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Alas, Here They Are...

Merry Chistmas...

Tree of Christmas Future...

Tree of Christmas Past...

The Office Tree...

My Favorite Nativity Set...

The Stockings Were Hung...

The Reason for the Season Atop Hawaiian Sand...

In the Living Room...

One of the Living Room Trees...

Snow in Arkansas?

Ta Da...

My Name Is...

Apparently I am really Alicia Smith. I know it is crazy. I keep getting this message on my answering machine, "This message is for (different, unmatching computer voice) Alicia Smith. If you continue to listen you are acknowledging that you are Alicia Smith. I kept on listening because, hey, it is my house, my phone number and my answering machine. I must be Alicia Smith and I must owe someone some money. They are relentless. I am having and identity crisis apparently. I don't know who I am any more. I think I am one person and my answering machine tells me I am another. It is shocking! All my life I have apparently lived a lie...or I am getting these really obnoxious phone call about something and someone i know nothing about. Alicia Smith is right up there with Hazel McPherson. That was the previous name that people called looking for. Listen up world, I don't know who they are and I don't have your money. Okay! 870-483-5077 is the Mullins residence and it might just be that you owe me some cash! Hazel and Alicia if you are out there you need to pay up and update your contact information or you are going to owe me some cash, too.

Isn't it crazy, the phone calls we get. How dare they act like I am not supposed to listen to what is recorded on my answering machine. That is just rude. Anyone else get annoying calls like that. I screen any calls that I suspect may be telemarketers, etc.

Now, as for the Christmas display at the Mullins residence...drumroll please...it is DONE. I made the deadline. I surely did. It is all finished. Now I have to go out after dark and see if I can capture it. I know I have pledged pictures. I will have to get some on here. I will have to get some taken. It has been crazy to say the least. Anyway. It is all DONE! If I believed in dancing I would have to do little jig right now.

It is surprising that I can get anything doen having to be Alicia Smith's secretary. From what these people say I might out to look for a new job, cause she don't pay.

If you are Alicia Smith (or am I) or Hazel McPherson, or if you know them it is not my intent to out them for poor payement of bills. I do not mean to be insulting (or do I) and please feel free to use my phone number anyime (I wouldn't reccomend it). Now if I start getting a lot of calls from telemarketers lets say in the TX, TN, or WA areas I will be very suspicious. I know at least it will not be loan sharks trying to collect. Pictures soon. Soon can be difined so many ways. A day can be as 1000 years and 1000 years as a day. That is a very vague term. There are times that vagueness can keep you truthful. This is one such time. Soon...

The Deadline Approaches...

Yes, the deadline for all of the mania to be at its peak is quickly approaching. So much needs to be done and if it is not finished by Dec 1st...well, it is just not finished. Augh!!!! That sounds scary indeed. I have today and tomorrow or at least portions of those days. It kind of feels like one of those timed tests in school where they say, "Time!" and pencils must go down. I never liked those tests.

The inside is basically done. The outside seems untouched. The roof is all done but that is about where I have gotten to. The pool is still open. My, my my! It just seems there is so much to do and I am here blogging about it. Oh well. What is worse is that I have to work tonight and tomorrow night. So that means I will have to get naps on both days to enable me to stay up all night. That kind of cuts into my time...I know...STOP WHINING!!!!!

Very well then. All is well. I will persevere and live to procrastinate again. I will unless I fall from the roof. It is done, but there is one more thing I would like to go up there for. I can't wait to get it all done and photographed! Is there a support group for people like me? Hopeless addicts! Well, I gotta go untangle some lights. See ya!

Rehab...

My name is Jason and I...am a Christmas addict. I am such an addict, in fact, that there are some 15-16 trees in our home all fully decorated. I have hung well over a thousand ornaments and there seem to some left over. Oh, my. Perhaps I need help. The inside of our Christmas grove is now at or near completion. The outside is a totally different story. I put in several hours on the roof on Thursday in the cold. I am only partially there. I am sure it is to the disappointment of my season fans that expect it to be finished already. There really are many that drive by to see the display. I could have done some today but we were among the crazed, sleep deprived people who were out and about before 4 am.

Yes, that is correct. There were many others out there as well. These folks are devoted. We braved thick crowds, hot tempers. Our battery died on us before 5 am. Who do you call at that time of the day? Thankfully there was a man that responded as I dragged the booster cables out. That is what the season is all about, after all. Peace on earth, goodwill to me and all. He told us to have a blessed day. I thanked him for all of his help. A blessed but but bushed day. I slept the afternoon away to catch up, I normally have to take a nap to get ready to work all night any way.

It was a trully blessed holiday and thus far a blessed weekend. I pray the remainder of it is the same. I am so excited that it is on now. Christmas is on! The music plays from every speaker, the smells permeate the air, augh...yes, thre air. It has that cool, crisp feeling (30 degrees here, feels like 23). It is finally time. My addiction is okay. Now, I am like everyone else and not the person who has a tree up in October. Just a little while to be "normal." Is there such a thing?

DISCLAIMER: I am unable to spellcheck from the terminal I am at. Forgiver me for any miskeys, etc.

Happy Thanksgiving...

What a busy day this will be. Tomorrow we will be so fat with overindulgence. But today is the planning, working, cleaning, etc day before. I am such a procrastinator. I really am. But it is raining today so that means I am stuck inside with nothing else to do. Let me just take a moment to wish all of you a very happy Thanksgiving. I must get busy!

Oh That Cat...

As if it were not enough that the grandparents outgrew our home it now seems that the devilish feline who stays in our garage has decided that he should lay out all night, too. Wasn't that a long sentence and a very long story. He is of course a tom cat. He seems to have this needless desire to roam and roam defending his territory and of course hunting rodents.

I think the rodent part is great. We did not have any cats last year and the attic and garage were filled with mice. I purchased some "Shake-Away" online for $10. This product is scented like the...um...well...urine of a mouse's natural predators. One of which they had listed on the label was a bobcat. Now tell me how a city mouse knows what bobcat...um...well...urine smells like. I don't exactly live in town but not too far from it. There are no bobcats (that I have ever seen). But, the stuff seemed to work so I am not knocking it.

