So this is Christmas...

One of many songs I enjoy at Christmas is John Lennons Happy Christmas (War is over), the opening line "so this is Christmas, what have you done? another year over and a new one begun" just makes me want to think about the past year.  

Today we had our "Christmas" service at church, we did the Family Feud thing earlier and took a survey.  Seems most had plans with the family no one wanted to commit to attending an actual Christmas Eve service. 

 I'm not a scrooge but I think as a society we have gone to far with the commercialism, I also am not real fond of the radio stations that play nothing but Christmas music.  

There are some things I do like about Christmas, I like the non traditional music I have the complete collection of "Very special Christmas"  CD's  (I'm playing some on itunes as I type.)  There are a few TV specials I like, my favorite being A Charlie Brown Christmas.  I'll find a Christmas Eve candle lighting service to attend somewhere and drive to the Flying J truck stop to get hot dogs 2 for a buck, then probably to downtown Delaware to take pictures while most of the streets are empty.  

As i sit and think, 2008 was not really a good year.  What I do have to remind myself of is the fact that it's not about the gifts and the parties but rather a time to celebrate the the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  We must also remember that Jesus is still in the business, the business of saving souls, forgiving sins, and healing the sick and broken hearted.  

I hope you have a Mary Christmas, sit at the feet of our Lord and enjoy some time with Him.  No gifts, parties or fancy preparations needed, come in and set down.

Veterans Day

Through these fields of destruction 

Baptisms of fire.

I've watched all your suffering 

as the battles raged higher.

And though they did hurt me so bad

in the fear and alarm

You did not desert me

my brothers in arms

-- Dire Straites, Brothers in Arms

Another Veterans Day has come and gone, a day to honor my "Brothers in Arms." Also a day when I go around with a bit of an attitude as many Veterans, my  Brothers and Sisters in arms who put their lives on the line worked today while many had the day off because "it's a federal Holiday"

Remember those who have served, the fallen heros, pray for those who are serving today and teach your children that it's not just "a holiday" so we get off of school.

To my brothers in arms, if you had today off I hope you enjoyed it, if you worked I hope you made the best of it, Thank you!  Be Blessed

You got more hours than I got showers- You're hurtin'

If you know me fairly well you know I have this habit of remembering the smallest of events.  It was 22 years ago today I arrived at Ft. Campbell, KY, home of the Army's 101st Airborne Division and it was here i spent the next 5 years of my Air Force career, oddly enough it was 17 years ago today that I arrived in Frankfurt Germany where I spent the last year  of my Air Force career which lasted a total of 6 years 7 months and 14 days -- some of the best times of my life.  

Today was different because I have not been thinking about my time at either of these places, but instead my mind shifted to my last day at Chanute Air Force Base and some of the traditions we had.  Every day we would get into formation and march to class, there was probably over 100 all in different phases of the class all dressed in O.D. green uniforms.  Then you had the group that was in "Block Ten", graduating that day, processing out and going home before going onto your next base. We wore dress blues, marched to school on the sidewalks ahead of everyone else.  If you were not in dress blues you were considered a "Pinger"  and constantly reminded by those in blue that "You got more hours than I got showers".  Sometimes you were given a band aid because if you were not graduating you were hurting.  

So where does all this go?  Well today it occurred to me that we are hours away from electing a new President it is just over 49 hours until the first polls close, and on Tuesday no matter who wins history will be made.  The other thing that has been on  my mind today is that we are a nation that is hurting, "Pingers" if you will, People In Need of God.  

Today at church I shared on Asking God for the very best, 1Kings 3:5-12 tells about the Lord appearing to Solomon in a dream and telling him to "ask for whatever you want me to give you." First Solomon shared that the Lord had shown great kindness to his father David  because David was faithful, righteous and upright in heart. 

 In verse 9 says "so give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and distinguish between right and wrong.  For who is able to govern this great people of yours?"  

In verse 12 the Lord replies " I will do what you ask, I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that will have never been anyone like you, nor will there ever be."

It was as I read verse 9  aloud in church it hit me, this is what our next president needs to be praying, this is what our current president need to be praying, this is what we need to be  praying for our  president.  As I mentioned earlier on Tuesday history will be made, and as a nation of "Pingers"  our willingness to turn to God and pray or not pray and continue to run from God will determine just how the history books will read.  

Me on my motorcycle ...

Some of you know I was kind of thinking about a  motorcycle this summer, that was before the basement wall caved in and everything else that could happen did.   The basement wall has been repaired and last Friday we put the railing on the new porch and built new steps.  Needles to say this used up a lot of time and funds and the motorcycle is not going to happen this summer.  One of the pics is me on the porch swing, one thing I insisted on, its a great place to just relax.  I'm not sure if you can see but the roof is a white tin roof, another thing I insisted on, I've always wanted a house with a tin roof and figured this may be my only chance to come close.  I'm off for now but hope to get back into regular posting.

