2000 miles apart: my dad’s heart attack in NM and a 9 year grandchild starting the rest of his life with Type 1 Diabetes) . . . My CrossFit lifestyle withered into oblivion when I lost my job at the University in 2020, as Covid got going. Deep depression brought me to a standstill as I took a few months to try to reset. Since then, my physical status has been on steady decline. Now my daily schedule looks something like this: Work 3-11 pm (on a good day), Go to bed at 4 am, get up between 10:30 am and noon, get booted up and go back to work. If I get one day off a week I’m fortunate. At least I don’t have to work all night for now. That was the worst. So I haven’t had time or energy to do much, even read, much less write. And since my
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Clarity
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It's been such an exciting start to 2020 that I'm looking forward to a re-start in February.
On Christmas Day, I came down with a cold.
On Christmas Day, as our kids and grandkids were leaving at 9:00 p.m., our hallway toilet decided to get into the giving spirit. Spent Christmas night cleaning up the mess.
Day after Christmas, I (with a cold) had to drive across town (40 minutes, one-way), rent a machine, drive back home, ream the plumbing (three times, for good luck), drive the machine back across town, drive back home, reset the toilet, got cleaned up, had dinner, crashed.
Rested all-day December 27. Whew!
December 30, put car in the shop due to 3 recalls. Toyota paid for it. Such a good car. Been lots-o-miles in it. Found out still needs some repair work. Won't be able to do those repairs for a while, so driving with prayers tossed and fingers crossed.
January 1, 2020. Toilet got into the festive mood again and this time, disabled the kitchen. Out of funds for a bit, so we're washing in tubs.
January 5-6 neighbors decided they wanted to throw a big, loud drug-fueled party. Richland County Sheriff was not happy about not being invited, so they showed up anyway. The partiers did not share. After the Deputies left, the partiers tried to have a nice bonfire in the back yard with their stash, which brought Sheriff back again, only this time the deputies paraded up and down the street for an hour, flooding the house with searchlights and blue flashing lights. No arrests were made, but the show was fantastic. All. night. long. Now it's quite over there . . . strange.
So, as I'm still getting over a cold, preparing for a new semester with half the house not working and the car is . . . well, making it . . . I am starting my third year reading this book (which anyone might get for a very low price on Amazon--and probably should).
The theme for January is "Clarity." And I appreciate that. I receive that. Just so happens that one of my favorite groups has a piece pertaining thereunto.
I didn't get any revision done on my dissertation chapter and my next course starts next week. If nothing prevents me, I'll be posting more soon.
July 2004 I went to Kenya, Africa to speak in two Pastor’s Conferences on the subject of Man, Sin and Salvation. At the end of each day I left just over an hour for questions (half the time were questions touching the subject of my lectures, and the other half for “open questions”; that is, people could ask anything). For the next few weeks, I will be sharing the questions that were asked of me, and my answers—and believe me when I say these people really know how to think! Question from Kenya #1: “Men and women who saw God in the Bible: Why did they not all die?” [“ But He said, ‘You cannot see My face, for no man can see Me and live! ’” (Exodus 33:20) was the basis of the student’s question]. Answer: First, consider those who did see God—how did they respond when they saw Him? They were instantly aware of their sinfulness, and God’s holiness and righteousness (to name a few. And notice also that each responded in an attitude of worship, bowing down): Abraham built altars, wors
“My God, where is that ancient heat towards thee, Wherewith whole shoals of martyrs once did burn, Besides their other flames? Doth poetry Wear Venus' livery? only serve her turn? Why are not sonnets made of thee? and lays Upon thine altar burnt? Cannot thy love Heighten a spirit to sound out thy praise As well as any she? Cannot thy Dove Outstrip their Cupid easily in flight? Or, since thy ways are deep, and still the fame, Will not a verse run smooth that bears thy name! Why doth that fire, which by thy power and might Each breast does feel, no braver fuel choose Than that, which one day, worms may chance refuse. Sure Lord, there is enough in thee to dry Oceans of ink; for, as the Deluge did Cover the earth, so doth thy Majesty: Each cloud distills thy praise, and doth forbid Poets to turn it to another use. Roses and lilies speak thee; and to make A pair of cheeks of them, is thy abuse Why should I women's eyes for crystal take? Such poor invention burns in their low mind Wh
“We are born with a disposition to love in our hearts, which is developed in proportion as the mind is perfected, and impels us to love what appears to us beautiful without ever having been told what this is. Who can doubt after this whether we are in the world for anything else than to love? In fact, we conceal in vain, we always love. In the very things from which love seems to have been separated, it is found secretly and under seal, and man could not live a moment without this.” (Blaise Pascal)
