One of my brothers who does a lot of sailing has been on lakes and oceans both day and night. He tells us that twice he has had the fortune of seeing what is described as "the green flash". This is a rare phenomenon where, just after sunset or just prior to sunrise, the suns rays are refracted in such a way that for a period of usually no more than a second the horizon over an ocean or a large body of water like Lake Michigan will flash green.
Going to watch sunsets on Lake Michigan is something we do living here so close. I have seen hundreds if not a thousand sunsets over that Lake but have never seen the green flash and in fact did not even know about it until about 10 years ago when my brother related his story. Indeed my brother's experiences were on an ocean. But now whenever we are at the Lake at sunset we are a little more aware to watch for it.
Today I happened to phone a friend who has a nice house on the shore of Lake Michigan. During our conversation I mentioned that driving home from work lately there have been a lot of great sunsets. Mike replies that he is not really into sunsets but in the last month did see the green flash twice, informing me in the way Mike always does that the cold air we have been having lately has made it a lot more conducive for the flash to appear. Mike is older than me, has lived most of his life right at the shore of that great body of water and has only seen the flash twice before.
Looking for the green flash is the type of thing you tell your kids and grand kids about and if lucky you get to share the waiting for it as well. It is a wonder but real and although seeing it doesn't make you in any way a better person it will make you special in the sense that you have seen something only a relatively a few other humans have.
There is something else that is important for us to share as well, especially with our kids and grand kids. I have seen with my eyes, heard with my ears and experienced in my life the wonders and richness and grace of my Lord and Savior. My witness to the power of the Holy Spirit through the Word and through His works, in guidance and in miracles, in good times and in bad is something that is precious and all to rare in our world. I want to tell them to seek it, to wait for it and to expect it in their own lives.
It says in Psalm 78:
I will open my mouth in a parable
I will utter riddles of old which we have heard and known and our fathers have told us
We will not conceal them from our children but tell to the generation to come the praises of the Lord and His strength and His wondrous works He has done
For He established a testimony in Jacob and appointed a law in Israel which He commanded our fathers that they should teach them to their children
That the generation to come might know, even the children yet to be born, that they may arise and tell them to their children
That they should put their confidence in God and not forget the works of God but keep His commandments
Thursday, February 26, 2015
Wednesday, February 25, 2015
Great Fun
They say the best things in life are free
like my Medicare col on os co py
the day before you just want to clap
while drinking all the stuff that makes you crap
once or twice would've been just fine
but don't wander to far from the county line
we got to the hospital at the time they said
checked in and found a nice cozy bed
The nurse told me honey now don't you fear
when we put this probe way up your rear
you won't feel a thing cause we give you gas
before the camera does it's thing way up your ass
it all sounded great but I'm not so sure
that I'll feel this confidant in another year
I must've said something that wasn't me
at my Medicare col on os co py
some nurses were chuckling and just that soon
woke up a little groggy in a different room
the whole things over and now I know
you can have more fun at a rodeo
watching someone else try to hold on fast
the rides kinda rough but you get a pass
and now you know everything about me
and my Medicare col on os co py
like my Medicare col on os co py
the day before you just want to clap
while drinking all the stuff that makes you crap
once or twice would've been just fine
but don't wander to far from the county line
we got to the hospital at the time they said
checked in and found a nice cozy bed
The nurse told me honey now don't you fear
when we put this probe way up your rear
you won't feel a thing cause we give you gas
before the camera does it's thing way up your ass
it all sounded great but I'm not so sure
that I'll feel this confidant in another year
I must've said something that wasn't me
at my Medicare col on os co py
some nurses were chuckling and just that soon
woke up a little groggy in a different room
the whole things over and now I know
you can have more fun at a rodeo
watching someone else try to hold on fast
the rides kinda rough but you get a pass
and now you know everything about me
and my Medicare col on os co py
Saturday, February 21, 2015
And Yet We Will Praise You
My wife and I proudly say we have 18 grandchildren but when we tell someone the number we know in our hearts that we also have four more who were delivered into this world but did not survive.