Are we there yet?

I think for the most part the wall is done, I only wish there were a reverse button I could hit on the pile of dirt that would magically put it back.  This picture is my nephew checking things out before we backfill with stone and dirt.  There will be some more pictures coming but for the most part it is finished.  Thank God!

The end is near....

As far as concrete block goes we have only one layer left.  Unfortunitly I had just heard the tarp we had over the opening drop and I'm off to try and fix it.  More to come ....

The hard part is over....

Can't begin to tell you how many times we've said this throughout this project, yesterday (Saturday) the guy from Mansfield Ohio showed up wit the concrete pumper looked around and basically said our forms would not work, he did give us some help and very good direction on how to make them work, I know because it has ben just over 24 hours and non of the wall have collapsed.  

I have told friends in the past that "God is in the business of Blessing Ralph" and God has been very busy from the start of all of this. Right now I'm especially gretaful for th e Blessing of my nephew, his wife and son who have been truly the key to all of this from the star.    Call me uncle Ralphie all you wan't -- No Charge.

Above are  pictures of the concrete pumper and some of the poured concrete.  Also an older one of Tom running the back hoe.

getting closer

Thursday was a day of putting up plywood, reenforcing matting, and re-bar in preparation for pouring concrete.  It was also a day of calculating how much concrete we would need, scheduling concrete delivery and arranging for a concrete pumper.  

Friday was like the big push the last of the plywood had to be in place, the sump pit had to be just right, every gap and seam had to be sealed.  Nothing could be left undone as a concrete pumper along with 9 cubic yards of concrete would be arriving at 8 AM the next day.  Everything was cleaned put up, put away and all we had to do was wait.

  

This old hammer... Day 5

Murphy's law applies to all facets of life, especially mine.  The rebuilding of the basement wall is taking much longer than planned, partly because of changes in plans and partly because of Murphy's law. 

Thursday, day 4 was a fairly easy day, haul the last bits of scrap metal and other "stuff" away, put together list of materials - concrete block and such, and arrange for excavator.   

Day 5 was a bit different, we got the excavator, and as expected we found out that it would only reach so far under the house.  The nature of the beast  meant we had to do some digging by hand, actually my great nephew and I spent about 10 hours Friday swinging a pick and shoveling dirt.  So the way my mind wonders I started thinking about a song I learned in 6th grade, was about John Henry ....

This old hammer

Driving hammer

Killed poor John

but it won't kill me

Below should be a pic of the end result of swinging "this ol' pick"  for probably 10 hours.

Vacation ...

 Its day three of my "vacation," the plant where I work scheduled a week of shut down and that also means they scheduled a  week of my vacation.  Most people who know me would expect pictures from a beach or some foreign country but instead I hopefully give you pictures from my basement. 

 

About a month ago a basement wall collapsed and was not covered by insurance, I am however blessed with a nephew who has spent most of his working life in construction and his wife who has been laying brick as long.  

The past 2 days and probably many more will be spent doing all kinds of stuff.  Monday meant just plain work, cleaning, organizing,  throwing junk away, and putting up posts on other walls to prevent them from collapsing like the other one did.  our basement is not finished and you know how those can be. 

Yesterday was spent putting up more support posts and I spent the day moving a water heater.  This is not like moving a couch, you have to move the water heater but that means shutting water off, draining the tank, re-plumbing water, gas lines, and vents to the new location, forgetting to glue some connections, jumping when they blow because they  were not glued.  

It also means breaking the shut off valve on the main water line.  On the positive side I broke the valve after all work was done, it is leaking steady but we still have water pressure.   The valve is before the water meter so I am not paying for the water thats has been going down the drain a mere 6 inches away.  At the same time I learned the water company is only responsible foro the meter and nothing else.  I called the water company and had several options, they could come and do an emergency shut off, no charge.  After I made the repairs I could call them and they could come back and turn it back on -- for an after hours reconnection fee of $95.13.  

They really did not seem to mind that the water was leaking before the meter and they were not going to make money off of me, and since I would not be paying for it I did not mind either.  So we are going with option two.  Tomorrow morning (Thursday) between 8 - 11 someone will come out and turn  water off, no charge.  After we replace valve which should go quickly I can call to and ask them to send someone to turn the water back on, no charge.  I'm gonna go buy some doughnuts and have coffee ready, maybe the person to turn water off will be ready for a break and can save me some time.  

Time to get back to work....

Artesian water...

I've been wanting to type all week, and even though I've got a box of "round tuits" they don't always help.  21 one years ago last Sunday was an exciting time in my life, I had been  in the Air Force just over a year and was stationed at Ft. Campbell, KY, 101st Airborne as part of the Air Forces on permanently assigned ALCE.  (Most people have no idea what I'm talking  about, so just trust me it something special.)  I was part of a group going to Cairo Egypt for 3 months to do what we called "playing Army", the per diem was unbelievable as well as what I was going to experience. 