There is one ferocious light orange tomcat. You may have seen the picture I posted of him taking a nap by a mouse he had caught. This morning after Mushu did not come home, I went out looking for him. I just knew I would find him dead on the side of the road. I know that is how you mom and dads feel out there. There he was, not on the side of the road, rather he was in some tall grass at the edge of the field with his bum all up in the air shaking from side to side. he was getting ready to lunge on some unsuspecting animal. I allowed it and controlled my already brewing anger and went back inside. Moments later, Tabithia looked out and Mushu the Mischievous had once again brought his prey inside. I hate that. Were it dead, no big deal. This was a live rodent who was eager to escape its sadistic captor. He released the beast only enough to make it feel it was free, then would pounce on him. This went on only briefly when I heard a lot of pawing noise. Once again the cat lost a mouse in the junk in the garage. Augh!!!! Last year I had mice because there was no cat. This year I have a cat that brings them in and gives them a home. Is there "Shake-Away" for tomcats!

I had to go out and finish the job once again. I left him with the intact mouse which he later disemboweled. That is a beautiful feel good story. I know. I was so mad at him for being out all night. I provide him with a good home and he just lays out where ever in the cold. Kids these days have no respect, nor do cats. I could not help but pet and love on him though, especially when he starts that purring thing. He is so going to the vet for a little procedure though. Soon, very soon.

Empty Nest...

It is always sad when they grow up and leave your once busy halls silent, lonely. Sad it is indeed. Okay maybe our figurative children have not left us, but Tabithia's grandparents have returned to their repaired/cleaned house after the fire. After a week and three days I guess I will again be responsible for my own dishes...terrible! I guess I will probably have to start folding laundry again...fooey! Life is so unfair. You raise them up right, teach them, train them and they leave you. This is just so hard to cope with.

We all knew the day would come that their house would be inhabitable again. The day would come when they would not come in late at night. They just didn't come home. All of this after we worked so hard to clean up a mess we had created getting ready for them. All of the Christmas trees have sprouted from the floor (no I do not live in a dirt floor house, albeit I do live in Arkansas. My neighbor's house was supposed to be dirt floor, they are tearing it down so I sneaked a peek, no dirt floor.) There were enough needles to think we had real trees. There are two in the living room, one each in the four bedrooms, one in the kitchen, one table top in each of the three baths. There are others awaiting placement. It is like a forest really. Our trees in the living room are HIS and HERS. It is a little friendly competition. I will try to post some pictures once the elves come and finish it all. Wouldn't that be great!

Well, I must get off here and get something accomplished. There are no elves and no grandparents gonna do anything around my place today. I need to adopt some homeless elderly people. Must be able to cook, clean and put dishes away in the proper spot (that is another story). Anyone that flies with an umbrella need not apply. I find that a little creepy with or without a spoonful of sugar.

Overdue...

What a retched word! When it comes to bills it is particularly uncomfortable. We seldom ever experience that unless there has been some gross oversight (or misplaced bill). I am really over due to shed my joyful presence over blogville like glorious morning sun as it casts its first golden rays dispelling the darkness that was. So here I am. Feel better? Nyak!

A lot has transpired since last post. Last Friday, Tabithia's grandparents house caught fire. That was an intense moment when I received the phone call. It was disheartening to imagine plumes of smoke chased by the intense heat of years of memories engulfed in flames. I am so poetic today. What is up with that? I went over there and to my pleasure and surprise, no obvious flames. The fire department was on the scene and never had to sop down anything with their hoses. It began at the electrical meter and was primarily contained there. Someone was outside at the neighbors and caught it early. I fear that her grandparents who could scarcely hear a summer's thunderstorm would ever have a clue as to what was occurring. Everyone and virtually everything was safe. There was very minimal damage even from smoke.

For the past week, though, the house has been powerless, and thus the grandparents have moved in with us, only at night. They sleep at our house. They are so afraid that they will inconvenience us. They don't like to use our water. I actually like the dish washing situation. I despise to wash dishes. I don't even like to load them in the dishwasher. Blah! Well, Christine, her grandmother, is all about washing dishes. It is pretty nice actually.

Revival...What can I say? God has really blessed me as well as those there. Wednesday night was an awkward night for me. I did not feel I had the liberty needed. It was not any one's fault but perhaps my own. We had nine present the first night. Last night I believe we were up to about 11. It is a very small work and I am glad o be of service to them. The pastor apologizes unnecessarily because I am not discouraged. The Lord gave me a wonderful liberty last night. I was amazed by God's ability. I started and finished with the same intensity without any throat problems or loss of voice. Lately, I grow raspy by the end. My voice is nearly always gone by the end of the night anyway. the message was entitled, Isolation. I began talking about super staph and was able to put a plug in for hand washing, then on to the Levitical terms of isolation discussed in chapter 15, straight on to the woman with the issue of blood. We do not have to feel isolated. Our High Priest is touched with the feeling of our infirmities, whether physical, spiritual, emotional, mental...We just have to press through and reach out reach out in faith. only three members including the pastor have been there and four family members of one of the song leader. I am looking forward to tonight.

I should be wrapping this up. I still have to cook for Thanksgiving dinner on Sunday. I will have no time tomorrow. I need to let the dogs out. I need to change the ducks' water. I need to take a nap not to mention finish studying for tonight's message and have my things ready for work. What am I doing on here? See Ya!!

The Lighter Side...

Being a Sanguine and all i prefer the lighter side of life. The same applies to the four letters that represent my personal make up that I posted a couple of times ago. I can't remember all of that alphabet stuff. I know the CPMA, WMB, VLB...That is really all the alphabet I can handle, not to mention all of the abbreviations I use at work. Really though, I like to type out some of the big words anyway. There is just something about typing out cholecystectomy. I can do that word so fast. Love it. See there I am on a lighter subject today although I am so stressed. Why should I be stressed, really I don't know. I am in revival next week for three days. I look forward to that. I also have so much yard work to do. I have bought all kinds of shrubs and bulbs that need to be planted. I also have things I need to move. Now is the time, if I only had the time. On the inside, boxes are already flying open and Christmas has found its way into our house again. The mantle is done with stockings in place. Yes, I know if Becki is reading this she will strip a gear. Some people, me being one of them, skip right over the beautiful season of Autumn. I have had that lecture before. We have a fall display int he kitchen, although not for long.

I have a couple of prayer request before I close this out. The first of course is the revival next Wednesday through Friday. It is a smaller Church and I pray hey are truly revived and encouraged. I do not want just a series of meetings, I want the presence of God. My second request is for me. My neck is hurting me so badly as well as my shoulder. I cannot raise my arm up very high. I had the hardest time shaving. My neck messes up a few times a year while my should either could be a result of my neck or a condition that I have in my shoulder as well. Please remember these requests.