Our oldest daughter gave birth to a girl who had something called amniotic band syndrome which cause some deformities in the child. We knew about this during the pregnancy and the problems only allowed her to survive for a short time after delivery.
A second daughter had a son and then later on another son but with each she developed a problem which did not allow her to carry full term. They were born live at 20 and 22 weeks. One lived for an hour and a half and the other for 1/2 hour.
A third daughter of ours found out at about 19 or 20 weeks that her baby had died. Because of complications from previous surgeries she was faced with a very complicated and for her life threatening delivery of a baby that was no longer alive.
The names of these grandchildren are Grace and James and Hudson and Bailey. They were held with love both alive and after there was no longer a breath. They were dressed in precious little clothes and buried in small little boxes and their tiny plots of ground are still being visited.
There are other children from each family who also come with their parents during those times. The little ones seem to know that they should be serious but they run around and do what kids do and yet they still talk about their sister or brother as an unseen part of the family whom they will one day meet when they go to Heaven.
I too am anxious to get to know these precious ones someday. I figure that they entered Heaven as infants and will grow older there. Jackie and I often think things like, "Oh, Gracie would now be 13. Can you imagine that?" or "James and Hudson are probably building a fort for little Bailey." When our nephew Matt died after climbing Mt. Fuji we wondered if he had a chance to play with his young cousins.
There were of course a lot of tears from my girls during their initial time of grief and often as the years have gone and the anniversaries come or something reminds them of those precious babies the tears will come again. Even though these are not tears of bitterness and their child was only here for the briefest of times there is still a deep connection.
Our family's faith has always been quite strong. We know Who is in charge and have been able to praise Him in good times as well as bad. Yet we still miss those little buggers and although the pain eases as the years go by it never completely goes away.
In an example of how God can make all things work together for good each of my girls have had many chances to talk to other women about the grace and strength that God can give through those difficult times. They have talked to women who were considering abortions and shared how perfectly formed their child was even at 20 weeks. They have encouraged those who are still in grief many years later, unable to forgive themselves for their child's death. And they have prayed with women who have carried full term only to find that the child did not or was not going to make it.
I am so proud of my girls for being there for those women.
And Yet We Will Praise You
I pray for the mothers
fathers daughters and brothers
and all of the others
who can't understand
when someone so young
be it daughter or son
goes to be with the One
we know is so grand
we stood at the grave site
it never just seemed right
to say by and goodnight
or it's part of His plan
so as each year goes by
we find that we still cry
but always we will try
as best as we can
and yet we will praise You
because we still need to
it's all that we can do
standing here hand in hand
Our oldest daughter gave birth to a girl who had something called amniotic band syndrome which cause some deformities in the child. We knew about this during the pregnancy and the problems only allowed her to survive for a short time after delivery.
A second daughter had a son and then later on another son but with each she developed a problem which did not allow her to carry full term. They were born live at 20 and 22 weeks. One lived for an hour and a half and the other for 1/2 hour.
A third daughter of ours found out at about 19 or 20 weeks that her baby had died. Because of complications from previous surgeries she was faced with a very complicated and for her life threatening delivery of a baby that was no longer alive.
The names of these grandchildren are Grace and James and Hudson and Bailey. They were held with love both alive and after there was no longer a breath. They were dressed in precious little clothes and buried in small little boxes and their tiny plots of ground are still being visited.
There are other children from each family who also come with their parents during those times. The little ones seem to know that they should be serious but they run around and do what kids do and yet they still talk about their sister or brother as an unseen part of the family whom they will one day meet when they go to Heaven.
