10 Tips for a Great Life

Betty and I went out to the Galloping Pumpkin Patch -- grace is galloping, not the pumpkins -- to help with a group this morning. This afternoon we're getting ready for our son, daughter-in-law and granddaughter who are coming in tomorrow night for the Balloon Fiesta.

So, I'll share these 10 Tips for a Great Life.

1. Try to stay out of trouble.


2. Aim for greater heights.


3. Stay focused on your job.


4. Exercise to maintain good health.


5. Practice team work.


6. Rely on your trusted partner to watch your back.


7. Save for a rainy day.


8. Rest and relax every chance you get.


9. Always take time to smile.


10. And realize that nothing is impossible with God.

Not That Old

I know I've talked before about getting older, but at least I'm not at this stage -- yet.

I've sure gotten old! I've had two bypass surgeries,a hip replacement,new knees, fought prostate cancer and diabetes.
I'm half blind, can't hear anything quieter than a jet engine.
I take 40 different medications that make me dizzy, winded, and subject to blackouts.
I have bouts with dementia.
I have poor circulation.
I can hardly feel my hands and feet anymore.
I can't remember if I'm 89 or 98.
I have lost all my friends.

But, thank God, I still have my driver's license.

Monday Video - Stories in Sand

Kseniya Simonova is a talented storyteller. She doesn’t use words. She uses sand and light. She recently won the TV show Ukraine’s Got Talent.

This time around she took a more serious tone. She tackles the invasion and occupation of Ukraine during World War II. It was a dark time in the country’s history. An estimated 7 million Ukrainians died under Nazi rule. Her work is beautiful and affective. The audience is visibly moved.

Even though we don't know the language, I believe you can be moved by the experience of watching. Enjoy.

Sunday Reflections -- When I Can't See God

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him. (Luke 24:13-16)

Here are two guys, walking down a lonely road to a small, insignificant village called Emmaus. We don't know why they were going. Perhaps they lived there. Perhaps they had been in Jerusalem for all the recent soul-shaking events. Perhaps they had been disciples of Jesus and all of their hopes and dreams were now blown up in their faces. The one person they perhaps had put all of their faith in had died a criminal's death on the cross. It was over.

In the midst of their loss, they were joined by the King of the Universe, the risen Lord.

Luke tells us that "they were kept from recognizing him." Perhaps their focus on their loss was what kept them from recognizing Jesus. Perhaps their lack of faith kept them blind to who was now walking with them.

They find it hard to believe that this stranger did not know all that had recently happened and they proceed to share what happened to this poor, ignorant man.

I believe Jesus probably chuckled when he said,

"How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself. (Luke 24:25-27)

Can you imagine? Jesus led them in a study of the Bible -- at least the Old Testament. It was the first small group Bible study. How would you like to have him as your small group leader?

But they still didn't recognize him, even when they experienced the greatest Bible teacher of all times.

It was getting late so they urged this stranger to stay the night with them.

When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" (Luke 24:30-32)

Evidently something stirred in their hearts earlier when Jesus "opened the Scriptures" to them. But it was only when he broke the bread, gave thanks for it and gave it to them that their eyes were opened and they finally saw him for who he really was. They were participants in the first Holy Communion.

Not only did they experience the greatest Bible study teacher, but they also experienced the greatest communion administrator.

Communion has always been important to Betty and me. Our initial church life was in the Episcopal Church which is often called "Catholic Light." We had all the ritual, but only half the guilt. (That's a joke in case you didn't recognize it as such.)

Our church offered communion every Sunday. The Catholic Church believes the bread physically becomes the real body of Christ and the wine becomes the real blood of Christ. Whereas many Protestant churches see communion as a memorial -- "do this in memory of me."

Betty and I fall somewhere between those two. We believe we experience the very real presence of Christ every time we take communion.

When I have trouble seeing God in my life -- when I don't recognize Christ walking with me -- communion always helps open my eyes to see him.

