"Firsts"

Here are some 'firsts' that have already happened this year that I will remember for a long time:

Gabriel (Gabe) is the first, and of course the only, biological grandchild that my wife, Janis, has. She has two step-children, my own biological children, but Gabe is her first. She raised her step-children and loved them as though they were her own and she did not fall short in that task by any means, as far as I can see.

Barack Obama is the first black president that the United States has ever had. I knew it could happen and figured that it would happen some day. I really thought a woman would be elected before a black man was, but, I guess you see I was wrong about that. I may be wrong about a woman being president some day. Time will tell.

Election day, January 20th., was the first time for me ever to report for Jury Duty. I reported to the federal court house in Chattanooga as instructed but was not selected to serve. Sure, in the past, I have been notified of jury duty, but I was always excused and didn't even have to report because I was the pastor of a church. However, being an associate pastor did not make any difference to the judge in this case.

There probably were some other 'firsts' that could have been mentioned but those are some that I won't forget. Most likely, there will be some others that will happen in my life. As a matter of fact, every day is a 'first'. I have never experienced this day before and tomorrow will be a day that I have never experienced before. I plan to do some things that will be to me, a 'first'. How I respond to these 'firsts' is very important because it will make a difference in my life. It will happen and I will respond. Then I will have to live with myself.

Since "Today is the first day of the rest of my life", I pray Lord, help me to respond properly to everything that happens in my life, and may my response be one that will bring honor to your name.

Pictures of Gabe

I thought about posting these pictures on Facebook, and I still may, but momma wants to see them and she can see them on this blogspot. I know she could see them on Facebook, but she says that she doesn't have a facebook account. I thought she did. As a matter of fact, I believe she does but, apparently, no one has shown her how to navigate in facebook. Do you think we should? I don't know. It really seems like a lot of 'stuff' to contend with, even for me. Anyway, here are some pictures of my new grandson, Joshua Gabriel Baldridge.

Getting ready for the New Year

Everyone is settling down now after the holidays. School is starting back, all the goodies have been eaten, the exchanges have been made, and we are beginning to settle into the old routine. That is always so nice, isn't it? Yes! Yes it is, but I won't be settled until we do our belated Christmas in Louisiana, until we welcome Gabriel (my second grandson) into the world, and until we return to Meca.......ah....I mean Cleveland. lol


We are leaving tomorrow (if Janis doesn't change her mind, and you know a woman has that prerogative) and we will visit her relatives and one of my daughters (Tammy) in North Louisiana and then travel on to South Louisiana to visit my other daughter (Jennifer - the one who is having my grandson). As we travel, I will have a new toy to play with. My Christmas present. A TomTom. I imagine the excitement of it will be over by the time I return to Tennessee, so I will then be able to settle in and settle down.

I did make a new years resolution. If I keep it, I can forget about settling down. I've decided that I will start on those house remodeling projects that Janis is so anxious for me to do. Notice that I said, "I will start". I didn't say, "I will finish". Why, if I did all of those 'honey-do' jobs, I'd first run out of money and then I'd just get tired and quit. So, I am going to start on them and we'll see how far along I'll get with them. Hopefully, I can post some 'before' and 'after' pictures, but if I were you, I wouldn't hold my breath all the way from 'before' to 'after'. That's right. I'm going to take my time, so it will take me a little while - maybe a lot-a-while, but that's my new years resolution. Just in case you wanted to know!

Christmas Eve and All Is Well

"Christmas Eve, and all is well!" I can almost hear him saying those lines now. My dad had a part in the Christmas play and those were his words as he played the part of a watchman, or security guard. I don't remember the name of the play nor very much about the play, but those words have seated themselves in my memory. Oh, it was years ago when I was just a child, maybe a teenager. I have recalled those words most every Christmas since then. Now, today, December 24, 2008, I can say "Christmas eve and all is well!"

This Christmas is very different from most every Christmas that I can remember. It's alway been a busy, busy time with hustling and bustling everywhere. Christmas messages, Christmas plays and Christmas contatas for the church; presents, and parties for family and friends; and traveling, visiting and on and on and on. It seems that we have always been so busy at Christmas time that we almost hated to see it come, but this Christmas is different. There is still Christmas messages and contatas but it has not been a frustration for me because I no longer hold the position of pastor, thus much less responsibility and anxiety over those things. There is still presents and parties, but in my present role, I am more like a participant rather than a frustrated leader. But this year, the usual traveling and visiting of relatives in Louisiana will be a little later than usual, making it possible for Janis and I to be home alone at Christmas time. Yes, we've been home at Christmas time before but it was always with one or more of our Children. This Christmas, I have a son in Colorado Springs, two daughters in Louisiana and one son visiting in Ohio. What a difference. You know, it's almost eerie. It's so quite. Janis is sleeping on the couch right now and not a creature is stirring, not even a mouse.

Tomorrow, I think we are going to find a resturant, if there are any open, and have a romantic meal together and tonight I think we are going to rent a movie and watch it together. That's something we seldom get to do. I told Janis that we are about to experience something that we have never experienced before and possibly will never experience again - a Christmas at home alone. It almost sounds like a tear jerking experience doesn't it? Well, put your hankies away because I think this is the way I want it. Maybe never again, but this year let it be. I feel like I may stumble upon some kind of hidden wisdom or something. It may turn out be a very dull and boring experience, but remember, I've alway got "Facebook". :) Nevertheless, I can say with my dad from years gone by, "Christmas eve and all is well!"