I too am anxious to get to know these precious ones someday. I figure that they entered Heaven as infants and will grow older there. Jackie and I often think things like, "Oh, Gracie would now be 13. Can you imagine that?" or "James and Hudson are probably building a fort for little Bailey." When our nephew Matt died after climbing Mt. Fuji we wondered if he had a chance to play with his young cousins.
There were of course a lot of tears from my girls during their initial time of grief and often as the years have gone and the anniversaries come or something reminds them of those precious babies the tears will come again. Even though these are not tears of bitterness and their child was only here for the briefest of times there is still a deep connection.
Our family's faith has always been quite strong. We know Who is in charge and have been able to praise Him in good times as well as bad. Yet we still miss those little buggers and although the pain eases as the years go by it never completely goes away.
In an example of how God can make all things work together for good each of my girls have had many chances to talk to other women about the grace and strength that God can give through those difficult times. They have talked to women who were considering abortions and shared how perfectly formed their child was even at 20 weeks. They have encouraged those who are still in grief many years later, unable to forgive themselves for their child's death. And they have prayed with women who have carried full term only to find that the child did not or was not going to make it.
I am so proud of my girls for being there for those women.
And Yet We Will Praise You
I pray for the mothers
fathers daughters and brothers
and all of the others
who can't understand
when someone so young
be it daughter or son
goes to be with the One
we know is so grand
we stood at the grave site
it never just seemed right
to say by and goodnight
or it's part of His plan
so as each year goes by
we find that we still cry
but always we will try
as best as we can
and yet we will praise You
because we still need to
it's all that we can do
standing here hand in hand
Sunday, February 15, 2015
The 100 Year War
Politically speaking we are in a conflict that cannot be won with a single battle or campaign.
After the tragic events of 9/11 President Bush addressed congress and said as much. To defeat the radical forces that desire to destroy us and our way of life we need to have the resolve to engage in a long struggle.
I realized two things at that moment. Whether by insight, instinct or even unknowingly speaking prophetically, what President Bush declared was true. But I also realized that it would not be possible for our country to hold our resolve for longer than a season. Politicians are motivated more by their desire for power than by their concern for our country and each dollar spent, each coffin returned and each election cycle would bring pressure against one side by the other in the attempt to retain or reclaim power.
Spiritually speaking we are in a conflict that cannot be won with a single battle or campaign.
We have an unseen enemy that wants to destroy us and he deploys his forces within and without for that purpose. Our current seen enemy, birthed by evil spirits and spread by violence and bloodshed has long term plans and goals and is not deterred by the loss of conflicts or life. We are in a bad position friends and it is only getting worse.
There are certain things that do motivate us as a people to want to fight wickedness. Perhaps it is fear, perhaps it is the lust for revenge or perhaps it is actually the desire of our heart to see an end to all that suffering, pain and death.
But here is our catch 22 if it is the heart that cries out to do something about wickedness. We are a wicked people ourselves. Our efforts will be imperfect because we like our comforts, we adore the rich, we idolize the powerful, the actors and athletics and musicians who entertain us and dull our minds to the reality of what is actually happening in the world. What we should see as black and white becomes a best seller in shades of gray.
To defeat wickedness and the spirit of wickedness we need something more. We need the regeneration of our heart by the shed blood of Jesus and the submission of our body and soul to the truth of His Word. Lastly we need to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in order to live our lives fully and to be part of God's plan to defeat the enemy of our souls and the enemy of this planet.
Here are some thoughts from Psalm 73.
Surely God is good to Israel (or America for our purposes)
To those who are pure in heart!
But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
There are no pains in their death and their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men nor are they plagued like mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace; the garment of violence covers them. Their eyes bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue parades through the earth.
When I pondered to understand this it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely you set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell all of your works.
After the tragic events of 9/11 President Bush addressed congress and said as much. To defeat the radical forces that desire to destroy us and our way of life we need to have the resolve to engage in a long struggle.
