We're back from Louisiana

We just returned from Louisiana yesterday, so I have spent most of my computer time today catching up on my emails and other spaces. We had a good trip. As it has been so many times before, I believe that God was with us for a safe trip, both going and coming.

Our purpose for the trip was to check on Janis' mother and to spend some time there with her. She is 86 years old and she is beginning to show that she is getting feeble. She did seem to be a little more spry and lively the last day we were there but I suspect that it was just for a while. It's a sobering thought to know that we are all getting older every day and that we too shall soon be 86 yrs. old. Soon?? Yes, soon. You see, 21 years (that's how many years I will have before I turn 86) does not seem nearly as long as it used to seem, and what makes it worse is that 21 years of being over 65 will not be as agressively active as the 21 years before. Well, anyway, we were confronted with the thoughts of loosing Janis' mother in the near future - Not only Janis' mother but my mother as well. My mother just recently turned 87. We do have to face the facts. None of us are going to live forever in this present state of existence.

Speaking of my mother, let me tell you a little about her. About two months ago, she preached a revival for Ed Dickerson at the Hudson Chapel Church of God. She preached Friday night, Saturday night and Sunday morning. I was there with her and I preached Sunday night. About a month ago, she was ready to go, and did go to Crosville with the Peacemakers for a day filled with fellowship, shopping, good food and a play at the Cumberland County Play House. As of right now, this very minuet, she is in Florida. She went with Bonita, my sister, and her husband, Michael, to Orlando, FL to go to Disney World. Can you believe it? An 87 year old woman at Disney World? She started out with a bang. The first night there, she slipped down the steps in the camper and broke her arm. At least that's what she told us. Do you suppose that she could have been sliding down the waterslide or maybe riding one of those wild rides designed for active teenagers and maybe fell off and broke her arm? haha! Well, I guess we will take her word for it and assume that it wasn't like that. :) The last I heard, she is doing better with her arm in a temporary plastic cast. She will see the doctor her in Cleveland when she gets back so they can put her arm in a permanent cast. Thank the Lord that she didn't hurt herself more than that, and thank the Lord that she is able to take care of herself as much as she does. But you know, we just do not know who will be the next to leave this world. It could be my mother, or it could be Janis' mother. It could be me!! Or it could be you!!! We would do well to be ready to answer the call of the Master, whenever that may be.

Let me sign off for now and post a few pictures taken in and around Janis' mother's house.

Janis' Mother, Edna Stamper. (86 years old)

Janis' Mother and Daddy - some years ago.

My youngest daughter Jennifer and her husband Bill. And Brownie and Daisy.

Well, who do you think? Me and the First Lady! (Picture taken at her nephew's house)

Janis and her three sisters and three brothers (two now deceased) were raised in this house.

Glen's garden. Glen is Janis's brother.

The land is rented out to another farmer.

What in the world could that be?? A tire??

I believe this Grand Toreno has seen it's best days.

Blog update on MagicJack

Well, I have my MagicJack. It does work. I called a few numbers just to verify that it did. I wanted someone to call me back to insure that I could receive calls as well as make calls, but out of three people that I called, three of them were not home or did not answer, or possibly did not get a ring on their phone, but, I did leave a message on their answering machines. After a while, my Mom called me back on the MagicJack number and it worked fine. When I called my MagicJack number from my cell phone, it worked, but when I called from my house phone, it did not work. Hmmmmmmmmm! I called again, only this time I dialed the area code first. Guess what! It still didn't work. Double hmmmmmmmmm! I called my MagicJack again and this time I entered '1-423-plus the number'. Ahaaa! It worked. Now, when Mom called me, she only dialed the number without the 1 or the 423 and it worked for her. So I conclude that It may work with just the number or it may work only if the area code and/or the 1 in front of that is dialed. If you want to give it a try, the number is 591-0224. Try just the number first and if it doesn't work try adding the 423 and if it still does not work, try adding the 1.

Will it cost you anything? If you're in the 423 area, No, of course not, but if you're out of the 423 area, I'm not sure. I don't think it would cost you anything, anywhere in the US or Canada but if it does, you're on your own. If I would take the time right now to go and read the stuff on it again, I might remember it long enough to get back to this blog and let you know, but I am too lazy to do that so, again, you might just want to check it out your self - you're on your own.

Was it a simple "plug-it-into-your-computer-and-then-plug-a-phone-into-the-MagicJack-and-you're-done-operation"? NO! Not for me. If you have windows vista, you will have to download the update, which is not really hard to do. You 'may' be smarter than me and you 'might' be able to understand the instructions better than I did, so it may not take you as long as it did me. Overall, It took me about twenty to thirty minuets to satisfy myself that it was all done and working. If you are a slow reader and you read the agreement and all that stuff, add more time.