The Real Deal...

On this day when everyone (perhaps not everyone) dons a mask and pretends to be that which they are not, I just have to ask what makes this day so different from any other. It seems as though people are always masquerading as that which they are not. I want to be real and genuine. I am pretty transparent most of the time. That is not always a good thing. I work really hard to live peaceably with all men. When I say say I want to be real, I think I mean I want everyone else to be also. I never want to misrepresent what and who I am. I don't fell I do that. I don't brag about abilities. I treat them the same as dependents, I have zero. You may be wondering where all of this came from. Well, I sure can't say because there just might be someone lurking in the shadows. (I know you are out there.) That is fun isn't it?

I am reminded of that little song, "I Just Wanna Be a Sheep." I learned really quick that a hypocrite is just not hip with it. Proverbs 25:14 states, "Whoso boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without rain." There are many just blowing in the wind. Can people tel the difference? When they come in need of a shower they can.

This subject is a bit more serious than my normal jesting. My blog is a representation of me. It is real. This is what I am like...zany, unpredictable. It is typical Sanguine jargon. No motives here. No charades. What you see is what you get. Now there are those times when I might not be in the best of moods that i just don't post. That could be a lot of days out of the week. Really it's not. I am me, take it or leave it. For real!

At Wit's End...

Hmmm. Really I am not at my wit's end. I am not especially stressed. It has been a busy crazy week and the weekend now looms before me. When you only work three days a week those days that you work become exceptionally dreadful. That is not bothering me at this point though. That comes a little later in the day. I worked a whopping our hours yesterday but it was just as well. I had to go to that Safety Fai thing anyway. I think I blogged about that yesterday. I attended a very lengthy but interesting lecture on personalities last night. It is much deeper than the four (choleric, sanguine...). My sanguine personality prevents me from thinking any harder to come up with the other two. Sorry if I did not list you. Oh, well...this system has 16 personalities. It is the Meyers-Briggs system (MBTI). Again I don't remember what all of that means (the TI part). The speaker said that there were people in the nearly every community that could score your. It is not a test it is merely an instrument. So, I am going to find an online test which he advised against and see just what kind of person I am.

There really is something to personalities. We are all so different. When you couple personality with psychosis then it really gets interesting and you have most of my overnight patients in the CT department. They really are a different breed, most of them. Some people are ligitimately ill. Others are ill in a different way if you know what I mean.

O kay I took a little break here and you never knew it. I am possibly a INFP. Here's what that means. You let me know if it is a match.

"Usually gentle and kind, they are intense and passionate about their values and deeply held beliefs, which they share with trusted friends. Because of their discreet manner, their enthusiasm may not be apparent. They are sensitive to others' pain, restlessness or general discomfort and strive to find happiness, balance and wholeness for themselves in order to help others find joy, satisfaction and plenitude. They are deeply empathetic."

"They live life in an intently personal fashion, acting on the belief that each person is unique and that social norms are to be respected only if they do not hinder personal development or expression. They strive to adhere to their own high personal moral standards and are particularly sensitive to inconsistencies in their environment between what is being said and what is being done. Empty promises of adhering to something they value – such as environmental causes or human rights - set off an inner alarm and they may transform themselves into modern day Joan of Arcs."

"They are quietly persistent in raising awareness of cherished causes and often fight for the underdog in quiet or not-so-quiet ways. In a team, they will raise issues of integrity, authenticity, and good or bad, and may to opt out if the team refuses to address the questions raised. "

"They are usually tolerant and open-minded, insightful, flexible and understanding. They live for the understanding of others and feel deeply grateful when someone takes the time to get to know them personally. They have good listening skills, are genuinely concerned, insightful, and usually avid readers. At their best, they inspire others to be themselves."

I did not read all of it yet but some of it seems right. I say that is my possible personality because to know for sure I need to pay the $35 and take the whole test of 93 questions. For now i am an INFP. What are you?

A Picture Is Worth A Thousand Words...

I am not so naive to think that I can just put up a bunch of pictures and expect not to give some of amazingly witty commentary at some point. Really, I am not that full of myself. IT just sounded good at the moment. Thanks to all of those who have had a limited Hawaiian vacation by looking at my snapshots. I have enjoyed all of your comments. Some of those places are so pretty it would be hard to take a bad photo. I have many more pics that I would like to post soon that bring more wow factor.

Sis. Becky, I took with me 2, 2 GB, memory cards and another camera with I think a 1 or 2 GB SD card. I took over 2000 pictures. It really did not seem like I was missing out taking pictures all of the time. That was really what I wanted to do. There were pictures to be had everywhere and I wanted them. It was really like inexpensive souvenirs. I have a lot of them. Some good...some not so good.

It has been a busy week here. I have made the trip to Memphis twice. I have to go to work here in just a couple of hours...only for 4 hours though. That seems hardly worth it. I was going to have to go up there anyway. We are having the "Safety Fair." It is a booth to booth set up of hospital procedures. If you miss it, you have to take a stack of tests that is a whole lot less enjoyable. So I must go. Tonight I have to go hear a lecture for continuing education credit. So, this day pretty well stinks.

There was talk of going on another trip next week...Las Vegas. I know what you are thinking..."Why would a Christian go to sin city?" I care nothing about Las Vegas, but it is a short trip from the grand canyon. The H&R Block Convention is there and a friend of ours is a franchisee. We often travel with him and get discounts. This time it seems we have wait too long to book our tickets and they have gone up too much. So, I think we stay home this time, unless rates drop which I doubt. So no Grand Canyon for me. I should have really liked to have photographed that. Wow!

I think I have rambled quite enough and failed to deliver on the witty part. So, I just give you commentary today. Perhaps tomorrow I will bring the wit.

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

More Hawaii...

Say that three times fast. You must pronounce every vowel.

Wait a Minute...

It worked! "A 15 minute call could save you 15% on your car insurance." It looks like he just just jump up and talk to you.

Bummer...

I have tried for days to upload more pics from the land of Aloha. The Internet where I am is not fully cooperating. It pretty well stinks. I have nearly had a stroke trying this many times. It is nearly more than I can bear. I would love to be able to post some more but instead I am left only to describe with words. I will not even attempt that.

