Saturday Odds and Ends

Just a few odds and ends on this windy, cool Saturday. First, it's the last day of February. Even though we can still have cold, wind and even snow in March - Spring comes in March!

We took our friend Molly back to the airport after her good visit with us. She's winging her way back to Cincinnati.

Betty and I are taking it easy today and watching old movies.

I ran across these pictures of some of our military folks... enjoy...


Finally, Betty and Sugar were selected for a magazine cover...

Just kidding. I found a website - magmypic.com - that allows you to put your pictures into magazine covers.

Have a great Saturday.


Today is February 28 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Robert Sean Leonard (actor, Dr. Wilson on "House"), Gilbert Gottfried (comedian), Bernadette Peters (actress, "Young Frankenstein"), Brian Jones (original member of The Rolling Stones), Mario Andretti (race car driver), Gavin MacLeod (actor, "Love Boat"), Charles Durning (actor), Zero Mostel (Broadway actor, "Fiddler on the Roof"), Linus Pauling (Nobel prize winning chemist), and Mary Lyon (pioneer in higher education for women - my son stayed in a residence hall at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio that was named for her).


On this day in 1066 Westminster Abbey opens. In 1643 Roger Scott was tried in Massachusetts for sleeping on the Sabbath. In 1784 John Wesley signed the "deed of declaration," formalizing the establishment of the Wesleyan faith, or Methodists. In 1827 the first U.S. railroad chartered to carry passengers and freight, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Co., was incorporated. In 1940 the first televised college basketball games were broadcast, by New York City station W2XBS, as Pittsburgh defeated Fordham, 57-to-37, and New York University beat Georgetown, 50-to-27, at Madison Square Garden. And in 1966 the famous Cavern Club in Liverpool, England closed because of financial difficulties. During its peak of success, the club was best known as the home of the Beatles.

Friday Ride

Betty and I were able to take a ride this morning and our friend Molly took some pictures. First some pictures as we warm them up in the back lot.


Then we head out...

And to top the day off, I caught my finger in a door...

Ouch!


Today is February 27 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Josh Groban (musician), Chelsea Clinton (daughter of the Clintons), Mary Frann (actress, wife on "Newhart"), Howard Hessman (actor, Johnny Fever on "WKRP in Cincinnati"), Ralph Nader (consumer advocate), Elizabeth Taylor (actress, "Cleopatra"), Joanne Woodward (actress, Paul Newman's wife), Ariel Sharon (Israel prime minister), John Steinbeck (author, "Grapes of Wrath"), Marian Anderson (opera singer), and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (poet, "Paul Revere's Ride").

On this day in 1801 the District of Columbia was placed under the jurisdiction of Congress. In 1890 boxers Danny Needham and Patsy Kerrigan fought 100 rounds in San Francisco before the match was declared a draw after more than 6 hours. In 1922 the Supreme Court unanimously upheld the 19th Amendment to the Constitution that guaranteed the right of women to vote. In 1925 Glacier Bay National Monument is dedicated in Alaska. In 1973 members of the American Indian Movement occupied the hamlet of Wounded Knee in South Dakota, the site of the 1890 massacre of Sioux men, women and children. (The occupation lasted until May.) And in 1974 a new magazine was issued by Time-Life. The magazine was "People." It had an initial run of one million copies.

A Movie to See

There is a movie that Betty and I just watched that we want to highly recommend - "Taking Chance."

This is an HBO production that premiered last Saturday night. Normally, I'm not a big fan of HBO (any channel that carries Bill Maher...). We didn't order it, but we got it anyway. We rarely watch it.

A recent exception was the "John Adams" series which was excellent. This movie, "Taking Chance" is another exception. It is excellent.

In 2004 Marine Lt. Colonel Michael Strobl volunteered to be the escort for Private First Class Chance Phelps who recently was killed in Iraq. This is unusual as enlisted men normally escort enlisted men and officers normally escort officers.

Lt. Col. Stroebel kept a journal of his experiences taking PFC Chance to his home and family in Wyoming and that is the basis for the story. He also collaborated on the screen play so it's safe to assume most, if not all, of the story is true.

The movie takes no political stance - for or against the Iraq war - it's just a straight forward telling of what happens when our young men and women are brought home and how our country responds.

If you don't have HBO it will be out on DVD in May. I strongly recommend you rent it and watch it.

It made me feel good about the kind of country we still are. Hopefully, it will do the same for you. Also, keep a couple of hankies close at hand as you'll probably need them.