21 years ago last Monday my world came crashing down.  I'd received word that my dad had died so instead of heading off to Cairo I came home to bury my father.  It was the worst thing I've ever had to deal with.  But as I've learned over the years its only the worst thing until the next worst thing comes along, and like all of the ones before and all the ones to come God will see me through them.  

My dad was a great man, if you don't believe me just ask me.  He was  not only my dad, he was a Marine,my brother in the Lord and brother in arms.  I'll always remember the good times and know that when my time comes he'll be there to greet me.  Enough for now....

R-E-S-P-E-C-T

You've probably already guessed it.  Another 4th of July is behind us and I'm hoping the neighbor hoods have used all of their fireworks.  

4th of July celebrations have grown and changed over the years.  Some as in where I live are held in conjunction with the county fair, some a celebration all of their own.  One thing that has become popular is the addition of a "soundtrack", you know patriotic music supposedly timed with fireworks, usually put together by a local radio station and played over the same.  I barely made it last night but did get to some fireworks and the had the soundtrack also.  

There had been a rock band playing before and the guy playing guitar did the Jimi Hendrix style National Anthem, then the radio station broadcast began with the playing of the National Anthem again.  The thing that amazes me is how little respect people have for the National Anthem, especially the younger generation.  I wonder is it maybe the younger people have no respect or have their parents not taken time to teach them this small amount of respect.  

I'm a bit prejudice being an Air Force Veteran, serving during the Gulf War, many of my brothers and sisters gave their lives for the flag that so many choose to disrespect and when we choose to disrespect the flag and National Anthem  in my opinion we disrespect the men and women who have and are serving our country.  Who knows, maybe the ACLU got a ban on teaching respect for the flag in school.  

After the National Anthem came other traditional songs, Lee Greenwoods, Proud to be An American, what I call the hymns of the five branches of the military.  Some call them songs but if you have been in the military it becomes sacred.  I know some people who served in the military and did not like it, they have put it behind them and think nothing of it, thats their choice.  

One song they played that I really love is America the Beautiful, but its not the song so much as the singer -- the late great Ray Charles, anytime I hear mention of this song I think of Ray.  I'd much rather hear a recording of him singing than anything else.  

So to answer why I like it so much, well first of all I've seen him sing it and when he does he sings it with a PASSION that just touches my heart.  And another thing is on the second chorus he sings  "my God, He done shed His grace on me", every time I hear this I'm reminded of just that, God has truly shed His grace on me. to hear Ray sing this can bring tears to my eyes.   I've been through some hard times lately but God's grace is still sufficient.  

So if you want to show some very much due respect to our military  past and present, teach your children proper respect for our flag and the National Anthem.  

Bruce....

Just finished watching Bruce Almighty, actually kind of watching, and listening while working on a new message for tomorrow.  I hope you know the movie, if not get it so this will make sense.

It was near the  end of the movie Bruce is talking to God and God tells Bruce that parting your soup is not a miracle, it's a magic trick.  He goes on to say "a single mom working two jobs and finding time to get to hers kids soccer game" thats a miracle.  

Finally he goes on to say  -- Don't ask for a miracle, be the miracle.  

I don't  know what your take is on this but it hit me in a very powerful way. Be the miracle.  Be Blessed.

The Ruby Tuesday Entry....

OK,  back on the last Saturday in May a friend from Toledo, Michelle let me know she would be passing through on her way home and we decided to meet for dinner.  I  looked at maps, (actually GPS) and made a couple phone calls and we decided on  Ruby Tuesday on 23 near Polaris.  After we left i thought I would be blogging about the "experience"

So we met there at around 4:30 in the afternoon and were seated right away.  As we were shown to a table I noticed the lady seating us did not have a name tag.  As we sat I commented to Michelle that they probably did not wear name tags because of the song by the Rolling Stones "Good By Ruby Tuesday"  and the line "Good by Ruby Tuesday, who could hang a name on you ..."

As I looked around I did notice no one wore name tags.  I started to write about the entire experience but decided not too since I really did not make anyone there aware of the problems and give them a chance to correct them.  Lets just say I probably won't return and will not be singing the line "still I'm gonna miss you"

So Michelle, there you have it, the "Ruby Tuesday" entry.

Do they really?

They have a new smoothie machine at your local Taco Bell and I decided I needed one. (Check out the surfcam)So I'm driving out to get a strawberry type smoothie and am hitting my favorite button on the radio - SCAN when i actually stopped on a country song.  Guy named Chris Cagle, "The chicks dig it"  

With my mom being in the hospital on top of everything else life has to offer the past week has really been loaded. So getting back to the song, what  really drew me in was the chorus.....

