Knoxville Convention Gems from Friday

Convention Gems - From Friday

• The last thing God would do is to give up on us...
  He wants us to be a victor, not a victim.
  
• If we get exalted after a victory, that could be worse than failing, because of pride. We win twice if we don't get exalted.
• We are being pruned, it means God is close to us.
• Sometimes God calms the storm, sometimes he calms His people in the storm.
• If we choose the excellent things in love, then our choices will be in tune with God.
• God provides a way of escape for any temptation. It's our job to take that escape.
• Go pray when you are discouraged. Do not have a pity party for yourself.
• We need to pray that our choices are God's choices.
• Our end will depend on our choices. Can we see the destiny in our choices?
• If we make choices in God's will, He will help us.
• Sometimes we may want someone or something else to change, but what is needed is a change in our self.
• No matter what someone does or says to us... it will not hurt us, but how we react to it could destroy us.
• A true blessing comes only when we submit to the spiritual, second born nature of Christ.
• Even though Abraham was rich with natural possessions, in his heart he desired spiritual richness.
• In a natural garden, man cooperates with God's creation to bring forth fruit. Spiritually, we have the same responsibility for bearing the fruit of the Spirit. We have to work the ground, keep the weeds out, remove the stones, etc.

It's Monday, and I finally finished these "gems" from Friday. Now I will work on my convention notes from Saturday and Sunday.

~~~
Quotes of the Day

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

~Old Adage

If it might break, don't go near it.
~Herbert Stein

~~~
Joke of the Day

I was behind a man at the airline counter who was complaining and demanding certain things from the courteous clerk. In fact he was very ugly, but the clerk was kind and courteous in every way.

Finally, I was next and I told her that I admired her ability to deal with such a stubborn and demanding person. She smiled, and said, "Oh, I took care of him just fine, He's going to Atlanta and his luggage is going to LA".

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Knoxville Convention Gems from Thursday

Convention Gems - From Thursday

• We have to be willing to hear the voice of God.
• Correction from God is comforting... We know He is speaking to us.
  
• There is a great peace when we are willing to be guided by God.
  
• Walking with God is good for our spiritual health... He will show us things around the area of our life. Things that need work, things we have not seen before. Has dust settled on our kindness, patience, tolerance,...?
  
• Moldy bread is like the bread from Heaven that we got from God, but have not worked it into our life.
• Take from this convention not just the "pretty" things, but the things we need for spiritual life.
• We need to PRIZE that story that "Christ has Risen." It's Life to us! Tell it with love and cheer!
• When we hear things we have heard before, it comforts us. When we hear things we have never heard, it teaches us.
• Stand ready to be a help.
• We would miss opportunities if we are not willing to be searched by God at this convention.
• We need to see ourselves the way God sees us... in the light of Jesus.
• Anything we lose in this life to be close to God... well, we will lose it anyway some day.
• The words, "I have sinned" opens the door of forgiveness.
• Jesus is the visible image of an invisible God.
• If we love the Lord, nothing is too grievous for us.

These are my gems... if you were at this convention, your gems might be different. That because what speaks to my spiritual need may be different from your needs.

Where's Jade
You may be wondering about Jade. We left her in Kingsport with some neighbors so that she would not miss school. She'll be here at our convention tonight. Some of our friends are bringing her to be with us for the rest of the convention.

~~~
Quote of the Day

The other line moves faster.
This applies to all lines—bank, supermarket, tollbooth,
customs, and so on. And don't try to change lines.
The Other Line—the one you were in originally—
will then move faster.
~Barbara Ettore

~~~
Joke of the Day

Three men were about to be guillotined: A doctor, a lawyer, and an engineer.

The blade is falling on the doctor when it catches on a knot in the rope, and stops inches from his neck. The law states that if the execution fails, the prisoner is allowed to live, so the doctor is set free.

The same thing happens with the lawyer, and he is also freed.

As the engineer walks up to the guillotine, he looks up at the rope and says, "I think I see the problem."