Today is February 26 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Michael Bolton (singer), Johnny Cash (singer and one of the best), Fats Domino (singer, "Blueberry Hill"), Betty Hutton (actress, "Annie Get Your Gun"), Tony Randall (actor, "The Odd Couple"), Jackie Gleason (comedian, "The Honeymooners"), William Frawley (actor, Fred Mertz on "The Lucy Show"), William "Buffalo Bill" Cody (wild west showman), Levi Strauss (founder of Levis jeans), and Victor Hugo (author, "Les Miserables").

On this day in 1870 New York City's first pneumatic-powered subway line was opened to the public. In 1907 the U.S. Congress raised their pay to $7,500. Both House and Senate received the same pay. The Cabinet members and the Vice President would earn $12,000. In 1919 Congress established Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona. In 1929 President Coolidge signed a measure establishing Grand Teton National Park. In 1933 ground is broken for the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. In 1936 Adolf Hitler opened the first factory for the production of the Volkswagen, the "People's Car,"in Saxony, Germany. And in 1955 Billboard magazine reported that for the first time since their introduction in 1949, 45-rpm discs are outselling the old standard 78-rpm records (me and my sister had a good collection).

Short One Today

Not much to write about. We had hoped to go riding this morning to take advantage of the beautiful weather, but it wasn't to be.

Our clothes washer has gone on the blink so Betty spent this morning getting a service call set up for tomorrow morning.

And this afternoon we meet with a couple for counseling and another couple tonight.

So that's it for today.



PS: Happy Ash Wednesday!



Today is February 25 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Sean Astin (actor, Samwise Gamgee in "Lord of the Rings"), George Harrison (singer, The Beatles), Tom Courtenay (actor, "The Dresser"), Bob Schieffer (news commentator), Sally Jessy Raphael (TV talk host), Anthony Burgess (British author, "A Clockwork Orange"), Jim Backus (actor, Thurston Howell on "Gilligan's Island"), Zeppo Marx (the youngest and sanest of the Marx Brothers), and Pierre Auguste Renoir (French painter).

On this day in 1751 Edward Willet of New York City displayed the first trained monkey act in the United States. For the price of one shilling, the audience saw the monkey walk a tightrope, dance and "exercise" a gun. In 1793 the department heads of the U.S. government met with President Washington at his home for the first cabinet meeting on record. In 1836 Samuel Colt patents the first revolving barrel multi-shot firearm - the "revolving gun" or revolver. In 1919 Oregon became the first state to tax gasoline. The one cent per gallon tax was to be used for road construction. And in 1950 "Your Show of Shows," starring Sid Caesar, Inogene Coca, Carl Reiner and Howard Morris made its debut on NBC. (We didn't see it because we didn't get a TV until 1951.)

Holy Hot Tub, Batman

Betty and Molly went down to Old Town today to do some shopping and have some lunch at the Church Street Cafe. I went down to Village Mercantile to get some sunflower bird seed and some water softener salt-free conditioner.

This afternoon we had a special event at our house. We got a call Sunday that a couple of folks on our church's pastoral staff had been ministering to a woman who received Christ as her Savior and she wanted to be baptized.

Our church does baptisms about every other month or so and we just had a baptism a few weeks ago. She didn't want to wait until the next church baptism so she was baptized in our hot tub this afternoon.

Before we moved into our new building we used to do baptisms in our hot tub all the time, but this was the first time in over two years.

The word baptism comes from the Greek word 'baptizo' which means to immerse in such a way that the item being immersed is fundamentally changed. It was used to describe the process of dipping cloth into dye and left there so the dye fully infiltrates all the fibers from the inside out so that the cloth is fundamentally changed.

When we are baptized into Christ's death and resurrection we are fundamentally changed - the old person dies and a new creature is born - a child of God.

As always it was a blessing for us. Here are a few pictures...



Today is February 24 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Billy Zane (actor, the cad in "Titanic"), Kristin Davis (actress, "Sex and the City"), Eddie Murray (Baltimore Orioles baseball player), Steve Jobs (founder of Apple Computer), Edward James Olmos (actor, "Stand and Deliver"), Joe Lieberman (US Senator), James Farantino (actor, "Dynasty"), Abe Vigoda (actor, Fish on "Barney Miller"), Chester Nimitz (Navy Admiral of the Fleet during WWII), and Enrico Caruso (opera singer).