Having been home only a week now feels like months since we left that sunny (and rainy) land. I know that seems like a contradiction. It rained somewhere on that island everyday we were there. We are still eating on fresh pineapples straight from the red earth. Their soil is bright red but you wouldn't know that because I can't get the pictures up. There is so much iron from all of the volcanic activity. No volcanoes where we were, only extinct ones.

Life is back to normal here in the real world. We had a revival over the weekend with Sis Carter (Bro Lanny Carter's wife). I really enjoyed her ministry. She has such a take charge authority about her. Not like a coup attempt on your Church, but more like a "means business" approach. She does not compromise with the devil. I really admired her in your face altar work, too. She did not back down and at the same time was not over the top. She is very humble in spite of the description I have given here. I actually never knew she was a minister. In fact I had never really heard her say much in all of the times she was here on official business. She said a lot this past weekend and it was all good.

Well, I gotta get around. I need to cook something today to eat this weekend. Hmmm. I dunno! I will figure it out. Talk to you all next week, Lord willing!

Hawaii...

Hawaii...

Hawaii...

Hawaii...

Hawaii...

Hawaii...

Home Again...

Well (that is a pretty deep subject), I am home at last. I have some really great pictures (about 2000) but they are all on my computer at home. I would like to say that I will get them on soon but we are having a revival this weekend and I am back to work tonight. It will probably be Tuesday before I can get anything up.

We barely made it home. Our flight that we were supposed to board on Sunday night was cancelled. So Northworst airlines put us up in a nice motel. It sounds exciting to be stranded in Hawaii for an extra day. Not so much! We were near a maze of overpasses and airports. It is one of the least scenic places of the island.

I do not want the negative experience trying to leave and three days spent in airports to make it sound like we did not enjoy our vacation. It was wonderful. Picturesque sunsets, helicopter rides, snorkeling, rock collecting, beach combing, an attempt at surfing (that did not go well). There is just too much to tell and it would be too much to read. My pictures will tell the story if I ever get them on here. I have had much to do since coming home. My grass was knee deep....It was all worth it though. Wow! We had some wonderful food...purple sweet potatoes, taro bread, poi (not so good), Kahlua pork, coconut pudding, fresh, fresh, fresh pineapple. I think pineapple goes with everything now. They do say that eating it after a big meal aids in digestion. Put some pineapple on the table at the next Church pot luck you have.

It was all so great. I shall tell more when time permits. To be continued...

Cat and Mouse Game

Last Wednesday, I had the garage (also known as Mushu's room) door open while the cat wandered around outside. It was about time to let the dogs out so I went out to see where Mushu was so that I could secure him. The cat and dogs have not met face to face yet and may never. The dogs love a chase and it is eminent that Mushu would give one. To my surprise I did not have to yell for Mushu to come in. He was there and acting very odd. Perhaps Ii should say acting odd for him. He typically is just a wee bit different. I had an old broken gourd laying in the floor. I kept it for seeds since it could not make a birdhouse. By the way if anyone would like such seeds I would be more than happy to send some. Back to the story. He began to move the gourd around becoming more aggressive with it as if there were something inside. The rougher he got, sticking his paws inside the holes, the more the gourd began to fall apart piece by piece. This disintegration began to reveal a very large mouse trying to escape Mushu inside the gourd. I immediately put the garage on lock down. The rodent could not escape. Mushu worked with the gourd until he could free the wretched little beast. He tossed it around a bit letting it run away. I have some places in there that could harbor such a fugitive if not carefully attended. I had to pull him out with a pair of pliers multiple times. There was something wrong with his back legs. He dragged them around. I rather suspect my feline had brought him to the house after much torture somewhere else. He has really become quite the hunter. he has killed at least two birds. Sadly it is the birds I have lured in with feed. I feel so guilty. There were times that Mushu was almost asleep and the rodent still alive. I thought there is no way that mouse was going to be loose in my garage. It looked like Mushu was praying, "Thank you, Lord, for this food that I am bout to receive. It probably took and hour for him to finish the job. He almost let him go at one point. He did not eat the mouse. I disposed of him before it got that far. He did not seem interested anyway. I treated him to a can of food.

Y'all, I will not be blogging after today for over a week. I will be in Hawaii!! God bless you all. I am sure I will have plenty of pictures when I get back. I hope the Cat and Mouse game will be enough until then.

Attempting New Post

I really have so little to blog about....Hum!!!!!!!...*twiddles thumbs.* I did go down to Trumann last Sunday night to preach for them. It was the first time I had officially been there since transferring over a year ago. They were still the same great people with the addition of some new, but familiar faces. At least five from the former organization were there in attendance with them. I have known them all for a long time. I have never worshipped with them though and that was great. It was really good to be there.

The Jernigan's little girl is such a mess. She says some of the funniest things. We were all out in the hall talking after service and she looked up at em with that big ole grin and said, "Yeah, we need another preacher." It was as if she were trying to hire me. She wasn't trying to replace her dad, just supplement him.

Sunday morning the Investigation process began. Our Junior Detectives had a case to crack. They are pretty new at this and no the most observant. It was the Mystery of the Missing Jewelry. A Church family was gone to the Regional Convention. They left a young neighbor to house sit for them, watch their dog and bird and watch over a precious antique jewelry box. the boy forgot and left the door unlocked and open while he ran home. He returned and looked things over finding nothing missing. The dog go rowdy and knocked the jewelry box off spilling its contents...IT WAS EMPTY!!!!!! Oh, no! Where did the jewelry go? Had it been taken? There was a crime scene set up int he borrowed nursery complete with "Do Not Cross" tape. There was the box, a highlighted "We Hold These Truths" tract (you can just imagine what was highlighted) and a picture of the couple (non-be-jeweled people from a catalog). Sounds like an open and shut case. Not hardly, our super sleuths had to work and work and work to figure that out. Finally they did. Then they had to figure out which person from the congregation took their treat, Crackerjacks. It was very fun and we got to teach them a lesson on modesty in a very unique way. They enjoyed it. There will be more mysteries to solve.

The real mystery is how I started with nothing to blog about and now I can't seem to stop. I must. God bless you all.

Rain, Rain, Rain...

Believe it or not, it rains again. I started mowing yesterday, intending to finish today. Well, this am the sky is darkened once again and an apparent soaking shower fell during the night. So, it looks like I stay mainly inside today.