I realized two things at that moment. Whether by insight, instinct or even unknowingly speaking prophetically, what President Bush declared was true. But I also realized that it would not be possible for our country to hold our resolve for longer than a season. Politicians are motivated more by their desire for power than by their concern for our country and each dollar spent, each coffin returned and each election cycle would bring pressure against one side by the other in the attempt to retain or reclaim power.
Spiritually speaking we are in a conflict that cannot be won with a single battle or campaign.
We have an unseen enemy that wants to destroy us and he deploys his forces within and without for that purpose. Our current seen enemy, birthed by evil spirits and spread by violence and bloodshed has long term plans and goals and is not deterred by the loss of conflicts or life. We are in a bad position friends and it is only getting worse.
There are certain things that do motivate us as a people to want to fight wickedness. Perhaps it is fear, perhaps it is the lust for revenge or perhaps it is actually the desire of our heart to see an end to all that suffering, pain and death.
But here is our catch 22 if it is the heart that cries out to do something about wickedness. We are a wicked people ourselves. Our efforts will be imperfect because we like our comforts, we adore the rich, we idolize the powerful, the actors and athletics and musicians who entertain us and dull our minds to the reality of what is actually happening in the world. What we should see as black and white becomes a best seller in shades of gray.
To defeat wickedness and the spirit of wickedness we need something more. We need the regeneration of our heart by the shed blood of Jesus and the submission of our body and soul to the truth of His Word. Lastly we need to seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit in order to live our lives fully and to be part of God's plan to defeat the enemy of our souls and the enemy of this planet.
Here are some thoughts from Psalm 73.
Surely God is good to Israel (or America for our purposes)
To those who are pure in heart!
But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling, my steps had almost slipped.
For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked.
There are no pains in their death and their body is fat.
They are not in trouble as other men nor are they plagued like mankind.
Therefore pride is their necklace; the garment of violence covers them. Their eyes bulges from fatness; The imaginations of their heart run riot. They mock and wickedly speak of oppression; They speak from on high. They have set their mouth against the heavens and their tongue parades through the earth.
When I pondered to understand this it was troublesome in my sight until I came into the sanctuary of God; Then I perceived their end. Surely you set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment!
But as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, that I may tell all of your works.
Friday, February 13, 2015
Random Thoughts
Buddy is 46, a little dumpy looking, wears a fur hat throughout the entire test and has a license plate on his PT Cruiser that says "FUN CAR". He only did well enough on his parking because I had a little grace on the number of his unnecessary repositions and when I get in the car and tell Buddy that he needs to listen more carefully to my instructions he replies that he has a problem with his attention span.
I am kinda peeved at Buddy, not just because he wasn't paying attention but also because we could have started on time but his mother who came with him doesn't want to walk by herself to the Goodwill store or the mall. I notice the handicap tag on the seat so I give him the OK to drive his mom to the mall as long as he hustles. Then Buddy tells me he also needs to go to the bathroom. Well, I need to go as well and won't have a chance because we are going to be running late so I tell him that he is just going to have to buck it up. Buddy talks 10 minutes dropping off his mother and I'm pretty sure going to the bathroom. At this point I decide that I will deprive Buddy of my wit and good nature and will only talk when I need to give instructions.
But Buddy seems to have an unusual problem with with his brain. When ever his Cruiser hits even the tiniest of bumps it must set off a spark somewhere in his brain which leads him to make these random comments.
Bump:
"My uncle fought in Guam during WWII. Got 7 bullet holes in him. I guess you could say I'm from a military family." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Looks like that Packeo, Mayweather fight is going down." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Urban Meyer use to be an assistant coach for Lou Holtz who once was an assistant for Woody Hayes." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"I've been thinking a lot lately about some cheerleaders I use to date. One was beautiful. She looked just like Elizabeth Taylor. I was considering hooking up with one of them but I don't want them to think I was a stalker or something." ME - "Oh dear!"
