Nooma

If you want to watch some neat videos that really make you think, watch these Nooma Videos. I have a bunch of them and they really being me ministry.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-825273137571541112#docid=-5274168062084626850

Bob and I went to Bartlesville after I went to a few fruitless garage sales. There seems to be nothing very interesting at these garage sales anymore. Maybe that's why I just as soon go to flea markets. There you can find some really neat stuff. Yesterday, I found some berry bowls for Leslie. She seemed happy to get them. They were "Star" pattern, round and seemed very nice...just the right size for a small bowl of pudding or some apple crisp or apple brown betty.

This evening we will stay at home. We ate at Garfield's in Bartlesville and I had their wonderful Fish and Chips. Bob had a raspberry walnut salad and helped me with the fish too. We enjoyed our day and got some exercise. We walked all over the Lowe's, the mall and Wal Mart Superstore and bought $64 worth of groceries. When we got home, I had to put them away.

Slinky didn't get his walk because it was raining when we left. Missy, on the other hand came in when we got home and promptly disappeared. When I finally went to find her, she was under our coverlet on our bed. I wanted to take a photo of her there but my darn camera didn't work. Bob raised up the coverlet and before my slow camera would go off, she hopped down. Here she is.

I have done some calling this evening for the PINCH dinner I am having Thursday evening at 6:00. PINCH is People for Institutional and Community Harmony. Half of our guests will be black and half white. It's a covered dish dinner and we usually have a great time. So far I have ten coming. I have room for twelve.

Lazy Day

I did some cleaning today and did a load of laundry but have read or posted on my church's web site all day with the exception of noontime when we went to Independence to take our daughter, Leslie, to lunch. We went to Big Cheese and had a mini pizza. Bob had a salad. He tries to leave things like pizza alone with his diabetes.

Bob vacuumed for me. I really need to get the den carpet cleaned but don't know who to get. Years ago, I got Day and Night Carpet Cleaning from Tyro, Kansas. Russell dry cleaned my carpet and made it look just like new and the beauty of it was that within an hour, you could walk on it. I'd love to find someone who does that nowadays. Russell moved to California several years ago.

I must also get the all purpose room carpet cleaned at church. Perhaps next week I can remember to call about that.

Leslie and I had a good lunch but Bob only had a salad and is hungry. I'm going to fix some chicken for dinner tonight. Tomorrow noon we will eat out. Sunday we may do that too.

Scott may come home. He should be coming in this evening from New York and may call. If he comes home, we may cook out. It depends on what his plans are.

Vibrant Witness, Who, Me?

Next Sunday we are starting a new class at our Church School. It is called "Vibrant Witness, Who, Me?" It looks like good material...some that will cause each of us to reflect on just what we are each doing to help develop the kingdom of God on earth or in other words communities of joy, hope, love and peace. Lord only knows in this turbulent world of ours, we certainly need such communities. That is the mission of our church.

I have always found it hard to talk about my church and my beliefs. I find it much easier to be involved in community work myself. But I realize that alone will not make disciples for the mission Jesus spoke about while he was alive on the earth.

The closest I have come is inviting my friends to attend the various colloquies, conferences, retreats, reunions, historical associations, and symposiums. I have two friends who attend because I have invited them but I have yet to invite them to be baptized. Somehow baptism doesn't seem near as important as participation in the various church activities and participation in the community. That's how I feel we make an impact in our world in today's world.

I have seven friends who are going to attend the World Church's Peace Colloquy with me this October in Independence, Missouri. That's an important step because we recognize and reward folks in the world who are making a significant impact on the quality of life in our world. It's kind of like our own rendition of the Nobel Peace Prize.

I participate quite a lot in my community but I don't know that I make much of an impact. I am secretary/treasurer of the Coffeyville Ministerial Alliance and a member of the Independence Ministerial Association and attend regularly. That's certainly not much of an impact. I am also able to write a Minister's Message for the newspaper on a rotating basis. And I write an editorial for another newspaper from time to time. That gets my religious philosophy out there but it has never inspired anyone to work for the building of God's kingdom.

Bob and I also attend a semi weekly class called "Living the Questions". It helps us to think seriously about our beliefs and discipleship. It is also quality fellowship.

This study of "Vibrant Witness, Who, Me?" may do me a lot of good. It may inspire me to do more toward inviting folks to come participate with us in community service projects. That may lead to their joining with us in time. I'm just not too sure mere membership in an organization is all that important.