On this day in 303 the first Roman edict for the persecution of Christians was published. In 1582 Pope Gregory the 13th issued a papal bull outlining his calendar reforms. (The Gregorian Calendar is the calendar in general use today.) In 1818 Frederic Chopin made his debut as a pianist. He was seven years old. In 1835 "Siwinowe Kesibwi" (The Shawnee Sun) was issued as the first Indian language monthly publication in the United States. In 1839 William S. Otis of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, received a patent for the steam shovel. In 1868 the first parade to feature floats celebrated Mardis Gras in Mobile, Alabama. In 1938 the first nylon bristle toothbrush was made in Arlington, New Jersey. In 1940 Frances Langford recorded one of the classic songs of all time - "When You Wish Upon A Star." And in 1994 singer Dinah Shore died in Beverly Hills, California, at age 76 - she went to high school with my mother.

Monday Video - You Won't Believe Your Ears

When I was a kid I took violin lessons for six months in the sixth grade. I wish now I had continued as I love to hear real country fiddlin'.

As a teenager I picked up the guitar and learned to play by ear - actually I used my hands and fingers - but you know what I mean. I played most of my life and got pretty decent because I was able to play with a lot of people over the years who were much better than I and I stole a lot from them. I put the guitar down a few years ago and haven't played it much since.

As an older adult I picked up the American Indian flute and learned to play "Amazing Grace" and I was hooked. I now have a dozen flutes of different sizes and tonal keys that I still play to this day. The nice thing about the Indian flute is you can make up and play your own tunes and it sounds OK - at least to me. It's also pretty basic so it's easier for a guy like me who plays by ear - OK, I really I use my mouth and fingers. (One day I'll find an instrument that you can play with your ear!)

However, as a young adult I picked up the harmonica and tried to learn to play it. The problem with the harmonica is to play it well you need to read and understand music. So, like the violin, I put the harmonica down and never learned to play it. And, like the violin, I wish I could play the harmonica.

So, I was thrilled to find today's Monday Video. Buddy Green plays the harmonica with Bill Gaither and his Homecoming crew. Be sure and listen to the whole video as it gets better and more amazing as he goes along.

Enjoy! If you've ever tried to play the harmonica you won't believe your ears.



Today is February 23 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Dakota Fanning (amazing child actor, "Dreamer"), Michael Dell (founder of Dell Computers), Patricia Richardson (actress, Jill on "Home Improvement"), Johnny Winter (blues singer), Peter Fonda (actor, "Easy Rider"), and George Frederick Handel (composer).

On this day in 1455 Johannes Gutenberg prints the 1st book, the Bible (approximate date). In 1821 the Philadelphia College of Apothecaries established the first pharmacy college in Philadelphia. In 1822 Boston was granted a charter to incorporate as a city. In 1836 Alamo is besieged by Santa Anna and his Mexican army. In 1846 the Liberty Bell tolls for the last time, to mark George Washington's birthday. In 1861 Texas secedes from the Union (and I don't think they ever really came back). In 1886 Charles M. Hall completed his invention of aluminum. In 1921 an airmail plane sets a record of 33 hours and 20 minutes from San Francisco to New York. In 1939 Walt Disney won an Oscar for the film, "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" at the Academy Award ceremonies that were held at the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, California. Mr. Disney actually received one Oscar statuette and seven miniature ones for his work. In 1945 during World War II, U.S. Marines on Iwo Jima captured Mount Suribachi, and raised the American flag. And in 1954 the first mass inoculation of children against polio with the Salk vaccine began in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania - I was 9 at the time and this was a big deal as my cousin had polio.

Sunday Reflections - Me Surrender? Nuts!

Surrender.

One of the dictionary meanings is"to relinquish to the power of another; yield to the control of another."

There are four verses in the New Testament where the Greek can be translated as surrender (the following verses are from The Amplified Bible):

So then, any of you who does not forsake (renounce, surrender claim to, give up, say good-bye to) all that he has cannot be My disciple. (Luke 14:33)

For I am not ashamed of the Gospel (good news) of Christ, for it is God's power working unto salvation [for deliverance from eternal death] to everyone who believes with a personal trust and a confident surrender and firm reliance, to the Jew first and also to the Greek,... (Romans 1:16)

Do you not know that if you continually surrender yourselves to anyone to do his will, you are the slaves of him whom you obey, whether that be to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience which leads to righteousness (right doing and right standing with God)? (Romans 6:16)

Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing. (1 Corinthians 13:3)

Surrender often has a negative meaning/feeling to it. It implies that we have 'lost,' that we have to 'give up' to a more powerful force - when we really don't want to. And, to some degree that is true.

I regularly read a blog called "The Anchoress." (In Christian spiritual tradition an anchoress is a woman who withdraws from the world to live a solitary life of prayer and meditation.) The woman who writes this blog writes about both political and spiritual things. She recently had a post titled "The Dangerous Prayer of Blessing." Here is a portion of that post...