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Today we will be in our church convention meetings in Knoxville, Tennessee. We always look forward to these quiet days of meetings to refresh our hearts and souls. As we listen this week I hope to jot down a few Gems from these meetings to share with you. (We will have 3 services a day on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. And there will be two services on Sunday.)

~~~~~

If you have ever bought airline tickets you will appreciate the following. It's about buying paint. First, it shows how simple it is to buy paint from a hardware store. But can you imagine buying paint from an airline. Read on my friends... and enjoy!

BUYING PAINT FROM A HARDWARE STORE

Customer: Hi. How much is your paint?

Clerk: We have regular quality for $12 a gallon and premium for $18. How many gallons would you like?

Customer: Five gallons of regular quality, please.

Clerk: Great. That will be $60 plus tax.

~~~~~

BUYING PAINT FROM AN AIRLINE

Customer: Hi, how much is your paint?

Clerk: Well, sir, that all depends.

Customer: Depends on what?

Clerk: Actually, a lot of things.

Customer: How about giving me an average price?

Clerk: Wow, that's too hard a question. The lowest price is $9 a gallon, and we have 150 different prices up to $200 a gallon.

Customer: What's the difference in the paint?

Clerk: Oh, there isn't any difference; it's all the same paint.

Customer: Well, then, I'd like some of that $9 paint.

Clerk: Well, first I need to ask you a few questions. When do you intend to use it?

Customer: I want to paint tomorrow, on my day off.

Clerk: Sir, the paint for tomorrow is the $200 paint.

Customer: What? When would I have to paint in order to get the $9 version?

Clerk: That would be in three weeks, but you will also have to agree to start painting before Friday of that week and continue painting until at least Sunday.

Customer: You've got to be kidding!

Clerk: Sir, we don't kid around here. Of course, I'll have to check to see if we have any of that paint available before I can sell it to you.

Customer: What do you mean check to see if you can sell it to me? You have shelves full of that stuff; I can see it right there.

Clerk: Just because you can see it doesn't mean that we have it. It may be the same paint, but we sell only a certain number of gallons on any given weekend. Oh, and by the way, the price just went to $12.

Customer: You mean the price went up while we were talking!

Clerk: Yes, sir. You see, we change prices and rules thousands of times a day, and since you haven't actually walked out of the store with your paint yet, we just decided to change. Unless you want the same thing to happen again, I would suggest that you get on with your purchase. How many gallons do you want?

Customer: I don't know exactly. Maybe five gallons. Maybe I should buy six gallons just to make sure I have enough.

Clerk: Oh, no, sir, you can't do that. If you buy the paint and then don't use it, you will be liable for penalties and possible confiscation of the paint you already have.

Customer: What?

Clerk: That's right. We can sell you enough paint to do your kitchen, bathroom, hall and north bedroom, but if you stop painting before you do the bedroom, you will be in violation of our tariffs.

Customer: But what does it matter to you whether I use all the paint? I already paid you for it!

Clerk: Sir, there's no point in getting upset; that's just the way it is. We make plans based upon the idea that you will use all the paint, and when you don't, it just causes us all sorts of problems.

Customer: This is crazy! I suppose something terrible will happen if I don't keep painting until after Saturday night!

Clerk: Yes, sir, it will.

Customer: Well, that does it! I'm going somewhere else to buy my paint.

Clerk: That won't do you any good, sir. We all have the same rules. Thanks for painting with our airline.

~~~
Quotes of the Day
"Quality in a service or product is not what you put into it.
It is what the client or customer gets out of it."
~ Peter Drucker

~~~
Joke of the Day

A man finds a shoe shop ticket when he is cleaning out his attic. He notices it is 10 years old, and dimly recalls taking a pair of shoes to be resoled at the shoe shop on Market Street.

Next Monday, he decides to see if the store is still in business.

He finds that it is and decides to go in a present the ticket for his shoes. He gave the ticket to the cobbler, who silently takes it into the back room.

Finally after hearing some rummaging around, the cobbler returns, and says to the man, "They'll be ready next Thursday".

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

The Giants Causeway

This unusual and beautiful site is located on the North East coast of Northern Ireland. It is called The Giants Causeway. In the 1700s it became widely known as the "Eighth Wonder of the World". The hexagonal stones look man made, but were formed as a result of rock crystallization when molten lava experienced accelerated cooling. Here's a couple of pictures I took when we visited this site in July, 2004. Click on these pictures to get a better view of these stone formations.