What do I think about it? If you're into the internet phone, go for it. The cost is the best value I've seen yet and the quality of service is excellent. Plus, you can put the device in your pocket and take it with you and then use it anywhere, where there is a high speed internet connection that you can use. Of course, you'll have to have a phone.

Here's a picture of the MagicJack in my computer and the phone on my desk. (Please don't ridicule my messy computer desk)

;( I know what every piece of junk is and what it stands for! 8)

Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?

Do you remember that song we used to sing when we were just little rascals? It went like this: Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf, the big bad wolf. Who's afraid of the big bad wolf, ..........ummmmm...............er, ah, .................well, I don't remember how it ended. Maybe it was something like, Tra la la la laaaa. The big bad wolf! What is the big bad wolf. Maybe it is something different for each one of us, but us church kids we may have thought of it as the devil. Now-days, we think of it maybe as the IRS or maybe the wonderful years of retirement with it's totally deficient social security income. Or maybe it's all those special on-line offers that promise so much but have proven to be nothing more than a scam artist's trap whereby he steals our identity and/or floods us with never ending spamming. It all seems to be devilish, doesn't it?
Well, I may have fallen into the hands of the big bad wolf this AM, but if I have, it will only cost me 39.95 plus 6.95 shipping and handling...........hopefully. Have you heard of the magicjack? It's a little plugin thing that plugs into the usb port of your computer, into which you plug in any phone and then start calling and talking to anyone anywhere for free, for one year. Then you are charged 29.95 each year thereafter for free local and long distance calling, plus some other phone benefits. I have heard of something like this from somewhere. It's not 'vonage' nor 'skype'. Hey! Why don't you just check it out for yourself. Go to http://www.magicjack.com/ and read all about it. Or, you can just wait a couple of weeks and ask me if there is anything to it. I should have my magicjack within 10 day and then I'll give it a try. If I don't get it, or if it doesn't work, or if there are a lot of 'buts' (notice - there is only one 't' in the word 'buts') that makes it undesireable, I'll be glad to let you know. Now, let me just add in right here, that I am not working for magicjack, nor am I being paid for this blog. I just wanted to add a blog to my blogspot since it's been more than a week since my last blog. I hope you have a good day and don't get taken by some scam. Leave that to us brave souls who are not afraid of the big bad wolf.

Now here's a few pictures from my yard, hopefully to cheer you up!

I'm Tired, But That's Good

It's time to blog. Yeah, it's past time to say something. You know, I am tired. Don't feel sorry for me though. I'm not tired like I used to be when I was on that hep-c medication. No, I'm tired like a man is supposed to be after he has done some work. Yeah, I mowed my yard again today. Last time I mowed the front one day and the back the next day. Well, today I mowed the front and back. It took me about 1 and 1/2 hours, non-stop. I then rested for an hour or maybe two and by that time, Janis was home and was inspired for 'us' to do some more yard work. :( We worked out in the yard for about an hour. Then I decided I needed to get some bicycling in so I rode to Mimosa Dr., then turned around and rode past my house down to Haywood Dr., then back to my house. I know that wasn't very far but just about half of it was up hill. Anyway, I'm tired.

I had just, yesterday, told my wife and my mother that I was beginning to feel what it was like to be back at work. It really feels good to be able to do something again. You don't suppose that the medication knocked the laziness out of me do you?? Nah! I think I've still got a good share of that, but at least I'm on the road again. I'm not hauling much in my truck but I'm driving! lol

For those of you who may not know, I guess I'd better tell you something. I am an associate pastor at Grace Assembly now. That's the church I was pastoring when I 'retired'. Yeah, that may seem a little strange, but the pastor said that he would like for me to work with him and so I am. I'm still officially a member at NCCOG (North Cleveland Church of God), will still pay 'my' tithes there, and I'm still an ordained bishop in the COG but I will be attending Grace Assembly mostly and focusing my sights on the Senior Adult Ministries. How about that!? Only in Cleveland! Well, look at it like this: That's my job, and I have to work on Sundays and Wednesday evenings, as well as other times. What?? How much do I get paid?? Let's just say, that I will have a great reward when I get to heaven wheather I get material compensations or not, but that's why a retired minister would consider re-entering the active ministry anyway, isn't it? Once a man, or woman, is called to the ministry in any fashion, that call will attach itself to the called one and stay right there until the day they die. Once bent in that direction, the limb will never be the same again.

Well, that's enough for today. I've got to get a warm shower, get some clean clothes on and start thinking about the message that I was asked today to preach Sunday night. I will be speaking at the Michigan Ave. COG.....just in case you want to come! :)