This blessing is dangerous because it takes you (and me) out of the equation and dares to allow God to work what and as He will.

This ‘blessing’ was prayed over Henri Nouwen (spiritual author) by his spiritual mentor:

May all your expectations be frustrated.
May all your plans be thwarted.
May all your desires be withered into nothingness.
That you may experience the powerlessness and the poverty of a child and sing and dance in the love of God the Father, the Son and the Spirit.

That sounds like a terrible prayer if you are praying it, for example, for a dying loved one, for parents of a sick child. But is it, really? In fact, it sums up the whole idea of “not my will, but thine be done…”

It is precisely what Jesus taught us, but we forget that. We’re so into “feel good” Christianity and “expect a miracle” thinking (and there is much to feel good about in Christianity, and many miracles to expect) that we forget the hard truth - that beneath all of that we’re supposed to be disposed toward surrender. We’re supposed to get out of the Creator’s way so that He may increase as we decrease.

We pray “thy will be done…,” but I think many times we don’t mean it. We say it because we know we “should,” but it’s bittersweet. “Okay, Lord, you’re going to do it your way, so I’ll acquiesce…but, please, please, can’t you do it my way? Think about it, Lord! My way is pretty good, too, isn’t it? And you want me to be happy, don’t you? Get back to me, Lord! Love ya! Mean it! Call me!”

"...that we forget the hard truth... we're supposed to be disposed toward surrender, we're supposed to be getting out of the Creator's way so that He may increase as we decrease."

She's right in that I often don't mean "Thy will be done" - even when I say it.

One of the things we often hear in pastoral counseling is, "I have prayed many times that God would take this away from me" with "this" being an addiction, a hatred, unforgiveness, etc., etc. What we have to gently tell them is that there is an unspoken part of their prayer - "God please take this away from me... because I don't want to give it up." We don't like whatever "this" is, but we don't want to surrender it to God. We want Him to forcefully take it away from us.

Surrendering is never easy - but, if I'm to be true to my belief in who God is, I have to constantly struggle towards true surrender. What I lose will be far outweighed by what I gain.

God's blessings to you all on this Lord's day.


Today is February 22 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Dorothy Cooksey (my Mother), Drew Barrymore (actress, "50 First Dates"), Michael Chang (pro tennis player), Jeri Ryan (actress, Seven of Nine on "Star Trek: Voyager"), Vijay Singh (pro golfer), Steve Irwin (the Crocodile Hunter), Julius Erving (pro basketball player - Dr. J), Edward Kennedy (Massachusetts Senator), Robet Wadlow (tallest man in the world - 8' 11"), Sheldon Leonard (producer, "The Dick Van Dyke Show"), Robert Young (actor, "Father Knows Best"), Lady Baden-Powell (force behind the start of the Girl Scouts), Lord Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts), Frederic Chopin (composer), and George Washington (1st US President).

On this day in 1630 Indians introduce pilgrims to popcorn, at Thanksgiving. In 1819 Spain ceded Florida to the United States (and 2,000 New Yorkers immediately moved there for the winter). In 1879 Frank Winfield Woolworth opened a five-cent store in Utica, New York. In 1900 Hawaii becomes a US Territory. In 1924 Calvin Coolidge delivered the first presidential radio broadcast from the White House. In 1935 all plane flights over the White House are barred because they are disturbing President Roosevelt's sleep. In 1967 a report from Africa indicates that the world's first white gorilla has been found. And in 1980 ("Do you believe in miracles!?") in a stunning upset, the United States Olympic hockey team defeated the Soviets at Lake Placid, New York, 4-to-3. (The U-S team went on to win the gold medal.)

Home on the Range

Betty and Molly are off taking a walk in the Bosque while I write this.

It's been a day of rest for the two of them after their adventure with the birds yesterday which included a very early morning.

But, the one thing we did today was to have lunch at The Range in Bernalillo. It may be my favorite restaurant. It has an eclectic menu and the food is excellent.

We started off our meal with their Green Chile Strips for an appetizer. They are green chiles deep fried with a light batter and they are delicious.

Betty had a taco salad and Molly had a spinach enchilada. Yours truly had a salad with two crab cakes. I love crab cakes and there are only two places I can find good ones - The Range and Indigo Crow in Corrales.

It's been a good day and if everything works out we'll end the day with a dip in the hot tub tonight to soak and watch the stars.