You can learn more about this geologic formation and the legend surrounding it at these links:

1. The Giants Causeway
2. Wikipedia Listing
3. Official Site
4. Official Guide

~~~
Quotes of the Day
"The only way to have a friend is to be one."
~Ralph Waldo Emerson

"No man is useless while he has a friend."
~Robert Louis Stevenson

~~~
Joke of the Day

THE PILLSBURY DOUGHBOY-DEAD AT 71 Veteran Pillsbury spokesman, The Pillsbury Doughboy, died yesterday of a severe yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes to the belly. He was 71.

Doughboy was buried in one of the largest funeral ceremonies in recent years. Dozens of celebrities turned out, including Mrs. Butterworth, the California Raisins, Hungry Jack, Betty Crocker, the Hostess Twinkies, Cap'n Crunch and many others.

The graveside was piled high with flours as longtime friend, Aunt Jemima, delivered the eulogy, describing Doughboy as a man who "never knew how much he was kneaded."

Doughboy rose quickly in show business but his later life was filled with many turnovers. He was not considered a very smart cookie, wasting much of his dough on half-baked schemes. Still, even as a crusty old man, he was a roll model for millions.

Doughboy is survived by his second wife, Play Dough. They have two children and one in the oven. The funeral was held at 3:50 for about 20 minutes.

~~~

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My Woodpecker

One day in June 2004, I saw my friend the woodpecker in the back yard. I finally got a picture. He's a beautiful bird. He's comes through checking some of his favorite trees for food from time to time. I haven't seen him in a few months, but I expect he'll be coming around again.

In the back of my yard, there is an old wagon road bed. Some have told me that it used to be a main road in the old days, and it is likely that maybe even presidents have traveled over it in a stage coach. There could be a little truth in that.

There are several old, dead trees on each side of the road bed. My Dad encouraged me to leave them for the birds. I think it's those dead trees that draws the woodpecker back.

~~~~~

Support Our Troops
Yesterday I added a new page to my web site in support of our troops. You can check it out here: Support Our Troops

~~~
Quote of the Day

"You can observe a lot just by watching."
~Yogi Berra

~~~
Joke of the Day

Things I Learned as a Child

• No matter how hard you try, you can't bathe cats.
• When your mom is mad at your dad, don't let her brush your hair.
• If your sister hits you, don't hit her back. They always catch the second person.
• You can't trust dogs to watch your food.
• Reading what people write on desks can teach you a lot.
• Don't sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.
• Puppies still have bad breath even after eating a tic-tac.
• Never hold a dust buster and a cat at the same time.
• School lunches stick to the wall.
• You can't hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk.
• Don't wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.
• The best place to be when you are sad is in Grandma's lap.
• It's hard to unlearn a bad word.
• It's easier to see the mistakes on someone else's paper.
• A pencil without an eraser may as well just be a pen.
• Sometimes the best one in the play has the fewest lines.
• Twelve is a lot older than eight.
• Sometimes your best move is blocked by your own checkers.
• Don't say that the "Last One is a Rotten Egg" unless you're absolutely sure there's a slow kid behind you.
• If you want a kitten, start out by asking for a horse.
• Your room gets smaller as you get bigger.
• You can't start over just because you're losing the game.
• A snow day is more fun than a vacation day.
• All libraries smell the same.
• If you want someone to listen to you, whisper it.
• Sometimes you have to take the test before you've finished studying.
• Silence can be an answer.
• If you throw a ball at someone, they'll probably throw it back.
• Don't nod on the phone.

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Spell Check

What would you think if you were having a Garage Sale... and someone came up to you and said, "You spelled 'Garbage' incorrectly."?

~~~

Our computers all come with spell checkers. Sometimes they help you out, and sometimes they don't. You know what I mean. I got a good laugh out of this poem...

Eye halve a spelling chequer
It came with my pea sea
It plainly marques four my revue
Miss steaks eye kin knot sea.

Eye strike a key and type a word
And weight four it two say
Weather eye am wrong oar write
It shows me strait a weigh.

As soon as a mist ache is maid
It nose bee fore two long
And eye can put the error rite
Its rare lea ever wrong.

Eye have run this poem threw it
I am shore your pleased two no
Its letter perfect awl the weigh
My chequer tolled me sew.

~~~~~

The following was sent to me by a friend a few weeks ago. I wanted to share with you...

A STUNNING SENIOR MOMENT
A very self-important college freshman attending a recent football game, took it upon himself to explain to a senior citizen sitting next to him why it was impossible for the older generation to understand his generation.