Bump:
I went to Coopersville High School. Two of the teachers there were brilliant. It was just like going to college." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Lived in Phoenix for a year. Dated a girl there who was full blood Polish, direct from Warsaw." ME - "Full Blood Polish? Um."
Bump:
"I didn't go to college. My family is all into working construction." ME - "So you work construction" BUDDY - "Nope, factory job."
The test ends, Buddy passes. I give him his certificate. As I'm getting out of his fun car Buddy remarks; "I guess Angie Harmon and Sarah Jessica Parker, my two favorite actresses, are getting divorced." ME - "Were they married to each other?" Buddy belly laughs, looks at me like I'm the odd one and says; "Of course not!" ME - "Um."
I am kinda peeved at Buddy, not just because he wasn't paying attention but also because we could have started on time but his mother who came with him doesn't want to walk by herself to the Goodwill store or the mall. I notice the handicap tag on the seat so I give him the OK to drive his mom to the mall as long as he hustles. Then Buddy tells me he also needs to go to the bathroom. Well, I need to go as well and won't have a chance because we are going to be running late so I tell him that he is just going to have to buck it up. Buddy talks 10 minutes dropping off his mother and I'm pretty sure going to the bathroom. At this point I decide that I will deprive Buddy of my wit and good nature and will only talk when I need to give instructions.
But Buddy seems to have an unusual problem with with his brain. When ever his Cruiser hits even the tiniest of bumps it must set off a spark somewhere in his brain which leads him to make these random comments.
Bump:
"My uncle fought in Guam during WWII. Got 7 bullet holes in him. I guess you could say I'm from a military family." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Looks like that Packeo, Mayweather fight is going down." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Urban Meyer use to be an assistant coach for Lou Holtz who once was an assistant for Woody Hayes." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"I've been thinking a lot lately about some cheerleaders I use to date. One was beautiful. She looked just like Elizabeth Taylor. I was considering hooking up with one of them but I don't want them to think I was a stalker or something." ME - "Oh dear!"
Bump:
I went to Coopersville High School. Two of the teachers there were brilliant. It was just like going to college." ME - "Um."
Bump:
"Lived in Phoenix for a year. Dated a girl there who was full blood Polish, direct from Warsaw." ME - "Full Blood Polish? Um."
Bump:
"I didn't go to college. My family is all into working construction." ME - "So you work construction" BUDDY - "Nope, factory job."
The test ends, Buddy passes. I give him his certificate. As I'm getting out of his fun car Buddy remarks; "I guess Angie Harmon and Sarah Jessica Parker, my two favorite actresses, are getting divorced." ME - "Were they married to each other?" Buddy belly laughs, looks at me like I'm the odd one and says; "Of course not!" ME - "Um."
Saturday, February 7, 2015
Brick Brack
Coming home from work today I see ahead of me an old Mercury Grand Marquis station wagon, rust color with those faded vinyl wood sides. Before mini-vans we use to own one of those behemoths but I did not remember just how radical the back end was. If you draw a long straight line across the top and then two straight lines going down and away from the car at a 30 degree angle, that is the Grand Marquis stay wag.
Passing the vehicle I notice the driver - Asian guy, probably Vietnamese, with a foo man choo mustache, wearing a black stocking cap and leaning way back, just crusin'. I actually thought considering the look of the whole package - How cool is that!
A few minutes later I turn on the radio to catch the last bit of the NPR show Snap Judgment. This and the show before it which is called something like The Moth Story Hour play recordings of people getting on stage and telling their interesting stories. Snap Judgment adds musical enhancements. Today I only caught the last bit which had a lady talking in a somber voice saying; "Poppy and I somehow managed to stay connected through our love of birds. Since then I have saved many New York City pigeons." - sweet music slowly fading away.
Saving New York City pigeons? Aren't pigeons in the same class as New York City rats? Certainly the ones across our parking lot that gather in mass to lay their droppings on top of the Duthler's grocery are. Guess I'll never know.
