Arlene Boeddeker came one day and helped me put together a big mailing for my job. Then Rex dropped by and a bit later Kim Fincher dropped by. Tuesday Jeff Reeves came and did quite a bit of weed eating for me and helped me fix the umbrella on my deck. The umbrella went sailing quite a ways a few weeks ago when we had such nasty winds and a few umbrella ribs broke in the process. Then Jeff fixed the bottom of an outside door for me as the “sealer” had started popping out.
Ron tells me that he and Reanna went to the State Fair on Sept. 4th and got to watch Al Dubord use his Super M International farm tractor in the tractor pulls while they were there. Ron says it was all good. A 1,700 lb pumpkin was disqualified from the competition in the vegetable booth and a 1,287 pounder won by default!!! Amazing! A 127 lb cabbage won in its category! Ron said, “What a day.”
Are you getting as many pleas for money for political and other purposes as come here? One simply doesn’t know who to trust anymore and pleas come by mail and phone several days a week. I try to be polite but on occasion simply have to hang up on them. These pleas come for many purposes, some for feeding children around the world. But most of them don’t have very good records and a large percentage of what they receive does not reach those most in need. As Christians we so want to help the needy and some groups word their pleas to make us feel guilty. Perhaps I’ve just become more cynical with the years.
Many e-mails come to me with lovely pictures and messages about Christ and usually end with “If you deny me” etc. and that the recipient MUST forward on to a certain number of people in the next few minutes. The bulk of these e-mails have what are called “cookies” attached that gather e-mail addresses for nefarious activities. I delete such e-mails for my safety and the safety of others. If you e-mail, please remember to delete all identifying addresses first.
Gene and Liz Waldrip used to live in Ava. Gene worked for the Forestry Service and Liz a teacher in Ava R-1 schools. They left here for the Flagstaff, Arizona area and then just a few years ago Gene & Liz retired to Bastrop, Texas. News reports indicate out-of-control fires at Bastrop. Please pray for all who are in the path of fires and floods in this nation. Liz e-mailed me that so far they are OK but a neighbor had some damage from fire.
Friday evening I went to the Fox Trotter grounds and saw those magnificent Budweiser Clydesdale horses, and quite a few handsome Fox Trotters. Saturday brought us a nice half inch of rain. Of course it will take a bit more than that to green up the yards and pastures but still, we give thanks for every drop.
As I write this on 9/11 the thought comes to my mind that I must forgive, as did Christ, and I pray for the grace to have the strength to be forgiving. We gave honor to those who lost their lives during our second “Day of Infamy”. Let us remember all in prayer, especially our military.
This is one of Ronald Reagan’s favorite quotes: “God has given to men all that is necessary for them to accomplish their destinies. He has provided a social form as well as a human form. And these social organs of persons are so constituted that they will develop themselves harmoniously in the clean air of liberty. Away, then, with quacks and organizers! A way with their rings, chains, hooks, and pincers! Away with their artificial systems! Away with the whims of governmental administrators, their socialized projects, their centralization, their tariffs, their government schools, their state religions, their free credit, their bank monopolies, their regulations, their restrictions, their equalization by taxation, and their pious moralizations!”
And now that the legislators and do-gooders have so futilely inflicted so many systems upon society, may they finally end where they should have begun: May they reject all systems, and try liberty; for liberty is an acknowledgment of faith in God and His works.” – Federic Bastiat, conclusion from a pamphlet he wrote 100 years ago titled The Law.
Until next week when I hope we have news from others to share. God bless y’all.