"You grew up in a different world, actually an almost primitive one," the student said, loud enough for many of those nearby to hear. "The young people of today grew up with television, jet planes, space travel, man walking on the moon, our spaceships have visited Mars. We have nuclear energy, electric and hydrogen cars, computers with light-speed processing.....and," pausing to take another drink of beer........

The Senior took advantage of the break in the student's litany and said, "You're right, son. We didn't have those things when we were young. .......so we invented them.

Now, young man, just what are YOU doing for the next generation?"
The applause was resounding...

~~~
Quotes of the Day
Sometimes you can't look up the correct spelling of a word
in the dictionary because you don't know how to spell it.
~Unknown

When our spelling is perfect, it's invisible.
But when it's flawed, it prompts strong negative associations.
~Marilyn vos Savant

~~~
Joke of the Day

A woman goes into the local newspaper office to see that the obituary for her recently deceased husband is written. The obit editor informs her that the fee for the obituary is 50 cents a word.

She pauses, reflects and then says, "Well, then, let is read, 'Fred Brown died.'"

Amused at the woman's thrift, the editor tells her that there is a 7 word minimum for all obituaries.

Only a little flustered, she thinks things over and in a few seconds says, "In that case, let it read, 'Fred Brown died. 1988 Bronco For Sale.'"

~~~~~~~~~~~~

I've made some changes to My Humor Page and I have added a page for my Redneck Jokes.
I've also added some new "Getting Old Jokes". If you need a laugh, check them out. You might find something to make you giggle a little.

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Beautiful Days

We are having some beautiful fall days. As we enjoy them, they make us thankful for life.

Jade gave me this picture yesterday. It was taken in Vietnam. It shows Jade in the traditional dress of a young Vietnamese girl.

~~~

No matter what we do in this world, there's always some people around that want to kill our ideas. Someone came up with the term for this......

Killer Phrase.

Killer Phrase (kiler fraz) n.
Definitions:

1. a knee-jerk response that squelches new ideas; most commonly said by bosses and government officials
2. a threat to innovation

Examples:

1. “We tried that before.”
2. “Don’t ROCK the BOAT!”
3. “Get a committee to look into that.”
4. “It’ll Never Fly.”
5. “If it ain’t broke don’t fix it.”
6. “Yes, BUT….”
7. .“The boss will NEVER go for it.”
8. “It’s not in the Budget.”
9. “Put it in writing.”
10. “We’ve always done it THIS way.”

Well, here's a poem that tells us to keep on trying, even though we might be getting those killer phrases thrown at us.

Don't Quit
When things go wrong, as they sometimes will
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh

When care is pressing you down a bit
Rest, you must - but don't you quit
Life is queer with its twists and turns
As everyone of us sometimes learns

And many a failure turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out
Don't give up, though the pace seems slow
You might succeed with another blow

Success is failure turned inside out,
the silver tint of the clouds of doubt
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far

So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit
It's when things seem worst, That you MUST NOT QUIT!

~Quinton Howell

~~~
Quotes of the Day

Correction does much, but encouragement does more.
~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

You have no control over what the other guy does.
You only have control over what you do.
~A J Kitt

~~~
Joke of the Day

Two boys are playing football in Central Park when one is attacked by a rabid Rottweiler. Thinking quickly, the other boy rips off a board of the nearby fence, wedges it down the dog's collar and twists, breaking the dogs neck.

A reporter who was strolling by sees the incident, and rushes over to interview the boy. "Young Giants Fan Saves Friend From Vicious Animal," he starts writing in his notebook.

"But I'm not a Giants fan," the little hero replied.

"Sorry, since we are in New York, I just assumed you were." said the reporter and starts again. "Little Jets Fan Rescues Friend From Horrific Attack" he continued writing in his notebook.

"I'm not a Jets fan either," the boy said.

"I assumed everyone in New York was either for the Giants or Jets. What team do you root for?" the reporter asked. "I'm a Cowboys fan," the child said.