Went to the doctor this week for my Welcome to Medicare physical. It has been 8 years since I saw Dr. Smith (I've been getting physicals every 2 years for work but not an extensive one) and things have changed. Well some things. I still needed to drop my pants, cough and put my elbows on the exam table. But medical advice written in stone has changed.
Eight years ago I was advised to take an aspirin a day for my heart. I don't like taking pills so I waited but then read that a baby aspirin would also be good to help retard the development of plaques and tangles in the brain which lead to Alzheimer's. That was enough motivation for me. Dr. Smith tells me that just this year the American Heart Association has changed their mind and no longer advise aspirin. "But it's still good for my brain, right?" I ask the doctor. "Sure" he replies, "But it's a trade off. Aspirin makes it more likely to have bleeding in the brain."
Then he tells me that they no longer recommend taking fish oil. I have never taken fish oil but since it works great with Jackie for preventing migraines and other headaches I ask why not. "It has been found that fish oil increases the chance of getting prostate cancer by 40%." All right then, no fish oil for me and I guess it doesn't matter for Jackie.
Continuing on in this theme Dr. Smith says that in the last year everything has changed concerning how to interpret PSA readings (they have been used to detect cancer in the prostate). "You may have read about it on line." I have not but now I guess I should.
And finally I find out that it has been determined that testing for colon cancer using a stool sample is only something like 15% accurate. The good doctor tells me that some people say that the newer tests are 74.7% effective but then he gives me a look that says, "And why should I believe those guys?" Oh course this lead to the advice that I make an appointment for a colonrectal exam which sounds really fun.
Advice and exam over I then get my shots for flu and pneumonia 13 (next year for pneumonia 21) and a hand out sheet for a shingles shot which I need to get elsewhere. Dr. Smith didn''t tell me I had to have that one but he says, looking very, very serious; "You know anyone whose had shingles?" Well, I do so I'll be getting that one too.
This week I tested a very serious young man by the name of Singh. When we got to the 3 questions I have to ask every driver he answered all three correct, exactly as written in the book. One of the questions asks what would be the safest thing to hit if your car goes off the side of the road and you had to hit something, the correct answer being something soft although I accept anything that conveys the same idea. To have a little fun I have in the past followed up the question with my own, which goes' "So if you had a choice between hitting a great big elephant or a cute little puppy, which would you choose?"
I give this option to Singh and he replies; "The puppy sir". I follow up, "The cute little puppy? "Yes sir". I then add; "The cute little puppy with the collar that says I love you on one side and world peace on the other". "Yes sir" says Singh, still very unmoved about the prospect of puppyside. Maybe elephants are considered sacred in India and it's not just a matter of force and mass.
Some years ago on our family blog I wrote about asking this question to a sweet little lady with a Philippine heritage. The questions that the State requires have not changed since 1997 so as you can imagine it can get a little boring asking the same 3 questions, day after day, year after year. I tried the puppy and elephant scenario on a couple of teenagers earlier and they thought it was funny so for heavens knows why I use it on Maxine. Tears start pouring out of her eyes as she answers in a broken and quivering voice;
"Sir, I would heet the cute little poo pee". "Oh, I'm sorry" I say. "Is there something wrong?"
"Sir, I had a cute little poo pee and it got heet by a car" to which more tears come. I tell her I'm so sorry and feel instantly terrible but she persists:
"The Cambodian woman who is in the apartment next to me says, 'You have no baby'. She give me the poo pee and says, 'Here, this will be your baby". And it was my baby".
Maxine is now sobbing uncontrollably, I keep apologizing while trying to figure out how to hide underneath the floor mats. We did make it back safe and I am now much more careful when I go off script.
OK, usually I'm much more careful.
Passing the vehicle I notice the driver - Asian guy, probably Vietnamese, with a foo man choo mustache, wearing a black stocking cap and leaning way back, just crusin'. I actually thought considering the look of the whole package - How cool is that!
