Am I A Hoosier Yet?

Fifty years ago this month my wife and child and I chose to relocate from Seattle to Indiana. Our first home was in Wilkinson which I tell people who ask is halfway between Maple Valley and Warrington. From there we moved to Lebanon, then to Converse.

Forty years ago this month we moved to Tipton. This little three-bedroom house is where we raised our four children. It is where we were living when wife Frieda died. I moved about a year later and eventually sold the house. But I think I am a "Tiptonite" for I have resided in this town these forty years.



BBBH prepared a great supper for Monday night and topped it off with strawberry shortcake. Homemade shortcake, of course. MMMMmmm! (The evening meal is the main meal, but I still refer to it as "supper." You can take the boy out of the hills....
If you invite me to an evening meal at your house and you want me to call it "dinner" I can do that.)

Above Average

Five or six weeks ago (What Gives?) I was essentially asking what happened to the Bradford pear trees that graced the 100 block of South Main Street. Yes, they are gone; but now there is this: six new ginkgo trees in their stead!




This morning it was reported on the news that the average cost of a gallon of regular unleaded in the nation is $2.49. I know our community is "above average," a fact of which we are proud; but why does it always have to be above average in this commodity pricing arena?

What? Me A Priest?

Pastor Doug started a series this morning revisiting the "Living Beyond Myself" series presented two years ago.

Ministry is touching another's life for Christ.

Pastor stated that this was a one-point sermon; but, he said, don't be fooled. That doesn't mean you'll get out earlier.

Every Christ-follower is a priest.
"But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:" --I Peter 2:9

Each person should use whatever gift he has been given to serve others.
"As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." --I Peter 4:10

We all have different gifts but one is not more important than another.
"All these (gifts) are the work of one and the same Spirit and he gives them to each one, just as he determines." --I Corinthians 12:11

We are all to determine what our gift is, where we function most effectively in ministry. "Find your sweet spot," as Pastor says, then apply it in service to Christ.

[Some reflections on the scripture and the sermon, not necessarily presented in the sermon.
1. The chief privilege of the priest is Access to God. We may approach Him directly.
2. The function of the priest is sacrifice, which is fourfold. He offers a) his own body, b) praise to God, c) his substance, and d) to do good.]

Orphans and Oddballs

The 1953 Kaiser Manhattan was not my first car; but it was the one I traded in my first car for. 226 ci Continental Redseal engine, Kaiser's failure to offer a V-8 perhaps being part of the reason for its demise in 1955. This was a fantastically great cruising vehicle and equiped with 4-speed hydramatic transmission attained a consistent 22 mpg highway. No EPA estimates back then; that was actual regular measurement by yours truly. Dad teased me mercilessly for driving "orphans." See more below.

The gorgeous white 1960 Valiant was the first new car I ever bought. Paid $2066 for it in Indianapolis. This beauty had a red interior and was powered by a 170 ci "Slant Six." This baby looked just as good going as it did coming! And I kept it swept and polished like you wouldn't believe. But again, not a mainstream choice.

I would be hard-pressed even to this day to explain why I traded the Valiant for the 1962 Dodge Lancer. "Just had to have a new car" nuts, I guess. This, too, came right off the showroom floor, so to speak. Same engine as the Valiant. I did drive this one 94,000 miles before I traded it for a new 1965 Mustang 289 V-8.

There were several vehicles that graced my driveway between the Mustang and the next car shown, a 1989 Eagle Premier. But this particular article is about orphans and oddballs. The Eagle was a weird Chrysler-French offering that would be too hard to explain, even if I understood it. Great driver, though.

Again, there were a couple of minivans, some Grand Ams and other stuff between the Eagle and the current "orphan," our Pontiac G6 GT. Yes, GM has disowned its Pontiac badge and leaves us to the wolves. But this one will probably have to last the rest of our driving lives; and bids fair to do so, as we have driven it less than 11,000 miles in almost three years.

Okay this is already longer than it should be, but I haven't even included some of the worst vehicular choices I have made; and certainly haven't shared all of the best, either.

[Happy Birthday daughter Ann, my firstborn]

[Happy Birthday brother Elvin]

What Next?

The President is addressing the nation concerning his establishment of the Office of Cyberspace Communications Coordinator. I picture Ben Franklin rolling over toward Thomas Jefferson and saying, "What the ... ?"

(And next month: Office of Management of the American Automobile Manufacturing Corporation, a principally owned subsidiary of the United States Government.)

Supreme Court Appointment

President Obama has named his choice for the upcoming Supreme Court vacancy. So near as I can tell, and I haven't vetted her the way BHO has or should have done, nor have I grilled her as the Senate will or should grill her, she is a competent and capable individual. She certainly has a strong resume.

The problem for Sonia Sotomayor, though, will not be an issue of abilities but rather the picking of the pathway through the minefield of politics. It is unfortunate that everything, and I mean everything, is politicized, even to the detriment of the country. I think Ms. Sotomayor will be a good Justice of the Supreme Court. I base this hope very much on the fact that already we see the distaste for her being expressed on both ends of the political spectrum. The far right seem to think she is much too liberal, whereas the loons at the left end fear she isn't strong enough on their pet political agenda; i.e., she is not herself a loon. This gives us all hope that she will adjudicate in a fair, reasonable and legal fashion those issues which properly belong to the Court.

Fun days ahead. Looking forward to them.

(I do hold one reservation in my mind, and that has to do with the "compassionate" statement she is said to have uttered. Had Solomon been "compassionate" he would have ordered both women to undergo psychiatric evaluations and appropriate treatments as indicated, while the child would have been made a ward of the state, all at government expense, of course.)

And It Didn't Do the Railroads Any Good

Ford Model T: the car that put America on wheels. The last "T" was built on May 27, 1927. The plants were closed to retool for the new Model A.

Henry Ford: an amazing man.

His cars: amazing vehicles.

May 26

On this date in 1538, John Calvin was expelled from Geneva.

Did this stop or impede his work?