Today is February 21 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Ellen Page (actress, "Juno"), Charlotte Church (singer, Welsh soprano), Jennifer Love Hewitt (actress, "The Whisperer"), Kelsey Grammer (actor, "Frazier"), Tyne Daley (actress, "Cagney & Lacey"), Alan Rickman (actor, villain in "Harry Potter"), Barbara Jordan (the first black congresswoman from the deep South), Rue McLanahan (actress, "The Golden Girls"), Erma Bombeck (humor writer), Sam Peckinpah (director, "The Wild Bunch"), and Andres Segovia (Spanish guitarist).

On this day in 1828 the first issue of the Cherokee Phoenix is printed, both in English and in the newly invented Cherokee alphabet. In 1838 the first burglar alarm is installed in the United States. It is installed in Boston, Massachusetts. In 1842 John J. Greenough of Washington, DC. patented the sewing machine. In 1866 Lucy B. Hobbs became the first woman to graduate from a dental school, the Ohio College of Dental Surgery in Cincinnati. In 1885 the Washington Monument was dedicated. In 1918 the last known green and yellow Carolina parakeet dies. In 1931 Alka Seltzer is introduced. Oh, what a relief it is! In 1947 Edwin H. Land publicly demonstrated his Polaroid Land camera, which could produce a black-and-white photograph in 60 seconds. And in 1972 President Nixon began his historic visit to China. The first American president to visit China and the first president to visit a country not oficially recognized by the United States.

Molly and Betty at the Bosque del Apache

Betty today---It was a fun morning. Biggest problem was that it began a little too early for my taste. I'm not a morning person, but today my friend Molly and I got up (at 2:45 AM!) and went to the Bosque del Apache in time for the sunrise "fly out" of the Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. We arrived early--before the sky was even getting light. And boy was it worth it!!

According to the official count there are over 22,000 Snow Geese and 14,000 Sandhill Cranes still there. Soon they will be headed North again, but for now they put on quite a show. We watched ALL the Snow Geese take off together from their overnight stay on the water heading for the fields where they feed all day. The Sandhill Cranes also move from water to field in smaller groups. Both were so neat in their own way.

Molly and I had a great time. It was a girls morning out. Dan stayed home and took care of the horses. Molly used my little digital camera and Dan trusted me with his camera. Between us we got wonderful pictures of the birds on the water as well as birds in the fields. We even drove one loop road twice in order the see the Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes feeding in the fields.

We also saw a skunk, hawks, 5 deer, Canada Geese, many small birds and lots of different kinds of ducks. We missed the White Pelicans--they've already moved on. And we didn't see the Eagles--or at least didn't recognize any of the big birds as Eagles. All in all, a grand time.

After a quick stop at the visitors center and breakfast in Socorro, we got back to Corrales by noon. Needless to say, Molly and I plan to hit the bed soon after supper. Fun, but long day!

Here are some pictures from our adventure today. Enjoy!


Today is February 20 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Brian Littrell (singer, Backstreet Boys), Cindy Crawford (super model), French Stewart (actor, Harry on "Third Rock from the Sun"), Charles Barkley (basketball player), Patty Hearst (kidnapped heiress who joined her captors), Gordon Brown (British Prime Minister), Ivana Trump (Donald Trump's ex-wife), Jennifer O'Neill (actress, "Summer of 42"), Sandy Duncan (actress, "Peter Pan"), Buffy Sainte-Marie (American Indian singer), Bobby Unser (race car champion), Sidney Poitier (actor, first African-American to win an Oscar), Robert Altman (director, "Nashville"), and Ansel Adams (photographer).

On this day in 1792 President Washington signed an act creating the U.S. Postal Service. Letters delivered up to 30 miles cost six cents to mail. For letters up to 150 miles, postage was 12 cents. In 1802 the U.S. Supreme Court ruled the power of the federal government was no greater than that of any individual state of the Union (oh, how times have changed). In 1915 President Wilson opens the Panama-Pacific Expo in San Francisco to celebrate the opening of the Panama Canal. In 1952 one of baseball's most popular figures, Emmett L. Ashford, became the first black umpire in organized baseball. Ashford was authorized to be a substitute in the Southwestern International League. And in 1962 American astronaut John Glenn landed safely after three orbits of Earth in a Mercury space capsule "Friendship Seven."

Thursday Protest

Today was another slow day. We went to the gym to exercise this morning and then nothing special the rest of the day. Betty and Molly are getting ready to drive down to the Bosque del Apache tomorrow to see the Snow Geese and Sandhill Cranes. They'll leave about 3:15 AM to be able to see the morning lift off. Me, I plan to stay in bed and take care of the horses at a more human time. More about that tomorrow.

