Fits and Starts

When we started this blog, it was a method to organize our jumbled thoughts and then make them tangible. We then discovered that we had gained a following...many believers who began to pray for us.

In the first year, I authored the whole thing. Then, slowly, the hub would mention "something that would make a good blog topic." As I had my own things to do, I suggested that he take a crack at posting.

I created a monster, of course. First, he's a much better writer than I am. Second, where I wax preachy, he entertains with his lawyer stories, always a crowd pleaser. THEN, when some readers left comments, it became a competition (with him, at least) to see WHO got the MOST comments. He won. He reminded me of this on more than one occasion.

His blogging settled into a pattern. He would 'write a blog' in his head; then he would TELL me he had another blog ready to go; and he fired up his laptop, often typing up a first/only draft of a very good little post.

He never learned how to actually post; he had 'people' (me) to do that. So my task was to read it over, made a few suggestions and tweaks, and then post it.

As he had bookmarked the site (and quite the peacock he was about THAT), he checked and checked and announced when someone left a comment. Perhaps if I had told our readers this, they might have joined into the competition, offering compensation???

He was a good story teller....close friends says he was the best...but, English teacher that I am, I would find a few little things to fix in his draft.  I mean, how many VERYs does one need? And, occasionally, he would include a detail or two that, in retrospect, were not suitable.

Let me report that, if you commented on Mike's posts, you made him very very very happy.

In cleaning up around here, I found two starts that never ended up finished. I will post them here.

One from March 2012

I picked up a book at Books-a-million the other day titled something about the first five people you meet in Heaven (Assuming that is where you are going.  I suspect that the first five people you meet in Hell would also be interesting, but probably a whole lot more painful.)  I did not buy it, but the title got me to thinking.

Before going further I should warn you that I am a Believer.  As a person who holds that belief, I think there is a real Heaven, and Hell.  I know I will be in Heaven the minute I take my last breath.  How I know this can be the topic of another blog on another day.  I have read most of what the Bible has to say about Heaven.  Some of it I think I understand and some of it I wonder about.  For the purposes of this blog, what I think does not make much difference.

Since picking up that book, I have been thinking about who I would like to meet in Heaven.  Who I would like to have lunch or dinner with?  Who would I like to go on a walk with?  After all, I will have eternity to get it done and nobody’s social calendar can be that full, right?

Who first?  Probably the Apostle Paul.

 (say Hi)

Another from May 2013

A Patient in Pain

All of us have been sick.  The majority of us, if not all of us, have been in the hospital for an extended stay, where the stay is characterized by significant pain to be endured.  It is not much fun. That is for sure.

It is one thing to endure the pain which is brought on by the sickness or injury, knowing that eventually the pain will go away because you are going to get well or healing is going to occur, thereby eliminating the pain; it is entirely different to have to acknowledge that the pain you are dealing with is only going to get worse and is never going to go away. 

All last week I have been in the hospital trying unsuccessfully to come to grips with the reality that the abdominal pain that has taken up residence in my body is severe, long-term and everlasting. My last moments, if not carefully monitored, will be accurately described as a nightmare, tempered only by brief moments of narcotic induced relief.  I do not think much of the prognosis, let me tell you.

(Done now, budds)

Missing him.