The reporter starts a new sheet in his notebook and writes, "Little Redneck Maniac Kills Beloved Family Pet."

~~~

Have a Wonderful Weekend

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Eating Out... In Mexico

For nearly 3 years Beverly and I lived in Mexico in a little town called Coso- leacaque in the state of Veracruz. Sometimes we would drive to Coatzacoalcos, a larger city, to dine out. At one of the restaurants we visited it was quite an adventure. Sometimes you would have more than one waiter at your table. In this picture you can see Beverly sitting beside Paco, one of our friends. I think I may have been taking the picture. Paco was the plant doctor. His wife, Martha, was sitting across from him. They were good friends in our Mexico days. He was a good guide to the safe places to eat out.

See that little tray beside our table... next to Martha. That was an array of the seafood you could order. On the tray it is uncooked, and they bring it out that way to show you what they can prepare for you. It had a real fishy smell to it (as you would expect) and was not particularly appetizing.

I ate lots of fish in Mexico. I only got seriously sick once while living there, and that was on some boiled shrimp from a different restaurant. No, Paco was not with me that evening.

~~~
Quotes of the Day
Hope for the best. Expect the worst.
~Unknown

What, me worry?
~Alfred E. Neuman

~~~
Joke of the Day
You've got to be very careful if you don't know where you are going,
because you might not get there.
— Yogi Berra

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Advice From An Old Farmer

Before I give you the farmer's advice, I am going to show you a hog. The hog in this picture is not just any hog. It is a hog that belonged to my mamaw and papaw (My Dad's mother and daddy). They lived in south Knoxville off of Chapman Highway. I found this picture in some old photographs taken many, many years ago. (I wonder why they took a picture of a hog?) Anyway they used to kill and dress their hog in the fall. They would make sausage and the whole works. I remember them telling about my Papaw when they were getting ready to kill the hog. It seems the hog was on the other side of the pen, and they needed to get it to the side where they could shoot it. They tell me that Papaw called out, " Come on over here, we're not goin' hurt you."

Farmer's Advice
I don't know where this came from, so I can't give credit. It it looks like some good advice for all of us. I like the tone of it. Read on...

• Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong
• Keep skunks and bankers and lawyers at a distance
• Life is simpler when you plow around the stump
• A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor
• Words that soak into your ears are whispered - not yelled
• Meanness don't jes' happen overnight
• Forgive your enemies. It messes up their heads
• Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you
• It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge
• You cannot unsay a cruel word
• Every path has a few puddles
• When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty
• The best sermons are lived, not preached
• Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway
• Don't judge folks by their relatives
• Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer
• Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time
• Don't interfere with somethin' that ain't botherin' you none
• Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a rain dance
• If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'
• Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got
• The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'
• Always drink upstream from the herd
• Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment
• Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in
• If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around
• Live simply - Love generously – Care deeply - Speak kindly – Leave the rest to God

~~~
Quote of the Day

It is better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid
than to open it and remove all doubt.
~Mark Twain

~~~
Joke of the Day

One afternoon a man came home from work to find total mayhem in his house. His three children were outside, still in their pajamas, playing in the mud, with empty food boxes and wrappers strewn all around the front yard. The door of his wife's car was open, as was the front door to the house.

Proceeding into the entry, he found an even bigger mess. A lamp had been knocked over, and the throw rug was wadded against one wall. In the front room the TV was loudly blaring a cartoon channel, and the family room was strewn with toys and various items of clothing. In the kitchen, dishes filled the sink, breakfast food was spilled on the counter, dog food was spilled on the floor, a broken glass lay under the table, and a small pile of sand was spread by the back door.

He quickly headed up the stairs, stepping over toys and more piles of clothes, looking for his wife. He was worried she may be ill, or that something serious had happened. He found her lounging in the bedroom, still curled in the bed in her pajamas, reading a novel. She looked up at him, smiled, and asked how his day went.

He looked at her bewildered and asked, "What happened here today?"

She again smiled and answered, "You know every day when you come home from work and ask me what in the world I did today?"

"Yes," was his incredulous reply.

She answered, "Well, today I didn't do it."

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Looking Back & Something Amazing

A look at the Past
I thought you might like to see what an old grocery store looked like in Knoxville, Tenn- essee. This picture was taken around 1932. The man writing on the pad is my Dad's uncle, A.E. White. He is taking the lady's grocery order. The groceries will be delivered to her home later in the day. A.E. owned and operated this store.

My Dad, Ray White, is in the background showing a woman a product. He was around 19 years old. His brother, Ralph, is talking to a man wearing a hat. Look around the store. I saw what looks like some country hams hanging up, and large bags of goods, probably flour, cornmeal and/or sugar. There's some boxes of Gold Dust on the top shelf. I think that was a detergent. I didn't see any grocery carts or a place to scan credit cards! Ha! (You can click on the picture for a larger view)

The Living Camera
This video is absolutely amazing. His name is Stephen Wiltshire. His nickname is the Living Camera. In this video he takes a short helicopter ride over Rome, Italy. Then he draws a panoramic drawing of what he saw. The detail of this is absolutely amazing. When I saw it I asked myself, "How could he do this?". The capability of the human mind in this case looks impossible.