I am still working on the mystery. It is a mystery to me, too, at this point. It is quite a challenge to me right now. I know the Lord will iron out all the details in my cluttered mind. I do know the treat that will be hidden...Cracker Jacks! It does have a surprise inside. I want the kids to feel the same way about the lessons. I want there to be the awe element. The Lord will certainly have to help me.

In other news, Mushu has become murderous on top of violent. He attacked and killed the bird the other day. I think I blogged that story. Well, he has since had the taste for another winged treat. I did not witness the attack, but the aftermath was grizzly. He was slapping his lifeless prey around when I spied him. Why does a cat feel it must torture its hostages? I will never understand that. We had a cat once that I watched play with a mouse for over an hour. He kept his paw on the mouse's til, then he would release the rodent, give it a head start and pursue it all over again. I was furious that he would risk releasing the pest so that it could take up residence in the house. He never did. He would always leave the decapitated evidence behind as if to say, "Look what I did." Cats can be so strange.

We went to see the Lion King last night in Memphis, the Broadway version. It was very good. Paydon went and sat on my lap the whole time because he could not see very well in his seat. That was not a problem during the first hour and an half. By the time we hit two hours the six year old was killing me. My left leg hurt so bad. Thankfully we had intermission in which I recovered somewhat. Then the show resumed for another hour at least. How can you take a 90 minute movie and turn it into a three hour show? I will never figure that out. It was really good though. I saw most of it through one eye though. I tried to keep Paydon close so that we did not block anyone behind us.

I think I also blogged a while back about my impending vacation to...HAWAII!!!!! Yes, we are set to leave in just days now. What was months away, now it just days. September 2 to be exact. 10 days!!!!!!!!! Wow!!!! I think it will be so beautiful. I bought a new memory card for my camera to be sure I have enough memory. I don't want to miss any of it. There may be some I am willing to omit. I expect some to be culture shock. It is a time though when the tourist season is the lightest. That will be great!

Yesterday, I was on my way back home from checking my email because I am too cheap to pay for this at home. I travel o an office that I have a key to. Anyway, I was going home and went the long, scenic way because the sunrise was glorious. I was driving along snapping pictures because I just happened to have my camera. I stopped on a small bridge overlooking a drainage ditch just to take a peek. I saw some kind of animal in the distance. It appeared to be beavers so I parked the car (off the bridge) and slowly pursued. I got very close to the non-beavers. They were river otters (I think). I was taking pictures of them like crazy. One of them was swimming and stopped right in front of me. He looked right at me so that I could take his picture. It was great. They finally found a fish to eat and took the meal to the brush where I could not see them. I heron flew off as i was approaching them. It was a great morning.

This post is getting as long as Becky (Long)Horne's. I haven't made a stab at her in so long. It is hard to resist. I am blogged out!

Rain, Rain...

If I were to finish that it would say, "Go away..." I am glad the rain is here. We went for months with so very little. It has rained for a week now. It is great. I could just go out and run in it. But then again I really don't like to get wet like that. It is shaping up to be another fabulous dreary day today. Our temps have dropped to the mid 80's for highs. Fall has arrived here in Arkansas. Augh!!!! Relief from this terrible hot weather we have known for so long. Every year we think it was hotter than the previous. I am sure according to Al Gore it is. I have yet to see the movie.

Really, I think we just get that notion in our heads. We can do that very easily. So much in life is suggestive. Speaking of suggestive, this might just be all in my head as well. I am becoming decrepit. As I approach 31, my right knee has gone kaputz on me. It is swollen and aches constantly. At times I limp around like a very old man (much older than 30). Sunday, I had some relief from it, only to find out when I woke up that afternoon that my other knee and ankle ached. I really think it is the weather. My joints have always popped and cracked with every movement. My brother has been diagnosed with degenerative joint disease. It is probably just my lot in life. To make matters worse, I was watching the news and they noted that studies indicate knee pain to be linked with lung cancer. Cough! Cough! Yes, perhaps I am one of the biggest hypochondriacs there are. At least my mental health is well, or as well as to be expected. Most people don't expect a whole lot out of me.

Saturday, I called Tabithia. She had left for work. While she was leaving our precious golden boy, Mushu, emerged from the open garage door as if the cell door was left open. There was a small bird that lay motionless on the ground very near our dear feline. Mushu was oblivious to the birds proximity. That is until the bird twitched and was abruptly snatched up by the then snarling ferocious beast. All of this scene was played out before Tabithia's eyes. She said she did not know what to do. I thought that she was concerned for the loss of the poor bird's life. Not hardly. The bird was so inactive she feared there was something wrong with it. Perhaps some dreaded disease--West Nile. She did not want Mushu to fall ill. That night there was something wrong with him. He rubbed on my ankles and just enjoyed being petted without attacking, scratching or biting one time. That is very unlike him. He must have more birds in his diet.

I really should get off of here. I still have to check my myspace and look up some stuff for Children's Church. We are becoming detectives for a few weeks investigating the Fellowship of the Mystery. Each week a different adult out front will have our treats. They have to determine through detective work who has it. Tomorrow we start getting everyone's mug shot to put in out command central. The treat search will conclude after service and certainly after we have uncovered some beautiful truth. To some kids the Bible seems to be written in code. They don't really get it until you decipher it. That is what we hope to do. We have been reappointed to this great work again. I began in Children's Ministries. I struggle at how to express this. Sometimes you feel like people view you as less a minister because you are with kids all of the time. Somehow you feel your ministry is not worth as much. I tried for years to suppress what I do. I feel with anointing we can be made all things to all men. I tried to steer clear of the kiddos for years. Somehow, God repositioned me again back in the middle of what I had tried for so long to get out of. All of my revival work this year has been with children. I just want to be what god wants me to be. I enjoy preaching to all ages from Children's Church to the Nursing Home. I cannot place myself in this body. I am at the mercy of a loving Father who knows just where I can be effective. Place me, Lord.

More Assembly Pictures

102nd General Assembly of The Church of God

It truly was a blessed General Assembly. The facility was excellent and inviting. The Spirit was empowering and beckoning. I think it was impressed upon each of us to move up a little higher. I know I have left that place with that feeling and it is not just a little movement that I desire. I sincerely want to be exercised for Him and His glory and His Church. There are so many wonderful things to tell. Perhaps words could never sum it up. I will try over the next few days to get up some of my best pictures. It was a wonderful, wonderful time. God was so good to us. It was like a homecoming being in Cleveland. Just around the corner we went to Gaut Street and Brother Tomlinson's old house. What a rich spiritual heritage we have there in that city.