A few minutes later I turn on the radio to catch the last bit of the NPR show Snap Judgment. This and the show before it which is called something like The Moth Story Hour play recordings of people getting on stage and telling their interesting stories. Snap Judgment adds musical enhancements. Today I only caught the last bit which had a lady talking in a somber voice saying; "Poppy and I somehow managed to stay connected through our love of birds. Since then I have saved many New York City pigeons." - sweet music slowly fading away.
Saving New York City pigeons? Aren't pigeons in the same class as New York City rats? Certainly the ones across our parking lot that gather in mass to lay their droppings on top of the Duthler's grocery are. Guess I'll never know.
Went to the doctor this week for my Welcome to Medicare physical. It has been 8 years since I saw Dr. Smith (I've been getting physicals every 2 years for work but not an extensive one) and things have changed. Well some things. I still needed to drop my pants, cough and put my elbows on the exam table. But medical advice written in stone has changed.
Eight years ago I was advised to take an aspirin a day for my heart. I don't like taking pills so I waited but then read that a baby aspirin would also be good to help retard the development of plaques and tangles in the brain which lead to Alzheimer's. That was enough motivation for me. Dr. Smith tells me that just this year the American Heart Association has changed their mind and no longer advise aspirin. "But it's still good for my brain, right?" I ask the doctor. "Sure" he replies, "But it's a trade off. Aspirin makes it more likely to have bleeding in the brain."
Then he tells me that they no longer recommend taking fish oil. I have never taken fish oil but since it works great with Jackie for preventing migraines and other headaches I ask why not. "It has been found that fish oil increases the chance of getting prostate cancer by 40%." All right then, no fish oil for me and I guess it doesn't matter for Jackie.
Continuing on in this theme Dr. Smith says that in the last year everything has changed concerning how to interpret PSA readings (they have been used to detect cancer in the prostate). "You may have read about it on line." I have not but now I guess I should.
And finally I find out that it has been determined that testing for colon cancer using a stool sample is only something like 15% accurate. The good doctor tells me that some people say that the newer tests are 74.7% effective but then he gives me a look that says, "And why should I believe those guys?" Oh course this lead to the advice that I make an appointment for a colonrectal exam which sounds really fun.
Advice and exam over I then get my shots for flu and pneumonia 13 (next year for pneumonia 21) and a hand out sheet for a shingles shot which I need to get elsewhere. Dr. Smith didn''t tell me I had to have that one but he says, looking very, very serious; "You know anyone whose had shingles?" Well, I do so I'll be getting that one too.
This week I tested a very serious young man by the name of Singh. When we got to the 3 questions I have to ask every driver he answered all three correct, exactly as written in the book. One of the questions asks what would be the safest thing to hit if your car goes off the side of the road and you had to hit something, the correct answer being something soft although I accept anything that conveys the same idea. To have a little fun I have in the past followed up the question with my own, which goes' "So if you had a choice between hitting a great big elephant or a cute little puppy, which would you choose?"
I give this option to Singh and he replies; "The puppy sir". I follow up, "The cute little puppy? "Yes sir". I then add; "The cute little puppy with the collar that says I love you on one side and world peace on the other". "Yes sir" says Singh, still very unmoved about the prospect of puppyside. Maybe elephants are considered sacred in India and it's not just a matter of force and mass.
Some years ago on our family blog I wrote about asking this question to a sweet little lady with a Philippine heritage. The questions that the State requires have not changed since 1997 so as you can imagine it can get a little boring asking the same 3 questions, day after day, year after year. I tried the puppy and elephant scenario on a couple of teenagers earlier and they thought it was funny so for heavens knows why I use it on Maxine. Tears start pouring out of her eyes as she answers in a broken and quivering voice;
"Sir, I would heet the cute little poo pee". "Oh, I'm sorry" I say. "Is there something wrong?"