~~~
Quotes of the Day
You know everybody is ignorant, only on different subjects.
~Will Rogers

Stupid is forever, ignorance can be fixed.
~Don Wood

~~~
Joke of the Day

An elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number of years. He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.

The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased that you can hear again."

To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three times!"

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

Things and More

Around Home with Jade
All going good in the White household these days. We are glad the water leak and heat pump replacement are behind us. Things are into a normal routine again. I take Jade to school in the mornings, and we leave the house around 7 AM. I do this because the school bus comes so early, a little after 6 AM. Jade rides the school bus home in the evenings. She gets home around 3 PM.

Jade came home last week with a 98 grade on a paper and was very unhappy about it. She strives diligently for all 100 scores in every subject. She studies faithfully every day, even if she does not have homework. Jade's plans are to graduate from high school next year. Then she will return to Vietnam for a short time, then return to the US to go to college. She will be applying for scholarships along the way. She is an intelligent girl with definite goals and she has the drive and intelligence to accomplish them. It is a pleasure to have her in our home.

New Michelin Tire Design
When I saw this, I could hardly believe my eyes (See Picture). They look even more unusual when they are on a car. I think they are scheduled to go on the market in the near future. This is really "out of the box" thinking by Michelin. Airless tires no less! No more flats, no more air valves, no need for air compressors, etc. Check out these links to learn more:

• Sam Memmolo's web page
• Gizmag

New Jokes Added
I've added some new jokes on my humor page. Check them out here.

~~~
Quote of the Day
"Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new."

~ Og Mandino

~~~
Joke of the Day

Tom had never been on a fishing boat before, and he was now thinking it was the stupidest thing he'd ever done in his life. Who would ever have believed that seasickness could be this awful? With every pitch and roll, Tom wondered how he was going to survive the remaining six hours of the trip.

One of the deckhands came up to him and said, "Don't worry, young fella. Nobody ever died of seasickness."

"You've just taken away my last hope for relief," Tom said.

Add your thoughts & ideas to this blog by clicking on the "comments" below.

I'm Worried, too!

More About the War on Terror
I recently added this link to my home page. It is titled: Gingrich: I'm Deeply Worried. Regardless of your political beliefs I strongly recommend that you listen to what he has to say. Many thanks to Mark Trent for sending this to me.

Are You Feeling Important Today?

My Dad used to tell me a story about feeling important. He said if I ever felt indispensable, to get a glass of water. Then stick my finger down in the water. Then pull out my finger, and if it left a hole, then I was indispensable. I'll never forget what he said.

Dad sent me the following poem the other day which tells a similar lesson. It came from friends of his in Australia. You can visit them by going to the web site of Glen and Colleen Williams. They have many interesting things on their web site.

Indispensable Man
Sometimes when you think you’re important
Sometimes when you’re in bloom
Sometimes when you take it for granted
That you’re the most qualified in the room

Sometimes when you think that your leaving
Will leave an unfillable hole.
Just take this simple example
And see how it humbles your soul

Take a bucket and fill it with water
Put your hand in up to the wrist
Take it out and the hole that’s remaining
Is the measure of how you’ll be missed

You may splash all you wish as you enter
You may stir up the water galore
But just wait for only one minute
And you will find it’s the same as before

Now the moral to this little story
Is to do the best you that can
Be proud of yourself but remember
There’s no indispensable man

~by Saxon White Kessinger