Time For One More

Nearly everyone i know is probably too busy in preparations or travel to read this but i am going to post it anyway. First, for those of you traveling, may God bless and keep you all as you make your way to the General Assembly. I so look forward to seeing all of you during this blessed time. I can hardly wait. My weekend was not so good at work. I just kept thinking I will soon be in Cleveland at the General Assembly. That thought kept me going. I am excited about Children's Assembly and every thing else. I cannot wait to take it all in. It shall be glorious.

I am making all preparations to leave. It is an undertaking trying to get everything organized. I worry about little Mushu and how he will do without us (little imp). There is so much to take care of at our house. I do not wan to worry about things. Lord, please watch over those things and those that watch over those things. Mushu could become violent. That is normal though.

We will be leaving out tomorrow am (I hope). We have some people joining us and we are all going out there together. I absolutely cannot wait. I have my camera ready. So you can expect the paparazzi to be watching your every move. Relax and enjoy though. The worst thing that could happen is you could have a booger hanging from your nose and Ii would post the picture on here for the few people who read this to see. No biggie.

I really can't wait to see you all, booger or (s)not. God bless you all!!!!

A Decade and a Day

Yesterday marked a decade of wedded bliss for Tabithia and I. I had thought about it all day long. I could not wait for her to come home. I wrote her a poem. We were not gifting this year because we are going to Hawaii in about four weeks. It was a Church night so time for anything extra special was very limited and we were both fine with that...I thought. When Tabithia got home, I was still out with the dogs. That did not seem to go over very well but not that badly. I told her I could still be ready in the time it takes her. She took forever getting ready. By the time she was completely done it was 6:15. Then she began to pick fights over not being ready to go. I was ready. She started getting so nasty. I was just mad. I thought why has she come home to ruin this special day. the only embrace I wanted to give here included strangling. I could not believe it. Those little butterflies in the stomach feelings I was having turned to indigestion. It was about time to leave for Church, she did not want to leave too early. So we waited a little longer. We were a couple of minutes late but it was not started yet.

By the time we got there I wondered why I had even gone. I was not the least bit happy. Here this special day was ruined. We went through the whole service and finally to the end. I was still trying to salvage the night and go out after Church. Bro Robert, our CPMA booster, turned the service back to Bro Lawrence, our pastor. I thought we must be having a conference, maybe something we needed to take care of before the Assembly. I thought, "Oh, why does it have to be tonight." then as he took the stage a familiar song began to play, Valentine. I recognized it immediately but still thought it was like a happy anniversary thing but why were they playing it over Brother Lawrence. We were having a conference. About that time he asked me to come up front. As I stood there, down the isle came that mean old girl that had been so nasty to me an hour before. She had on that same dress she wore a decade ago. It had all been part of her devious plan to confuse me. All of a sudden an arch came from the back. We were having a wedding. I was so shocked and yes, my eyes filled with tears. Even though she had been so mean I said, "I will," again.

Someone told us after Church we were in "Double Marriage." All of the meanness had been an act. People are so crazy. They think they have to make you furious to keep you from figuring things out. I must say, it is pretty clever. For one time she totally surprised me. I just love that little girl!

That picture is the original. I don't have any of the new ones yet.

I Have Returned...

I have been away for about a week. I hope this does not strip me of my "most improved" trophy. I worked so much extra last week and this. Well, maybe it was just a day each week. Anyway, I was tired. It was so busy when I did work that it just zapped all my strength. I hope, pray this weekend is better. It has been a scorcher here. I so desperately need rain in my yard. It is a desert. I have been dragging hoses around for a month.

Last week I built a new home for the ducks. That went went. I did get frustrated and had to take a swim break. I had too cool off in more ways than one. The grand total of duckie tenants is now at 5. I inherited some. I have also gained some rabbits. I never saw that coming nor did I want it to. The funny part is that some of them were mine to begin with. We moved them before we went on vacation last May to make it easier to care for them while we were gone. It became so much easier for me to leave them where they were. So, now I am about to get them home. Perhaps next week I can accomplish that task.

As for suits...Yes, I got three new suits at the New York Suit Exchange. Bro Ray, As best I can tell there is no web site. There are some very good deals though. I had a little trouble because of my unique size. I am kind of in between. The selection for me was not as large as for other sizes. No, I am not saying you are fat.

I really need to get off of here and take a nap. God bless you all. It is just a little over a week before we see each other again. Can't wait!

My Little Boy Is Growing Up...

Where to begin here. My last post was Friday. I went off to work that night had a really good night, thank God. I worked enough to keep myself going but not enough to run myself crazy. The real craziness was the next day. There is a place in Memphis called the New York Suit exchange. They have a sale every so often where you get three suits, three shirts, three ties, three belts, three pairs of socks...for $200. So I slept a little while and Tabithia woke me up to run over there. I went to bed at noon. She awakened me at 4pm. I had myself convinced the whole time that I would be fine. I thought I had had 6 hours sleep. I must have been delirious. When I realized I only had four, I was nearly in a panic. I thought I would be so tired. Saturday night was pretty calm, too. Oh, well, I had three new suits. It was worth it. We stopped at a barbecue place in Marion that I had always wanted to try, Tops. The quality of the meat was very good. It was just a little bland. It was not bad though.

I got home watched a little of America's Got Talent and headed off to work. Sunday all went well. I got up on Monday and was reading this book I found in my stuff the other day. It is called, "Preparing to Teach the Word of God." It is a really old book with yellow pages. IT was my great aunt's. Most of the time I may start a book like that, but when I realize how crazy it is I put it away. Some folks just believe anything. This book is different. It is very inspirational. It is a good book. Anyway, I was reading and someone rang the doorbell. I was not prepared for that nor dressed for it, so it took me a little time to get that way. The knock became more and more fervent. I could not imagine what they wanted. I finally got the the door and there is this hyper guy, Cooley, he called himself. He basically does a rap right there in my front yard. I thought, "O' no, it is one of those traveling salesman." Not so. He talked fast at first, but I never heard him get anywhere near that again. He actually talked very, very very slow. He wanted to pave my driveway. I had been intending to get an estimate for that. The driveway was gravel with a few potholes. They actually made us a good deal. So, I now live down a paved driveway.