How I Waste My Time

You wanna know how I wast my time at the computer? Here it is! Well, not all my time is wasted this way. I have several other ways in which I waste my time, but this is one of them. I thought you might want to waste a little time with me! :)

People are Just People

Have you ever noticed how getting acquainted with someone can give you an entirely different picture of that person? I just had that to happen to me. Janis and I went to the North Cleveland Church of God Encourager's Sunday School Class Christmas Banquet tonight and it turned out that we were sitting at the table with two ladies about our age, whom we had met while we were attending the class. I thought they were fine people but figured they were just too far above me socially for there ever to be a real friendly, comfortable conversation with them. They are both widows, so I want to emphasize that Janis and I both were there at the same table with them. We had our introductory (getting reacquainted) greetings, shared two or three 'blond' jokes (one of the ladies was blond......maybe) and just talked and enjoyed our meals.

Both ladies had husbands who were successful ministers in the Church of God - one I knew from years gone by and the other I knew of and had met. This just falsely assured me that they had no interest in getting to know such a non-achiever as I and unfortunately, through no fault of her own, my wife. I must say that we all had a pleasant, yes, interesting, time of sharing. I will never see those ladies as being so socially sophisticated that they can't be friends, again.

Over time I have discovered that people are so much alike. Even those who seem so different. When you get to know someone, I think you will begin to see in some way, how they have traits and characteristics, likes and dislikes, goals and yes, faults, much like yourself. I'm glad to be reminded every now and then that I am not a total odd-ball. It makes me believe more strongly that we were all created by the same God and He has given us our uniqueness, and we should not be ashamed of what God has done.

Testing the World Book Link

I am just testing to see if this link will work. If it does, I will leave it posted. If not you won't even know that I tried. So, if you see this, click on the link and purchase your real hard copy (guaranteed, no virus) of World Book.

Depression Has Many Triggers

I think it's about time for another blog. Don't you? Well, here goes anyway. I'm going to elaborate on some news I just received. My youngest daughter, Jennifer, who didn't get to come to Tennessee for our Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration, even though she had already bought a plane ticket, had to cancel her plans to come because her doctor told her that she could not come since her baby, the one inside of her womb right now, was too far along for her to safely do so. She is so sad because her little Daisy, a white, mixed breed part snouzer and part terrier, just got down so sick with arthritis and other complications that the doctor had to put her to sleep, like permanantly, about 8:00pm tonight. She held Daisy, who she has had for more than ten years, in her arms while the doctor administered the drug.

Jennifer has another little four-footer, about four years old of just about the same mixture, only it is, as it's name, Brownie, indicates, brown. Furthermore, she will soon, about January 6th., have another little bundle of joy to occupy her time. So, she should not be too unhappy, but you know, we are human and humans are made like that. We get sad and we cry. First, we get attached to something or someone and that attachment can be very tight, then we fall in love with that something or someone. We will love the thing or person to various degrees based on so many different factors and it's kinda like 'it' or 'they' become a part of us. When we lose a part of ourselves, we feel the pain, whether it be light or heavy. When several light pain producing elements combine together into one ball of sadness, it can be very depressing. For some it is unbearable. Others snap right out of it and go on. We must have something to lock in to and rely on in order to remain stable. Otherwise, we would be like blind men walking a tight rope - no one knowing for certain if our next step will be successful or disasterous.

- A note to my daughter Jennifer - You have someone to hold on to and to rely on and you know who that is. You will get through this shortly. We are sad with you, but let this be something that will help you to be strong in spite of disappointments. We are looking forward to seeing you when the baby, Gabe, arrives.

- An additional note to anyone who may be interested - Why wouldn't my wife let me put the following sentence in this blog? I had to rewrite it as you read it, but I so wanted to make a very long complicated sentence, and she just was not pleased with it. Are all English teachers that way or is it just my wife, Janis? Here's the way I would have done it. "My youngest daughter, Jennifer, who didn't get to come to Tennessee for our Thanksgiving/Christmas celebration, eventhough she had already bought plane tickets, but had to cancel because her doctor told her that she could not come since her baby, the one inside of her womb right now, was too far along for her to safely do so, is so sad because her little Daisy, a white, mixed breed part snouzer and part terrier, which she has had for more than ten years, just got down so sick with autheritus and other complication that the doctor had to put her to sleep, like permanantly, about 8:00pm tonight." :)

Depression

Some of you didn't know that I have just gone through a short time (about 3 weeks) of depression, and that's allright. Even I didn't know how to classify it other than just "sad & half mad" - maybe "down in the dumps" but none of those descriptions can rightly identify the feeling. I am even now aware of the factors that got me down and if I meditated on them I'm afraid I'd get right back in the dumps and carry with me some anger. I did my own psychoanalyzing and decided that the feelings I had were not just sadness and anger at myself for my stupid doings, but were signs of depression. This brief experience gives me the idea that it could take over ones mind and cause him or her to do things that he or she would not ordinarily do. I guess I didn't go into deep depression where that would probably happen because I was able to keep my mind (for what it's worth). I was listening to the radio yesterday and found myself listening to a program where issues concerning depression were being discussed. This really made me aware of the seriousness of the matter. I had never given a lot of thought to it, but recognizing some of the symptoms and then taking a test on line that proved to be helpful, I have decided to post this blog. I may still be struggling with a few issues in the corners of my mind, but I'm gonna be alright. The point I want to make is this: Do not take anyones depressed mood lightly. Be there to lend support if needed and to encourage when appropriate. Do not be pushy or overbearing but watch for the opportunity to give helpful input. Look! I'm not a psycholigist nor a counselor, so 'what do I know', but 'for what it's worth' there it is!

Do You Think It's True?

Just Wondering! Does anyone remember that Premier Nikita Kruschev made the bold statement “We will bury you without firing a shot"?