However, I did receive a picture of a global warming protest from a friend in Colorado. It's good to know that some are standing up against this hoax.

Scroll down to see the picture of these hundreds of stalwarts who are ready to stand tall.
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Well done, faithful Global Warming protesters!


Today is February 19 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Haylie Duff (actress, sister of Hillary), Justine Bateman (actress, sister on "Family Ties"), Jeff Daniels (actor, "Dumb and Dumber"), Margaux Hemmingway (actress, granddaughter of Ernest Hemmingway), Smokey Robinson (soul singer), Lee Marvin (actor, "Cat Ballou"), and Nicolas Copernicus (scientist).

On this day in 1800 Napoleon Bonaparte proclaims himself First Consul of the newly established French dictatorship. In 1856 the tintype camera was patented by Professor Hamilton L. Smith of Gambier, Ohio. In 1878 Thomas Edison patented the first gramophone. He secured patent No. 200,521. In 1881 Kansas became the first state to prohibit all alcoholic beverages. In 1913 the first "prize" was placed in a Cracker Jack box. In 1942 President Roosevelt signed an executive order giving the military the authority to relocate and intern Japanese-Americans. In 1968 the teachers in state of Florida went on strike in the first statewide teacher's strike in the United States. And in 1985 Cherry Coke was introduced by the Coca-Cola Company - but it was nothing like the real Cherry Cokes we used to get at the soda fountains back in the 1950's where they were made from scratch.

Where Did Today Go?

It's 3:33 PM in the afternoon and I'm not sure where today went. And, I'm not sure what I have done all day - really not much. I went out this morning and bought some new work gloves - my old ones are worn out with holes in the fingers and that's not good when your gloves get wet on a cold morning as I change the horses' water. I also bought them a new salt block.

Other than that I'm not sure what I did today.

Betty and her friend Molly went out to do some shopping and Betty has a small group tonight that she leads.

Where did today go?


Today is February 18 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Molly Ringwald (actress, "Breakfast Club"), Matt Dillon (actor, "There's Something About Mary"), Vanna White (not sure - letter turner?), John Travolta (actor, "Wild Hogs"), Cybill Shepherd (actress, "Moonlighting"), Yoko Ono (????), Gahan Wilson (magazine cartoonist), George Kennedy (actor, "Cool Hand Luke"), Helen Gurley Brown (magazine editor), Jack Palance (actor, Curly in "City Slickers"), Sholem Aleichen (author, "Fiddler on the Roof"), and Louis Comfort Tiffany (jeweler, founder of Tiffany's).
On this day in 1678 John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress" is published. In 1841 the first continuous filibuster in the U.S. Senate began this day. It lasted until March 11th. In 1861 Jefferson Davis was sworn in as president of the Confederate States of America in Montgomery, Alabama. In 1885 Mark Twain's "Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" was published in the US for the first time. In 1908 U.S. postage stamps were sold for the first time. The cost was one cent. In 1930 Pluto, the 'former' outermost planet of the solar system, was discovered by astronomer Clyde Tombaugh. In 1945 U.S. Marines storm ashore at Iwo Jima. And in 1953 Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz signed a contract worth $8,000,000 to continue the "I Love Lucy" TV show through 1955. The deal was the richest contract in television at the time (that was BIG money in those days).

Betty's Good Friend Molly

Betty and I have been blessed to have many friends over the years. We've lost contact with many of those friends over the years as our lives diverged and took different paths.

However, there are a few who have remained an important part of our lives. One of those people is Molly Dutina from Batavia, Ohio (East of Cincinnati) who flew into Albuquerque today.

Molly and her husband, Bob, have been our good friends for many years. Even after we moved from Ohio to New Mexico we have kept in close touch with them. We visit with them whenever we're in Cincinnati and they have been out to visit us several times.

Molly came for an 11-day visit. This is kind of retreat for her, but it will be a good time for all of us and especially for her and Betty.

It's always good to have friends visit - especially those friends who have been such an important part of our lives.


Today is February 17 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Joseph Gordon-Levitt (actor, "3rd Rock From The Sun"), Paris Hilton (not sure what she is), Jerry O'Connell (actor, "Sliders"), Richard Karn (actor, "Home Improvement"), Larry the Cable Guy (comedian), Michael Jordan (great basketball player), Rene Russo (actress, "Lethal Weapon"), Jim Brown (NFL hall of fame player), Alan Bates (actor, "Zorba the Greek"), Hal Holbrook (actor, "Mark Twain Tonight"), and Red Barber (baseball announcer).