I got to work that night and got a very good deal on lunch, $1. Then my day took a turn for the worse. It seems that my state license had lapsed. I had a major ordeal over that and hop that it is resolved. I worked all day yesterday on that. I have to call today to find out whether I have to drive tow hours to Little Rock or not. Every time I go there I get lost. I do not like Little Rock.

O yeah, let me quit rambling long enough to get to the title of this post. Mushu, it turns out can really jump. He jumps up to the edge of the pool without problem or hesitation. The reason I say he is growing up is due to the fact that he is eating dry food. I think canned food stinks and is gross. He does not feel the same. I had been wanting to try him on some dry food. Yesterday was the day. He dove into it. It went that well. I think he has been sneaking into the dog food when his bowl runs empty anyway. He is determined not to starve to death. He is pretty funny. He has had no major disciplinary problems lately. He is not too hard to put back up because it is 100 degrees here. He just pants outside. So do the dogs. I do, too. Bluh!

I guess I will go see what today holds!

Repetition...

Contrary to common thought, any sane thought anyway, my title has but little to do with my subject (I don't really have a subject). I could not come up with a title I have not already used. So, please excuse my redundancy. I instead chose to label my post as repetition. That is probably what the subject material is anyway. I have no material, but who said you had to have something to blog about. It could be a lengthy essay of my inner most thoughts. That is pretty shallow. It is probably just more of the nonsense I call merriment.

I could be doing all kinds of things right now. I need to vacuum the pool again. I need to mow the yard. The weedeating is all done--Yeah, me! It is so seldom all finished at once. I really need to get on that mower though. Tabithia has mowed the last three times. What a doll! It is certainly my turn. I also have to take a nap. I know that does not seem a necessity, but I have to work all night long tonight so I normally lay down just to power nap sometime during the day.

It is so stinking hot here! You can absolutely see the air. It is near unbearable. Who has ideal climate right now? Maybe I should move there. If you climate is ideal now it probably get well below zero in the winter. I am not into that either. Mosquitoes are really not overwhelming this year. They are not exactly good, but in comparison to the swarms we normally breed in these parts, we are doing well. That is probably do to the fact that it has not rained in forever. I have heard that hot weather makes people cranky. I can tell by my tone that I need a cool refreshing shower. Don't take that to mean that I do not have good personal hygiene. I nice rain would be great. Spiritually a shower would be great as well, but I am not as cranky in that area. Really, we had Communion and Feet Washing last Wednesday night. It was a really sweet service. My feet are clean at least. You know, I really just do not like feet. When I was doing X-rays, I could not even touch a foot without gloves. I find them absolutely disgusting. That and spit. I cannot deal with saliva. That grosses me out worse than near anything. How did I get to this subject? Well, I am here. Feet, for some reason, are deemed untouchable by me. So, it is truly a humbling experience for me. Jesus really knew what He was doing there that night. What a lesson it teaches me every time. One brother said Wednesday that we hesitate to do the things that are good for us. Feet washing is good for us. It was a command that we should do unto each other as he had done. The Son of God, King of Glory knelt to wash His disciples feet. There is no one better than Him! I can do it.

Let me ask this. Does anyone else feel the emergent need to wash your hands afterwards? It was humbling to do it but I don't want to touch my face or blow my nose with foot stuff on me. The strange thing there is it is okay for me to blow my nose in service and not feel the emergent need to wash, but if I touch your foot--no way! I wash my hands after hand shakes, too. Am I a bad person? Does anyone else do any of this?

Finally...I'm Off...

Augh! Yes it does feel good to be off from work finally. Monday is my Friday. this week it was Tuesday. What a bad night it was. It seems I am having more and more of those. Last night I think it was just because I was so ready to be off for a few days. Now, I am off (my rocker). I need to mow, vacuum the pool, go to the revenue office and renew my vehicle registration, laundry, walk the dogs, water the yard...Am I really off? I would rather be doing this kind of stuff for a few days anyway.

I have so much other stuff to do as well. I am tired just thinking about all. Maybe I am just tired. I know that's right. Let's see. What interesting things happened to me? Hmmmm. Hmmmmmmmmm. I have really done very little but work since last entry. I had set the alarm this morning for around 7. Lately the alarm has had no effect on me. I turn it of unwittingly and roll back over. I don't usually have anywhere to be in the mornings. So, that is not a huge problem. *Yawn* This morning I was dreaming about the clock (I really don't like drams like that). Anyway, I had requested the floors be cleaned (as if I am not the one who does that). In come this girl from Church, Trishe with a vacuum cleaner (she works at Wal Mart and suddenly my bedroom becomes the discount center itself). She acts like I will be so proud the floor is cleaned because it really needs it. Yes, I am still asleep and she is making all kinds of racket cleaning the floor by my bed. On top of all of that, she did not clean it very well. Why do we dream crazy stuff? It is just a hodgepodge of random thoughts all run together. They are insane notions.

When I was a kid a dreamed about the same monster that lived in our house. He stayed in the laundry room most of the time. He was brown, furry and had big mouse-looking ears (I have another story about ears). He was quite ferocious and scary though. I would never sleep with arms out of the cover, never hang anything over the edge of the bed and always close the closet door. Our closet door had a small hole in it, too. I kept posters or patches over it all at times. I knew all the junk that was under my bed and in my closet prevented a monster from residing there. Just in case though, I made sure I protected myself in every way. The day time was different. When night fell, the room was on lock down. I am convinced the psychosis was brought on by dreams. It was killer Mickey that brought terror to this young child. In some of those dreams it was day time and I had to be very quiet or I would wake up the monster.

I still have the strangest dreams. They do not haunt me now. They simply annoy and exhaust me. Sometimes you just wake up so tired like you have run or worked all night. Sometimes that is the case. Other times it is the nonsense that my psychotic subconscious invents.

Speaking of psychotic. Yesterday I saw this girl with pink hair and what I thought were mouse ears on her head. So she got the attention she craved as I had to look again to be sure. Yes, she did. She was not Mousketeer though. Later I saw her walking around again. She had some sort of furry animal tail attached to her shirt. I am not sure what look she was going for. Perhaps she is a descendant from Daniel Boone, NAH! At least I just dream the craziness while other choose to lie it.

Where Was I...