Scars heal ..... Glory Fades

And all we're left with are the memories made

Pain hurts, but only for a minute

Yea life is short so go on and live it

Cause the chicks dig it

As I thought about this chorus and all that's been going on I thought how true it is, life is definitely short and in the end we are truly left with only the memories.  A friend I was in the Air Force with came to mind also.  Anytime I was struggling with a decision he'd look at me and say "you know Ralphie, sometimes you gotta say what the * and go for it"  And I guess in the end it really does not matter if the chicks dig it.

Praise the Lord!

Song or no song....

Yesterday I shared part of a Bon Jovi song, Miracle because I felt a heavy load with my mom being in the hospital.  I went around all day with another part of the song running through my head....

Gonna take a miracle, to save us this time.

And your savior has just left town.

I know this to be totally wrong, each time the line would run through my head I'd remind myself that my Savior would never leave me  and that he was gonna take me through this.  

So I went to the hospital this evening, mom was very conscious, eating well, and needing very little oxygen.  A complete turn around from yesterday.  How well is mom doing?  I've got a list of things to do about 3 pages long, she was not worried if I did not stay long to visit -- Jeopardy came on at 7.

All I can say is "God is Good"

Miracle....

Penny for your thoughts now baby,

 looks like the weight of the worlds on your shoulders now.

I know you think you're going crazy, 

just when you thought everything's gonna work itself out

They drive you right back down.

It has been the longest 4 day weekend of my life.  I've been to war, seen people die,seen and smelled burnt bodies among the many other good and bad experiences of life. Nothing compares to seeing my mom in the hospital not knowing what may or may not happen.  I feel like the weight of the world is truly on my shoulders like it has never been before.  I also know without a doubt that my Savior the Lord Jesus Christ is here and in control.  Nothing else matters.

Piano man .....

You probably know the song, or at least the chorus, "Sing us a song you're the piano man, sing us a song tonight. We're all in the mood for a melody and you've got us feeling alright."  

The last week has been a bit hectic so I decided to splurge and get  some Ralph type therapy -- jump in the car and go for a drive.  Yes hard to believe but gas prices have even got me staying in town,  

I was heading east out of town when I stumbled on this song, just in time to hear the verse "The waitress is practicing politics and the businessmen slowly get stoned. Yes they're sharing a drink they call loneliness but it's better than drinking alone"

So as always I got online to get a good look at the lyrics, I thin k the thing that caught me most off guard was the  year the song came out -- 1973.  35 years ago!  In 1973 I was 12, and getting ready to go to my first unicycle met in Pontiac, MI.

I listened to the entire song and have read the lyrics several times as I type.  The thing that has me most intrigued is this drink "loneliness," we've all had it at one time or another, sometimes it's sitting there waiting on us and sometimes we even ask for it.  

I'm sure we have heard that you can be lonely in a crowd, because you are alone does not mean you are lonely.  I remember meeting with a Christian singles group, we were reading a book by Tommy Tenny, one observation the book made was that Twinkies with a friend are better than having broccoli alone.  

I guess if i were sharing my version of "the drink called loneliness" that would be a brownie for sure if not a road trip to DQ for a Brownie Earthquake.  

So since we are both here with no place else to go, tell me about your "drink called loneliness"

All who are thirsty....

All who are thirsty

All who are weak
Come to the fountain
Dip your heart in the stream of life


Let the pain and the sorrow
Be washed away
In the waves of his mercy
As deep cries out to deep
(We sing)


Come Lord Jesus come
Come lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come
Come Lord Jesus come




Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come
Holy Spirit come

5:15 to someplace else...

We've all lost that piece of paper that we just had to have right?  I was looking for one yesterday and in the process I found the rough draft of the booklet for a 4 song CD I'd started several years ago.  I actually finished it except for the final mixdown.  The disc is called "Common Pleas"

I'm dealing with some issues in life that tend to make me really tired so when I get off of work I usually take a nap.  I had plans to meet another Pastor tonight but he was sick and had to cancel.  I woke up at 5:15 and decided to go someplace else tonight, that place turned out to be the recording studio.  

Now the question is will "5:15 to someplace else ... "  be a song or a complete new project?  Tune in next time and find out @ Life is Just a One Night Stand

Late for work...

I was late for work this morning, but it wasn't my fault.  How many times have we used that excuse?  Because of railroad crossings being closed traffic is sometimes heavy, and because the parking lot did not grow when the payroll did parking spots at work are sometimes hard to find.  Ad these two together and I find myself arriving at work sometimes 25 minutes early.  Things have not been running that great at work lately, which translates to more work for me, so when I get to work early I have to options  -- sit in my car or go inside and have an extra 20 minutes to realize how bad my day is gonna be.  I usually pick sit in my car.