On this day in 1621 Miles Standish appointed Military Commander of Plymouth Colony. In 1801 the House of Representatives chose Thomas Jefferson as third president of the United States. Aaron Burr, who tied with Jefferson in the Electoral College, became vice president. In 1817 Baltimore became the first U.S. city with gas-burning street lights. In 1897 the forerunner of the National PTA, the National Congress of Mothers, was founded in Washington. In 1933 "Blondie Boopadoop," the title role and flapper in the comic strip "Blondie," married "Dagwood Bumstead." The marriage took place three years after the popular comic strip debuted in the nation's newspapers. And in 1986 Johnson & Johnson pulled Tylenol from store shelves after a woman died from taking the pain reliever. It was later found that the medication had been tampered with.

Monday Video - What A Wonderful World

Despite all the issues we're facing in our world today, I came across a video that brought a smile to my face and I hope to yours. It also has a song from one of my favorite performers - Louis Armstrong.

Enjoy.




Today is February 16 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: John McEnroe (hot-tempered tennis player), Ice-T (rapper/actor, "Law and Order - Special Victims Unit"), Levar Burton (actor, "Star Trek - Next Generation"), Sonny Bono (singer, Sonny and Cher), Vera Ellen (actress, "White Christmas"), Patty Andrews (singer, The Andrews Sisters), Hugh Beaumont (actor, father in "Leave It To Beaver"), Edgar Bergen (ventriloquist and father of Candace Bergen).

On this day in 1642 The first Postal Service started in Scotland. In 1804 Lieutenant Stephen Decatur led a successful raid into Tripoli Harbor to burn the US Navy frigate "Philadelphia," which had fallen into the hands of pirates (the good old days when men were men). In 1857 the National Deaf Mute College was incorporated in Washington, DC. It was the first school in the world for advanced education of the deaf. It was later renamed Gallaudet College. In 1883 the Ladies Home Journal begins publication. In 1923 archaeologists opened the treasure-laden tomb of Tutankhamen, "King Tut," in Egypt's Valley of the Kings. In 1959 Fidel Castro became premier of Cuba after the overthrow of Fulgencio Batista. And in 1968 the nation's first 911 emergency telephone system was inaugurated, in Haleyville, Alabama.

Sunday Reflections - I'm Struggling

Normally, I don't write about politics and I don't intend to today. This is about my struggle to be obedient to God's word.

President Obama was not my choice. I think he's too inexperienced for the job and his liberal world view is very different from mine - especially when it comes to the lives of unborn babies. I worry that he and the Democratic congress will take this country down a road that's fraught with danger and we're in jeopardy of losing what has made this country great for so many years - despite our shortcomings.

BUT... and in God's economy there's always a 'BUT.'

Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, he who rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. (Rom 13:1-2)

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone— for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness. (1 Tim 2:1-3)

So, my struggle is to obey the first command found in Romans - President Obama is my president even though I didn't vote for him. According to that scripture his authority has been established by God - for God's purposes even though they may not be apparent.

And, I struggle to remember that I must pray for him and his administration as Paul reminded Timothy.

At the time that Paul wrote both of these scripture passages, the Roman authorities still controlled the the world and in their way they were far worse than anything I can imagine can happen today. If you were not a Roman citizen you had little or no worth. Crucifixions were common on the roads through out the Roman empire. Roman taxes were confiscatory and collected ruthlessly with no compassion. The every day person lived day to day, eating only what they could earn for that day. It was a tough, tough life under the Roman authorities.

Yet, God told them (and us) to submit to the authorities and to pray and give thanks for them.

As much as I would like to, I can't pick and choose which parts of God's word that I want to obey and which parts I want to ignore.

So, I have to remember that somehow God's plan is still being worked out through President Obama's election. I will submit - as long as what I am asked to do is not against God's word - and I will pray for him and his administration to be able to keep peace in our country so the Gospel can continue to be proclaimed.

But, I have to tell you, it's really hard for me to pray and give thanks for Congress - specifically Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Chuck Shumer, Chris Dodd, and Barney Frank.

I'm still working on that last part.


Today is February 15 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with someone who is very special to me - Mary Erwin. Mary, whom we all called Memomie, was my grandmother on my mother's side. Memomie was born in 1890 and died in 1985 at the age of 95. During her life she saw the beginnings of automobiles, telephones, planes, two World Wars, the Great Depression, the defeat of Polio, flights into space, and the introduction of personal computers.

She was a sweet, loving woman.