It has been a few days since I have had the opportunity to post. I certainly do not want to mess up now and be stripped of my trophy (NARR Most Improved). It seems that I came back from the brink of death. I worked Friday night as usual. I went in 4 hours unusually early at 7 pm. I worked ferociously to stay caught up. I was really quite busy. In 5 hours I averaged 4 patients per hour. That is pretty busy. Some patients are on the table longer than that. As soon as one was off another was ready to go on. It was back to back. In the next 8 hours I did the same number for a total of 41 procedures. That is a lot for one person. The time passed very quickly though. I ended up staying over the next day to help finish a chest tube placement. I worked 16 hours, 45 minutes. What a day that was. I was ready to go to bed for sure. I still managed to drive by a yard sale on the way home. I drive by and if I see something I am interested in I stop. If I don't I keep on trucking. Saturday, I kept on trucking.

The complete and utter chaos of Friday-Saturday was completely dispelled on Saturday-Sunday. I scanned a grand total of 3 patients. Only three!!!!! I studied my Bible for hours. I prayed with the CT table as an altar. It was a wonderful night. I learned so much about the transfiguration. I had no extra reference books so it was all from the Holy Ghost. He really will show us the deep things of God. I immensely enjoyed my time alone with the Lord. It was so wonderful. I was hand writing all of these notes and could scarcely keep myself caught up. I was bouncing off the walls when everyone got there the next morning. Speaking of bouncing off the walls. There is a sliding glass door that goes to the back of our department. Our lockers are back there and some equipment. It is really cold back there so I closed the glass door. When my co-worker, Sunie, came in she failed to notice the door was closed. I think you may have seen the Windex commercial. She walked face first into it. BAMM!!! The sad thing is I missed the whole thing. I turned out to be a good weekend, make that a great weekend!

Mushu has been his normal rotten self. Yesterday right before I left for work, we wrestled a bit. he appartently won judging by the big bleeding scratch on my hand. We use alcohol hand cleaners at work. I was reminded of Mushu with every application. Somehow when you come home and there he is purring you just melt and pick him up. Awe! Ain't he cute! (Little imp).

What Title Have I Not Used...

I tried to put a title on this but realized i have already used that one. I don't want to be redundant. I would hate to offend my one and only faithful reader, Sister Smith. Augh! Thank you so much for making the trivial moments of my life seem like interesting material. How kind.

The chronicles of Mushu continues. The cat was so bad last night. He went outside and I could not get him back in. I closed the garage door down and pretended to abandon him. I thought when I put that door up he would be there scared to death that I had deserted him...NAH!!!! I don't no where the little beast was. I went out and called and called. Finally about when i determined he was going to camp out last night, he comes up like nothing ever happened. I was mad at the little feline, but not furious. I was going to pick him up and put him back in the garage. He ran from me again. I was getting furious at this point. I don't know how people with real children ever do it. He ran under the car. I took my flip flop off and threw it at him. Does that sound like sanctified behaviour? Don't tell me you parents never threw a shoe at your kids or at least thought about it. Those Smith kids, the youngest especially, probably needed a shoe tossed at them with love. Can you throw a shoe with love? Anyway, I looked under the car and there he was just looking at me like I was a dummy. So I retrieved my shoe and threw it again. My intention was not rage but rather to force him out of his hiding spot. He is such an impish little beast at times. I hope there are no PETA supporters reading this. If there are, I eat chicken, too! That is what I think about that. Finally, after the last throw of the flip flop, the cat chases it into the garage. I go in behind him. He realizes he is in for it and tries to get back outside. I was getting even worse at that point. He was just making this situation worse and worse. I blocked him in more than one direction, he tried to get around me still. I reached to put the door down with the keypad the whole time playing defense. As soon as my furry friend was imprisoned safely in the garage, I changed my game plan to offense. I was not intending to spare the rod or the flip flop as the case may be. He ran from me all over that place. I never did get to properly discipline him. I had fed him, after that I covered it over. I refuse to reward bad behavior. He had already had his allotment for the day anyway. What a bad child! This is precisely why I do not have kids. They would act up and I would just find whatever was handy or footy and whack them.

Mama did us that way. At times it was whatever she could find. I was disciplined by a big stick on the side of the road. My older brother received the handle end of a fish net. My youngest brother met a piece of PVC pipe. We needed it. They probably did worse than me (in many instances still do). Actually lick for lick, I probably got the most. I was always in trouble. It must have worked its way out of my system or the miraculous work of sanctification eradicated that nature. I lean more toward the second.

I need a kitty discipline class. This little monster is about to get it. Most of the time he is really good, even when he is biting until he leaves marks. That does not bother me. When he refused to listen to me or even respond, I can't handle it. He is very hard headed. Any suggestions?

Catching Up...

I certainly do not want to break my blogging habit although it seems like so many have broken theirs. Ahem! Anyway, let me see here. What shall I blog? This past weekend was a much better one. There were not nearly as many disastrous moments. I worked as usual. The first night was very calm, the next a little busier. The weekend as a whole was not bad though.

Children's Church went well. We are making "Glad Bags." It is a ziplock (Glad) bag with different colored index cards with things on each card that make us glad. We are cutting out the letters from magazines to spell out the words. I was then in charge of Sunday Night service. the bad thing was I woke up at 4 pm extremely nauseated and otherwise sick. I felt some better at Church. But as I was about to take the stage, I was very, very ill. I thought I was going to toss my cookies. (I know, isn't this a great blog topic. At least I did not mention the diarrhea I experienced. I can't believe I just did that. Yes, I can.) We started singing some praise choruses. He Hath Made Me Glad and then He Is Lord. The more I focused on the solution, the problem minimized before my very eyes. God is so good. It just so happened that my message was along the same lines.

We consider David as a great king, powerful in battle, even as a child he slew a lion, bear and giant. In all of that he never exalted himself. It is evident in the Psalms he penned that he gave God the credit He was due. David often mentioned his problems and enemies setting traps. David realized his insufficiency while at the same time saw the sufficiency of God. This mighty man more often portrayed himself as helpless without the power of the the Lord. When the ark of the covenant was returning to the city of David, he appeared as less than royal to his wife. David told her he would be more vile than that. In other words he would abase himself before God. He realized he was nothing without Him.

I never want to get caught up thinking I am sufficient. I need the help of almighty God. I cannot do it on my own. I certainly could not have on Sunday night. Thank the Lord for His help in my time of distress. Thank Him for his presence at all times. In the 70th Psalm, David wrote, "...let such as love salvation say continually; God be magnified."