I know in my head that Christ is always with me, but sometimes my heart needs a reminder, through the little wafer and sip of grape juice, that his presence is real -- to get that truth from my head to my heart.

Saturday Voice - Balloons and Idiots

Today has two subjects. The first is the first mass ascension of the Balloon Fiesta this morning. From our house it was one of the best. The second is how the elites are responding to Roman Polanski being arrested for raping a 13 year old girl.

We often get quite a few balloons on several mornings of the Fiesta, but nothing like this morning. The winds brought the balloons directly over our house and, as they descended, the lower winds brought them back towards our house. They landed either behind our house or across the road from us in the sage area. We didn't count, but we had at least 20 or more balloons land around our house.

We were concerned about Sugar as this was her first mass ascension and how she would react to seeing and hearing so many balloons so close. We went out to spend some time with her and Morgunn to lend our support. As mentioned yesterday, Morgunn is an old pro when it comes to balloons as he was born and raised in Corrales.

The only time they spooked at all was when two different balloons (the last two pictures below) came so low over our house that their propane burners were extra loud as they approached their landing spots.

Here are some pictures from this morning.

It was a great first morning for the Balloon Fiesta. I hope and pray we have an equally good one next Saturday when our kids and granddaughter are here and we go to the Fiesta.

Now for the second topic. It will be brief because I find this so distasteful. There is no question that Roman Polanski raped a 13 year old girl 30 years ago. There is no question he evaded justice by fleeing to Europe where he has lived a lavish lifestyle, including dating a 15 year old actress who was in one of his movies. There is no question the guy is a sleaze bucket who deserves to return to face the justice system for his actions.

However, there are quite a few Hollywood elites who think he has done nothing wrong -- or should be excused because "he is talented."

I have only one comment about that -- you're idiots!

Balloons Are Back

Today was the Albuquerque Fly-In where a lot of the balloons in town for the Fiesta go to the schools to take off. This allows the kids to see them and it means that balloons are coming up from all directions. It's actually one of my favorite events.

We were curious to see how Sugar did as this will be her first Balloon Fiesta. The balloon in the picture to the left came up from somewhere in Northern Rio Rancho and came by our house. It was close enough that we could hear the propane burner going on and off.

Morgunn is to the right of our round pen and he's an old pro when it comes to balloons. He was born and raised in Corrales so he's seen balloons all his life (10 years) so they're no big thing to him.

Sugar is behind the round pen, but she acted like an old pro as well. We'll see how she does if a balloon comes directly over our house and low on its way to a landing in the open areas behind us.

Over lunch time we went to the Rio Grande Arts and Crafts event which is in the large white tent at I-25 and Paseo Del Norte. We thought the quality of the vendors was much better than in the past. We spent a lot of money, mostly on Christmas gifts.

This afternoon we met with a couple who have been in marriage counseling with us for several months and they're doing very well. They're trying hard and that's all we ask.

All in all a good day.

Shoo Bug

Did you know that there are between 25 to 50 million cases of the common flu each year in the U.S.? About 150,000 are hospitalized each year and there are 30,000 to 40,000 deaths from the common flu each year.

Fortunately, we now have better medical care, antibiotics, etc. to help combat this pretty serious bug.

When medical care wasn't advanced in early part of this century a flu bug called "The Spanish Flu" struck in 1918-1919. In the U.S. over 675,000 people died and the worldwide death toll approached 50 million people, more than died in all of World War I.

Why all this data about the flu?

Betty and I got our flu shot this afternoon and no, that's not me to the left -- it's Betty.

No, I'm just kidding, but she did say that her shot burned a fair amount and mine didn't. The nurse said it was because I have more muscles, but she's obviously never seen me in a swim suit. (Sorry about that image.)

We're big believers in the shot. We've taken them for quite a few years now and it's been a long, long time since either of us came down with the flu. We're told that we are less likely to get the H1N1 (swine) flu since we're older and we've been exposed to lots of different flu strains. So, we most likely won't get the H1N1 vaccine whenever it's available.

So, happy flu season to you all! Watch out for pigs!