Also, Renee O'Connor (actress, Gabrielle on "Xena"), Chris Farley (comedian, "Saturday Night Live"), Matt Groening (creator of "The Simpsons"), Jane Seymour (actress, "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman"), Claire Bloom (actress), Harvey Korman (comedian, "The Carol Burnett Show"), Cesar Romero (actor, the Joker on "Batman"), John Barrymore (actor, "It's A Wonderful Life"), Susan B. Anthony (suffragete reformer), and Galileo (scientist, invented the telescope and discovered the earth went around the sun).

On this day in 1758 mustard was advertised for the first time in America. It was Benjamin Franklin who brought mustard to America. In 1764 the city of St. Louis was established. In 1842 a private mail service in New York City introduced the first adhesive postage stamps. In 1879 President Hayes signed a bill allowing female attorneys to argue cases before the US Supreme Court. In 1898 the U.S. battleship Maine exploded in Havana Harbor today killing 2 officers and 258 crew members. Although the cause of the explosion was never determined, the event prompted U.S. intervention in the Cuban-Spanish conflict on the behalf of Cuba. In 1942 British forces in Singapore surrender to Japanese General Tomoyuki Yamashita. In 1953 the first American to win the women's world figure skating championship was 17-year-old Tenley Albright. She won the competition in Davos, Switzerland. And in 1965 Canada's new maple-leaf flag was unfurled in ceremonies in Ottawa.

Happy Valentine's Day

There's a new 'gadget' on the right side of our blog - "I Pledge to Make God the Issue." It's a campaign started by Brad Bright, the son of the late Bill Bright, the founder of Campus Crusade. If you click on the symbol it will take you to the web site where you can learn more about making God the issue in your life and in your world.



Our families, our communities, our nation, and our world need God more than ever. It has to start with each of us recommitting ourselves to putting God first.

I think this is appropriate because we're celebrating Valentine's Day today. The origins are clouded in the mists of time, but the most accepted legend is that Valentine was a priest during the time of Emperor Claudius II who outlawed marriage for young men because he believed young single men made better soldiers. Valentine defied the order and continued to marry young men and women in secret. When he was discovered Claudius had him put to death.

Many men and women over the ages have given their comfort and their lives to keep God as the issue in their lives.

I pray that we, the universal church of the living God, will look beyond our individual interests and comfortable lives so that we can keep the living God as the issue in our lives - regardless of the cost.

Happy Valentine's Day!

PS: Betty surprised me this morning with a Valentine's Day card and five Hersheys Dark Chocolate bars - my favorite. Naturally, I didn't get her a card, but, thank goodness, I had suggested the night before that we go out to eat today. We went to the Blue Cactus Grill which has excellent food.

I want to share the words of Betty's card because they touched me in a special way...

When it comes to Valentines
we make the perfect pair --
There's romance, love, and laughter
in the friendship that we share.

We care enough to listen,
to trust and understand,
To build a life together,
side by side and hand in hand...

We both know that we're lucky (blessed)
and we've got a good thing going,
Through ups and downs
and give and take,
our love just keeps on growing...

'Cause I bring out the best in you,
and you the best in me --
I guess it takes the two of us
to make a perfect "we."

That's nice.

Today is February 14 and if today is your Birthday then you share your day with: Drew Bledsoe (NFL quarterback), Meg Tilley (actress, "The Big Chill"), Gregory Hines (actor/dancer - "White Nights"), Carl Bernstein (Washington Post reporter who broke the Watergate story), Florence Hendeson (actress, Mom on "The Brady Bunch"), Vic Morrow (actor, "Combat"), Hugh Downs (TV pesonality), Mel Allen (voice of the NY Yankees), Jimmy Hoffa (union leader who disappeared), and Jack Benny (comedian).

On this day in 270 Valentine is martyred. In 1778 the American ship "Ranger" carried the recently adopted Star and Stripes to a foreign port for the first time as it arrived in France. In 1848 President Polk became the first chief executive to be photographed while in office as he posed for Matthew Brady in New York. In 1859 Oregon was admitted to the Union as the 33rd state. In 1876 inventors Alexander Graham Bell and Elisha Gray applied separately for patents related to the telephone. (The US Supreme Court eventually ruled Bell the rightful inventor.) In 1899 voting machines for use in federal elections were approved by the U.S. Congress. In 1912 Arizona became the 48th state of the Union. In 1920 the League of Women Voters was founded in Chicago; its first president was Maude Wood Park. In 1940 the first porpoise born in captivity arrived at Marineland in Florida. In 1962 First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy conducted a televised tour of the White House. It was the first public peek into the Presidential back rooms and bedrooms and drew a record audience of 80 million. And in 1972 the musical, "Grease," opened at the Eden Theater on Broadway.