Raining Again

It started raining again about 4:00 this morning and I got up about 5:30. Slinky wanted in and later on Missy showed up and also wanted in. I fixed the cinnamon toast for Slinky and he ate that and most of his dog food before he barked to want back out to do his duty. Soon he was back at the back door scratching on it and barking...just once..to get back in. He is lying there now on one of the rugs in the utility area of our kitchen...contented. Slinky likes company and even though I am sitting here at the bar posting, he is content just to be nearby.

Bob and I will go to Ministerial Alliance at noon. I am secretary/treasurer. I always am so busy taking notes that I seldom have time to visit and sometimes even to eat my lunch. Someday, perhaps they will elect someone else to this responsibility.

The rest of the day, I don't know what we will do. I imagine we will read. I will do some work on the computer transcribing the minutes of today's meeting. It is supposed to rain all day.

The cement on the church's parking lot drive apron should be properly cured and ready to be driven on by tomorrow. It will certainly be done by Sunday. That should help keep the gravel in the parking lot from washing so badly.

My printer has been goofing up. It prints in red most of the time. I have checked out the configuration and it should be fine but it still prints in red much of the time. It drives me crazy. Scott has my other printer and is not using it so I have asked him to bring it back next time he comes home. I will install it and see if it will print correctly.

Ah well...it's always something any more.

Rainy Day

It's been a rainy day today but we have needed the rain. I went to Independence this morning to get my hair done and to go to breakfast with Juanita. She is having some more problems with her glaucoma and is not seeing well just now so I picked her up.

I have read all afternoon after doing a load of laundry. I fixed a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch and Slinky ate more then half of it. I just can't refuse that old dog.

Bob has also been reading today. It rained all morning so he didn't take his walk. It is sunshiny now though.

I have posted on my church's web board in my spare time. That place will keep you thinking.

There's nothing on TV tonight so we will watch another episode of "The Power of Myth"..an old Bill Moyers interview with Joseph Campbell.

We wil have stew for dinner tonight.

Quiet Day

Every once in awhile it is good to have a quiet day. This has been one of those days.

I went to stay with my sister for a couple of hours this morning, as usual. My niece and her husband came in while I was there. It was good to visit them. It had been awhile. Their youngest daughter, who they had been home schooling all this time finally went to a school. It is a private Christian school but she should get a good education there. She is a freshman.

Then we read all morning. Bob did take Slinky for a walk. That was good for both of them.

I get a bang out of Slinky. He loves to come in the kitchen for awhile in the mornings while I read and I fix him his cinnamon toast. He loves his cinnamon toast and always sits for each bite without even being told.

I went downtown for awhile and looked through a new thrift store. This one has some really nice stuff. Unfortunately I don't need a thing.

After dinner, Bob and I took half a watermelon to my sister and brother-in-law. John gave it to us on Saturday and we could not eat it all by ourselves.

New Concrete Driveway Apron

Bob and I just went out to the church and they are pouring our new concrete driveway apron today. It looks terrific! We won't be able to drive on it until Saturday. I want it to completely cure before anyone tries to do that.

I hope no kid will go in there and mess it up after the contractor leaves. He has a barricade up right now but it could easily be moved. I will get a photo of it when I go out there next.

We did not clean today because we had just cleaned on Thursday. I will run a dust mop on the laminated floors anyhow. They do get dusty and the cat hair shows up there too. I did a couple of loads of laundry today.

Tomorrow morning, I will go visit my sister as usual. Then we will go take Leslie to lunch. I have had 16 responses so far to the Ministerial Alliance meeting notice I sent out. We should have a big meeting. That will be Thursday.

Busy, Busy Sunday

I baked my strudel this morning and took it for the early breakfast at church. Everyone seemed to enjoy it.

After church Bob and I took Leslie to dinner. John was home sleeping. He worked a twelve hour shift last night.

I spent the afternoon doing my letters and getting things ready for the first Ministerial Alliance meeting next Thursday. I had lost so much with my computer crash last month. I had to reconstruct the minutes. Luckily I had printed them off. But I had the summer minutes for the executive committee, the agenda and the attendance record to do as well.

I finally got everything redone and printed off and will have to duplicate them Wednesday at church.

This evening we have Living the Questions at Jack and Marilyn's home. It is a dinner and a study and I was to bring the potato salad but I forgot so I made a quick trip to the deli at the market to buy some. Busy, busy, busy.