~~~
Quote of the Day
"And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count.
It's the life in your years."
~Abraham Lincoln

~~~
Joke of the Day
Men and fish are alike. They both get into trouble
when they open their mouths.
~Author Unknown

Fishing and Wishing

Here's a nice poem written by my Sister...

Fishin' and A-Wishin'

Out on the lake in my little boat,
Hoping for a catfish to pull on the float,
A catch would help my present disposition,
Sittin' in my boat, fishin' and a-wishin'.

Baloney sandwich's tasting mighty, mighty good,
Everything's going just as well as things could,
My float goes underwater, and I know I have a bite,
"Bring on that fish, I'll give it a fight."

The rod goes in the water, My sandwich follows suit,
That old Grand Daddy catfish is really just a brute.
And so I say to all of you who never have gone fishin',
Don't miss the fun that you can have, By Fishin' and a-Wishin'.

~ Mary L. White

Mary talks about a catfish in her poem. Well, I don't often fish for them, but sometimes we catch them anyway. Here's a picture of a nice catfish I caught up on South Holston Lake last year. We were fishing for walleye. I cleaned it and it made some nice filets that were delicious.

I like fishing,
and I like catching,
and I also like eating the fish I catch.

Nothing beats good freshwater fish like crappie, fried golden brown, with hush puppies, and coleslaw. Yum! Yum!

~~~
Quote of the Day

A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.
~Author Unknown

~~~
Joke of the Day
Give a man a fish and he has food for a day;
teach him how to fish and you can get rid of him
for the entire weekend.
~Zenna Schaffer

Roads & Highways

While we often complain about the roads and highways in the United States, but we are so fortunate to have the wonderful roads and highway system.

The picture shows a mountain road in China.











This shows a very dangerous road in Bolivia.

















And, believe it or not, this is a federal highway in the Soviet Union.

(The above pictures came from emails
that I have received in recent years.)

Doesn't this make you thankful for our Interstate Highway System?

It's Raining

We awoke this morning to a nice gentle rain. It will a big help to our lawns and shrubs.

Yesterday, I was going through bills. One from the plumber that fixed our water leak, one for our deductible on our home owners insurance, a big one for the new heat pump, and numerous other bills from our recent travel. Then I commented to Beverly, "When it rains it really poors!"

I have always enjoyed illusions. When you look at this picture what do you see? You could see an old woman or a young girl. It's interesting how the eyes and brain work.











I also enjoy these impossible drawings that look so real. This one looks like you could make it out of 2x4's until your study it closely. Your brain says, "Wait just a minute!"

~~~
Quote of the Day
Since we humans have the better brain,
isn't it our responsibility to protect our fellow creatures from,
oddly enough, ourselves?
~Joy Adamson

~~~
Joke of the Day

The rain it raineth on the just
And also on the unjust fella, But chiefly on the just,
because The unjust steals the just's umbrella.
~Charles Bowen

A Beautiful Day in Tennessee

Yesterday someone sent me an email describing what things were like 100 years ago. I added it to my home page material. You can check it out here. The year 1907. It is amazing to look back in time.

Today I want to test adding a video to my blog. The one here shows my granddaughter, Kara, doing two hula hoops. She's really good at it.

~~~
Quote of the Day

"Look deep, deep into nature,
and then you will understand everything better."
~ Albert Einstein

~~~
Joke of the Day

Know why doctors charge more than mechanics..........

A mechanic was removing a cylinder head from the motor of a Harley, when he spotted a world-famous heart surgeon in his shop. The heart surgeon was waiting for the service manager to come take a look at his bike.

The mechanic shouted across the garage, "Hey Doc, can I ask you a question?"

The famous surgeon, a bit surprised, walked over to the mechanic working on the motorcycle. The mechanic straightened up, wiped his hands on a rag and asked, "So Doc, look at this engine. I also can open it up, take valves out, fix'em, put in new parts and when I finish, this will work just like a new one. So how come I get a pittance and you get the really big money, when you and I are doing basically the same work?"

The surgeon paused, smiled and leaned over, and whispered to the mechanic..... "Try doing it while it's running!"

New Heat Pump

McLain Heating & Cooling Inc. got here at 8:00 am this morning to begin work on installing our new heat pump. I've known Jeff McLain and his father, John, for many years and they are good honest people. I have complete confidence that they will do a good job of installation.

Cooler Weather

We're thankful for the cooler weather yesterday and last night since we do not have any A/C working right now. We hope tomorrow to have the new heat pump installed and get our lives back to normal.

Jade's Birthday
We had a nice birthday celebration for Jade yesterday. We took her to eat at the Crazy Tomato after we found the oriental restaurant was closed on Tuesday. We had a nice meal and then we to Kevin's home for birthday cake and ice cream.


This is Jade's first birthday in the United States. The cake was delicious! But it was not a good as the one Jordane made.




Our grand- daughter, Kara, is shown in this picture with Jade.