"Sir, I had a cute little poo pee and it got heet by a car" to which more tears come. I tell her I'm so sorry and feel instantly terrible but she persists:
"The Cambodian woman who is in the apartment next to me says, 'You have no baby'. She give me the poo pee and says, 'Here, this will be your baby". And it was my baby".
Maxine is now sobbing uncontrollably, I keep apologizing while trying to figure out how to hide underneath the floor mats. We did make it back safe and I am now much more careful when I go off script.
OK, usually I'm much more careful.
Sunday, February 1, 2015
Banner
You have given a banner
to those who fear you
that it may be displayed
because of the truth. Psalm 60, verse 4
I'll admit, last Saturday I was not waving my banner too high. Arriving at work I found that someone had parked their Audi smack dab in the middle of our test site. There was frost on the windshield so I knew that the car must have been left there overnight and that meant that the odds were good that it would not be moved at least during the first part of the day and perhaps not at all that day.
We were able to make a workable adjustment to our course but I was still quite steamed. Many options of what to do about that darn car ran through my brain.
Initially I thought about getting a hatchet we keep in our shed and using that to destroy the driver side window in order to gain entry, put the car in neutral and push it out of the way, most logically down the slope that heads to the side of the mall, letting it end up where ever. But I didn't want to get tiny shards of broken glass on our course.
Next I thought that I could just leave a nice message, written with my key on the hood or door or maybe both. "Thanks a lot you idiot!" But that would mean that I would have to park my car like, you know, out of sight for the next few weeks.
Lastly I remembered that we had a device in our shed known as The Club. It was for one of our rental cars that was out on repair. Although not designed for tires the steel contraception actually would fit around the wheel and lock tight and make it impossible to go driving anywhere without the car bouncing and having the wheel well torn up. A nice picture but that didn't get the car moved.
After a couple of hours of steaming and scheming the thought occurred to me that here I am, a disciple of the Lord for over 42 years, and I still exhibit an unredeemed mind and didn't even think for a minute what His will would be for me in this situation. Kinda embarrassing. Sometimes it's much easier to receive grace than to give it.
Eventually I calmed down and called the boss (my other boss) and if the car remains through the weekend it will be towed. Like it should be. Without my vengeance.
to those who fear you
that it may be displayed
because of the truth. Psalm 60, verse 4
I'll admit, last Saturday I was not waving my banner too high. Arriving at work I found that someone had parked their Audi smack dab in the middle of our test site. There was frost on the windshield so I knew that the car must have been left there overnight and that meant that the odds were good that it would not be moved at least during the first part of the day and perhaps not at all that day.
We were able to make a workable adjustment to our course but I was still quite steamed. Many options of what to do about that darn car ran through my brain.
Initially I thought about getting a hatchet we keep in our shed and using that to destroy the driver side window in order to gain entry, put the car in neutral and push it out of the way, most logically down the slope that heads to the side of the mall, letting it end up where ever. But I didn't want to get tiny shards of broken glass on our course.
Next I thought that I could just leave a nice message, written with my key on the hood or door or maybe both. "Thanks a lot you idiot!" But that would mean that I would have to park my car like, you know, out of sight for the next few weeks.
Lastly I remembered that we had a device in our shed known as The Club. It was for one of our rental cars that was out on repair. Although not designed for tires the steel contraception actually would fit around the wheel and lock tight and make it impossible to go driving anywhere without the car bouncing and having the wheel well torn up. A nice picture but that didn't get the car moved.
After a couple of hours of steaming and scheming the thought occurred to me that here I am, a disciple of the Lord for over 42 years, and I still exhibit an unredeemed mind and didn't even think for a minute what His will would be for me in this situation. Kinda embarrassing. Sometimes it's much easier to receive grace than to give it.
Eventually I calmed down and called the boss (my other boss) and if the car remains through the weekend it will be towed. Like it should be. Without my vengeance.
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