So this morning I was sitting in my car listening to the radio when it got down to like 2 minutes before I had to clock in and then it happened.  (pay attention Scott)  A song just began playing and it caught my ear, I'd heard it many times before, new most of the lyrics, but still I had to sit and listen.  The song was "Walking in Memphis" by Mark Cohn.  It wasn't the song that actually I did not need to hear the aught my attention but just knowing some of the lyrics.  i just had to sit until i heard the third  verse...

They've got catfish on the table

They've got Gospel in the air

And Reverend Green be glad to see you

When you haven't got a prayer

Boy you got a prayer in Memphis

Actually I did not need to hear the entire song, but I listened to it all, didn't need to hear the verse, but listened  to the entire song.  For some reason I just needed to hear those to little reassuring lines "Reverend Green be glad to see you, when you haven't got a prayer"  I really have know idea who Reverend Green is, at least in this song, I do happen to know a Reverend Green here in Marion.  

I pondered this all day, and I got to tell you there are many Reverend Greens in my life.  When life hits bottom and you truly feel you don't have a prayer  they are there and glad to see me. They want to help and are willing to sacrifice for me.  Sometimes its giving me one of those fancy knitted things to keep my feet warm, sometimes its a hug, a phone call, or sitting in a cheap restaurant when you can't stand cigarette smoke, talking to me until the wee hours of the morning when you have to be up early and you know I'll probably call off.  

I have many Reverend Greens to call on, you know who you are and thank God for bringing you into my life.

The North Coast

Just looked  back over things and it has been 9 days since I've typed anything, i have had lots on my mind just never made time to sit down and type. 

 I had an elder preach for me yesterday,(Sunday)  it was nice to just sort of sit back and take notes.  After church I made my usual trip to Rallys, they have 69 cent hamburgers, hot dogs and 12 oz. shakes on Sundays.  It was a warm sunny day and I just felt like the usual drive would not cut it, so after about 2 minutes of consideration I grabbed my GPS and was headed to Port Clinton on Lake Erie, know by some of the locals as "the North Coast"  It was an interesting drive, I burned a CD just for the drive and had a lot of time to think about life as I drove the mostly rural route.  

I've made this trip many times, I have friends who spend weekends up there, some who own businesses. Some things never change but you see them in a different view. I drive about 20 miles on a major highway, 23 north then its back country roads from there. As I drove I went through several small towns, the kind where the speed limit slows to 45.  One that has had only a small bar and a drive through had a sign in front of the drive through boasting they now had an ATM.  Its remarkable how times change.

I drove further up the road I passed an area where they grow tomatos, probably plant thousands of acres.  They had begun planting and I noticed they had changed the way the rows were laid out.  I also noticed  groups of house trailers, one had 8 in it, all probably where migrant workers would stay when they came to pick.  I kept driving, passing many roadside vegetable stands that would later open for the summer, an airstrip that the pattern for takeoff and landing crosses the road --they  have low flying aircraft signs and I have seen how low they fly.  Sometimes I think the pilots also see how low they can fly.

As I began the final 15 mile to the lakes I went through a very heavy retail area and thought about stopping for dinner on the way back. As I drove into the town I saw the lake and was kind of anxious to get out, I found a parking spot and went into a pizza shop owned by some friends.  They asked if I wanted the usual, told them yes but in a bag.  So they made my sub, threw it with some chips in a bag and I was out the door.  It is about a 2 block walk to the waterfront where lots of head boats dock, also a good place to just sit and watch the world and the water go by.  Kind of like the song "Sittin' on the dock of the Bay"  You are probably now thinking, "can Ralph ever blog without mentioning a song"  the answer is probably not.  

Desperado....

Was leaving work after a long day last week, turned on the radio to hear the Eagles singing Desperado .  Got me to thinking about what they were saying, I had heard the song many times before and the verse  that always seemed to catch my ear was 

Desperado oh you ain't gettin' no younger

Your pain and your hunger they're driving you home

And freedom, oh freedom well, that's just some people talkin'

Your prison is walkin' through this world alone.

As I started typing this entry the first though was just what is a desperado, you know the dictionary definition.  So I clicked on the dictionary widget (it's a MAC thing) and looked it up.  As expected it said it was a noun,  a desperate or reckles person, especially a criminal.  Made sense, then I read on down to a part  on derrivitives.  Said it came from desperradoism a 17th century alteration of the obsolete Spanish word desperate.  It said that desperate and desperado both both denoted someone in dispair or a desperate situation.  Hence someone made reckless by despair.

English and History classes over, Philosophy and Religion to follow....

When I listen to this song, I normally listen to it from a single persons persppective...

Desperado you ain't gettin' no younger....

And freedom, oh freedom thats just some people talkin'

You prison is walkin' through this world alone

Being single we think, a lot about the first 2.  There are some definite freedoms to being single, we never have to ask "honey do you mind if I ..."  And those who are not single can remind us of those freedoms.  Also sometimes we can feel imprisoned by being alone. 