~~~
Quote of the Day

“A diplomat is a man who always remembers a woman's birthday
but never remembers her age.”
~Robert Frost

~~~
Joke of the Day

He went to school to become a wit,
but he only got half-way through.

Happy Birthday Jade!

When one thinks of 9-11 we usually think of the bad things that happened against our country a few years ago. But now I have something to be happy about. Today is Jade's birthday. The picture above was taken last night with my cell phone camera. When we went to get Jade, the Bennett family had prepared a nice supper for us. Their daughter Jordane had baked a birthday cake for Jade. What a wonderful birthday surprise treat for Jade and for all of us.

Tonight we will celebrate again.

The Good, Bad and the Ugly
It was so wonderful to get back home to Tennessee last night and see Jade and our wonderful friends in Tennessee. That was the Good.

The Bad was what we knew before we came home. And that was that we had a water leak in one of our bathrooms. Luckily, our son, Kevin, found it before we returned home. He got the leak stopped, and called our insurance company and had Service Master working to dry things out. When we came in the garage we were welcomed by numerous blowers and dehumidifiers. What could be worse?

Well that was bad... but now the UGLY. When we came into the house we realized the air conditioning was not working. I checked the temperature and it was 88 degrees inside. The repair people came this morning... and guess what? It's time to replace the unit. That's UGLY.

Things like this are part of life. I'm still smiling, and thankful for all the goodness we have in this life.

~~~
Quote of the Day

Every trial endured and weathered in the right spirit makes
a soul nobler and stronger than it was before.
~James Buckham

~~~
Joke of the Day

Seniors are worth a fortune.
They have silver in their hair, gold in their teeth,
stones in their kidneys and gallbladder, lead in their feet,
and gas in their stomach.

Going Home

We've been gone 10 days and we are driving home today. We're homesick for our family in Kingsport, and the comforts of home. As you know, there's no place like home.

Hi Jade! We'll be home tonight!

~~~
Quote of the Day

"A house is made of walls and beams;

a home is built with love and dreams.”
~Author unknown

~~~
Joke of the Day

Oh, give me a home where the buffalo roam—
and I'll show you a house full of dirt.
— Marty Allen

Convention - Day 4

Sunday, September 9, 2007, was the last day of our church convention in Madisonville, Kentucky. My "gems" from the meetings today are listed below:

• God is pleased with those sacrifices that come from thankfulness and love.
• Our hope today is based on the fact that Jesus rose from the dead.
• What we have in Christ is not because we are worthy, it's because Jesus was worthy.
• Impossible things can be done with God's power.
• God's people are like pillars... the more weight, then the more secure the pillar is in its place.
• If we're failing, we're not spending enough time at the throne of grace.
• Don't be too taken up with the prize, and not the way leading to it.
• Run the race in a way that you are an honor to the world.

Convention - Day 3

My gems from today's convention meetings on September 8 are listed below:

• God may not save us from experiences, but will save us in the experiences.
• Be watchful for the needs of other around us.
• Be careful, one could say something that is true, but it could be unkind.
• A prayer: Do for me only what I need, but do to me anything that makes me more like the Christ.
• New grapes only grow on the new growth. Being cut back is better that being cut off.
• The only thing we own is our own soul. All else will be taken from us.
• Spiritual direction is not in us naturally. We need a guide.

Happy Grandparents Day!

I usually don't post on Sunday, but the wireless server here at our motel was broke down yesterday. And I wanted to tell all the grandparents Happy Grandparents Day!

I don't remember this day from when I was a little boy. In fact it was originated during President Carter's term in office. You can read about the history of it here.

We had a pleasant phone call a few minutes ago. It was Jade! She was wishing us a happy Grandparents Day. I smiled! We're all happy that we will be back home tomorrow.

I plan to finish my "Gems" from our church convention soon. I still have 2 days of gems to post.

All for now.

~~~
Quote of the Day

What children need most are the essentials that grandparents provide in abundance. They give unconditional love, kindness, patience, humor, comfort, lessons in life. And, most importantly, cookies.

~Rudolph Giuliani


~~~
Joke of the Day

Question: You don't spoil your grandchildren do you?
Answer: Not this morning, I haven't seen them yet.

~ Felix Sabates