But as I was driving home the other day I must have been in the preacher mode and got to thinking about salvation and if you have not figured out yet the Lord has given me a burden for the hurting and lost.  Not just what I'd call the ordinary lost and hurting but those who most would not reach out to, those who some churches would not even reach out to. 

I find I spend a lot of time in hospitals, funeral homes and even mental health units. Obviously one thing I do find is that people are not getting any younger, even myself. But its not about getting old, I think its more about what we have done with our lives. Many do not learn of Jesus gift of forgiveness until they are one deaths bed.  They think they are free to do as they please and have all the friends they'll ever need when in reality without Jesus they are walking through this world alone.  

And then there is what I find to be ironic about the song and my present thoughts is the final verse.

Desperado, why don't you come to your senses?

Come down from your fences, open the gate

It may be rainin', but there's a rainbow above you.

You better let somebody love you, before it's to late.

Many of us have road the fences, some still do.  And if you look hard enough and give them what they want  you can usually find somebody to "love you."

My guess is that most who read this know Jesus, his gift of love and eternal life, my question today is what are you doing to pass that love on to that person we pass everyday? On the streets, at work, in the mall, at the hospital ....

Dire Straits ....

Twenty two years ago today I took my 1974 Dodge Challenger for my last drive for maybe 6 months and began a  journey that would change my life.  With my dad, brother and brother-in-law  in tow  I drove roughly 45 miles to the MEP Station (Military Entry Processing). It was early, I had been out late trying to see all my friends one last time and my dad reminded me not to speed -- I'd wind up in the brig before I hit boot camp! I parked the car, handed my dad the keys, grabbed my bag and as I was doing all of this my dad shared those common words of wisdom I'd heard so many times in the past 25 years "keep your nose clean"

I crossed the street and began a long days journey to  U.S. Air force Basic Military Training, Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas.  Something interesting happened that day, I didn't just join the Air Force.  My dad, my uncles, and many of my cousins-male and female, became my "Brothers in Arms".  

Life takes on a whole new meaning and if you've never been in the military you would not understand. the day you leave for basic is one you never forget.  You remember it as the day you retired or the day you could have been retired.  For me it was the could have been, and trust me it was very hard to get up and go to work today.  When people ask how long I was in I quickly reply " 6 years, 7 months, 14 days" Knowing they think it must have been pretty bad to know that detail I add "was the best time of my life"

So why were they the best days?  Well I  got to see a lot of the world, pretty much all during peace time, got to meet a couple presidents while working with Air Force One, had bologna sandwiches with a First Lady.  

Yes if I'd have stayed I could be retired, also could have been killed but the bottom line is I  did not stay and nothing will change that so why let it get me down.  One thing I do know is that I feel I can say without a doubt that I am right where God wants me to be doing what he wants me to do. I'm gonna get out of here for now.

$31.88

Was a pretty busy weekend of doing nothing it seemed.  As I ran around I noticed gas was down to $3.13 a gallon, part of me thought I should grab it before it went up and part of me just wanted to get home and get to bed.  I finished all of my running and I drove by one last gas station with $3.13 on the sign and went on home. 

Monday morning I got up and went to work suprisingly the price was the same but I'm not a morning person and get to work right on time.  I  knew I had to go to the city for a meeting and would have no choice but to buy gas.  I stopped at the last gas station and the sign said $3.07.  I was happy, no more than that, I felt like I'd won the lottery.  But wait there's more!  (Imagine hearing this in my infomercial announcer voice) Like many places, this station has their customer card and it was good for another 3 cents a gallon off.  Talk about a blessing!  If you know me you know what an important part of my life the occasional road trip is  gas this cheap  is truly a blessing. 

So by now you may have figured out $31.88 is how much it cost to fill up, I did not worry about looking poor, actually it was a serious fill up because there was not room for another drop in the tank.  

Healing Rain....

I was at work the other day, kind of thinking about what to write.  I asked the Lord to give me a song, a Christian song.  So for the past few days I've been running around with Michael W. Smiths Healing Rain on my mind.  (lyrics) 

All I could remember was the outro...

Healing Rain is Falling down

Healing Rain is Falling down

I'm not afraid

I'm not Afraid

So as usual I found the lryics online and even found the video on youtube.  I find the first verse really gets me thinking about life.  

Healing Rain is coming down

It's coming nearer to this old town

Rich and poor, Weak and strong

It's bringing mercy, it won't be long

Seems like the past week has been very long, and to be honest I feel pretty beat down right now.  I think God gave me this song to remind me that the healing rain is indeed on the way and in his timing his mercy will rain down.  I'm ready for the healing rain, and like the song says, I'm not afraid.  

When it rains it pours and the rain is not coming just for me so I ask are you gonna stay inside or you gonna come out and play? Are you afraid? I hope not.

Can't Stop Dancin'

Well I was at work yesterday and another song came to mind, from like 1978, Can't Stop Dancin', by Captain and Tennille.  I guess the part that stuck with me is the chorus...

And you can't stop dancing

just because the musics gone.

Can't stop dancin' yeah yeah

just because the band has packed it up and gone home

Cause if you keep on dancin'

If you keep on dancin'

If you keep on dancin'

You're gonna turn the music back on.......

I was having one of those mondays yesterday, as usual I get song in my head and as I thought about this one several things came to mind.  The Bible tells us that the evil one comes to steal, kill and destroy and at times i think what he is after most is our joy.  As I went from place to place singing this song it hit me that just like dancing we got to keep on praising the Lord, sometimes we lose our joy but if we just keep praising Him, like the music being turned back on we'll get our joy back.  

Has your band packed up and gone home?  Lost your  Joy?  

Keep on Dancin'!!

Simple minds...

Was watching a TV show the other night called "don't forget the lyrics".   It was charity week and they had Kevin Cronin frm REO Speedwagon, one of the songs he had to come up with the lryics for was Simple Minds, "Don't you forget about me" and of course this got mine going.

You may or may not know this song is from the 1985 movie "the Breakfast Club" While stationed Ft. Campbell Ky, there was a local radio station whose morning show was called the Breakfast Club, every day when the show ended this song wold play and it made no sense at all to me  -- until I happened to rent the movie.

So I went online to look up the lyrics to the song   just to get some deeper thoughts to share.  

So just what are those thoughts...

Well the most well recognized line is "Don't you forget about me..." Towards the end there is another verse...

As you walk on by 

Will you call my name?

As you walk on by

Will you call my name?

When you walk away.

Or will you walk away?

Will you walk on by?

Come on -- call my name

Will you call my name

If you've seen the movie it makes sense, but one thing is for sure as we go through life we see many people we know and wonder if they will walk on by or call our name. 

We also walk by many people and debate the same, walk on by or call their name.  

I truly believe we live in a starving world, one that is starved for acceptance and though they may not know it Jesus, just screaming inside "call my name".  Jesus calls our name all the time, and weather times are good or bad the last thing he would do is walk on by.  

So as you go about life you obviously would not know everyones name you pass but in a sense you can still call their name, speak to that person you normally would not, even if its just to say hello.  You don't have to become their best friend, witness to them, you may never see them again.  But you could give them the Blessing of acknowledging their presence and that they are part of God's creation and most importantly help feed a starving world.

BreakFast is near....

Depending on where you live Resurrection Sunday is just hours away or has already arrived.  Along with this comes BreakFast, I guess I'm intentionally being a bit deceiving as it should Break Fast, as in breaking of the fast.  Easter Sunday along with the celebration of the Resurrection is the end of the season of Lent.  

I'm not one to fast from anything for Lent but do have several friends who do.  One friend who is a Pastor last year gave up pizza for Lent, he considered the end of the Easter service to be the proper time to end or "Break Fast" and after the last Amen he stepped into a room and returned with a pizza box.  I know this year he is giving up TV and has a lot waiting on Tivo.  

Some will be waiting for the midnight hour to get into that favorite food or TV program, some will decide what they had given up for Lent they can give up for life and some have long ago given up on giving up.  

I had a friend who passed away in 2006, he was a great man and I think he showed me something really special about God's love. As I remember this man would take up smoking just before Ash Wednesday, the day when the Lenton season begins.  This made it real convenient for him to give up smoking for lent.  Then one year Ash Wednesday rolled around and my friend had taken up smoking as usual, but this year he did not give up smoking for lent.  He shared with me that Jesus would still love him weather he gave up smoking for lent or not.  He smoked through lent and gave it up for good after. 

I'm not telling you to stay in a sin of choice because Jesus will still love you, or to take up a sin of choice so you can quit.  But do remember this Jesus hung on a cross and died for our sins so that we would not have to.  It is up to us to decide if we are going to keep sinning, reject Jesus as our savior and make the time He spent on the cross for us wasted time or not.

Since I did not give up anything for lent I'm off to DQ for a Brownie Earthquake :)

Have a Happy and Blessed Easter

Catching up....

Its been 11 days since I've posted so I figured I need to get something going.  I don't have any particular song running through my head right now so I opened itunes and am listening to Cinderella's Coming Home.

I caught the very end of the season finale of October Road, my friend Bunny said I should watch it all so I did.  The part I caught at the end was the four main guys at Phil's place doing the "air band" thing, the song was REO Speedwagon's Roll with the Changes.On the positive note they did let Ikey "back in" but when I watched the complete show it just did not grab me like it usually does-- possibly because that night was also the first night of 4 days of migraine headaches.

This week is a short week at work, I'm kind of trying to get stuff ready for Sunday so I can maybe actually have a play day on Friday. Easter Sunday is just 5 days away, Easter is one of what I would call "cookie cutter" sermons, the Easter story never changes so how hard could it be right?  Very hard.  

One thing that has been on my mind the past few days is concerts and salvation.  When Jesus was crucified it was for a reason.  He shed his blood for our sins so we would not have too.  Plain and simple, pray the sinners prayer, repent and ask forgiveness for our sins and we are one our way to heaven when we pas away.  Jesus bought the ticket and all we have to do is go to the gate and pick ours up.  So what does this have to do with concerts?  A lot.  

Somewhere around 1980 Shiela Walsh was opening for Steve Taylor in concert at the Ohio Theatre in Columbus Ohio.  I was there with a friend of mine and 3 extra tickets we had bought for friends who said "sure I'll go" then had "something else come up"

If you have not learned yet remember these words when buying concert tickets "give me the money"  thats give, NOT show.  We got there early, and had decided to give the tickets away, 3rd row and you know what?  No takers.  This was nearly 30 years ago, scalpers were barely heard of and there was  no such thing as a home computer or forged tickets. Some people had tickets already but did not want the offer for better ones.  Others would politely decline and buy tickets at the box office for $10, this was roughly 3 hours wages for each ticket we were giving away. I think we went in and had lots of space.

Sometimes it seems God's offer of Salvation is the same way.  He is offering us free tickets to the best show anyplace and all we have to do is take them.  No catch or worry of the tickets being forged.  No price to pay.  But many will refuse the offer, rather than take the offer of eternal life may try to go it on their own and "earn" their Salvation. As I heard one lady share at home group last week, many people are afraid to take the risk of being set Free.  

Easter is just 5 days away if the Lord does not return.  do you know Jesus as your Savior?

On a different note, last week I bought gas, it was $3.49 a gallon, probably the highest I've ever seen in the states.  I thought about the times I could fill my car from fumes for like $15 and decided to put in $25.  Some may have already guessed what happened, I got it stopped at $25.01.  At $3.49 a gallon I decided i could look poor for one time and stopped there, but add a cup of English Toffee  Capucino and it comes to $26 even :)

I'm off for now, Be Blessed

  

October Road

If you know me I'm not one for much TV but occasionally I can get reeled in late at night.  One show that I do not watch but tends to reel me in is October road and last Monday it got me.  Actually it was a combination of the story and the music.  

The show was a combination flashback to when some of the characters were ten and present day.  

In the flashback it shows the main characters (all guys) and a girl named Angela Firelli. Angela moves away (3 towns over) like in March but tells the guys to come to her birthday party in May. So time goes on and they are all getting on the bus to go to Angela's party.    As they ride the bus they are kind of lip syncing a song by Cinderella called "I'm coming home" one guy picks up a tennis racket for a guitar, 2 are singing and another is playing air drums.  

For  some reason the lyrics "I took a ride down a road, it's the road I was meant to stay"  seem to be stuck in my mind that coupled with the distinct sound of and Ovation 12 string guitar.  They get  to the party only to meet Angela's boyfriend.  One of the guys, Phil, had bought a necklace with "I remember you" engraved on it, told the others it was her favorite song. Of course when Phil meets her boyfriend he decides maybe he does not need to give her the necklace. One thing that can happen with life is that things change, the guys don't feel right with Angela's new crowd  so they kind of disappear without saying good by.  

So why the flash back Ralph?  Well in present day "the old gang"  learns that Angela was killed in a car crash and with this comes the usual Reminiscing of the good times past.  Phil is talking with his dad about this while shuffeling through some  things and stumbles across the necklace.  They all go to the funeral meet Angela's husband and young daughter, maybe 8 years old.  Phil kneels before the daughter, shows her the necklace, tells her he meant to give it to her mother but never did and that he'd like her to have it.  Phil looks up at het father he gives a nodd of approval and Phil places the necklace around her neck.  As they leave the funeral the Skid Row song "I remember you starts playing. Part of the chrous

Remember yesterday -- walking hand in hand.

Love letters in the sand -- I remember you.

Through sleepless nights and every endless day.

I wanna hear you say -- I remember you.

So what's your point Ralph? Not real sure, maybe one might be don't ever leave without saying good by, actually I prefer see ya later -- good by is so permanent. Another  is that life is short, we've all probably had at least one Angela Firelli in our lives. In my short time of pastoring I've had to deal with what seems like a lot of death, along with death comes the regrets.  I think as long as there is life there will probably be regrets, i know I have a few, some I can never "fix" and some I'm gonna be thinking about when I finish this post.  Along with my regrets I have a truck load of memories.  Memories of good times, people I've met, special friends and special times, places we've been, food we've ate, things we've done and when my time comes to pass I'd hope everyone is saying "remember when..." 

This past week has been kind of hard, but I've seemed to keep a song by the Martins in my head...

On my baddest bad days, in my deepest dark night, 

I know that everything is gonna be alright because...

GOD"S GOOD!!

Thanks Debbie.