Problems!

 

I know things happen, but often bad things just seem to pile up.  We have Word for the World Mission conference at Calvary this week.  In preparation, we needed a new commercial refrigerator.  Kirk kept freon in our old one, but a tiny leak was daunting.  And it was old (the fridge, not Kirk).  The new one was to be delivered a week before the conference began.  But the new one was soooo heavy.  Miss Tam told them that they needed 4 men, but only 2 came.  They were strong, but the fridge won.  We had to take off the hallway door to get the refrigerator inside , but the2 men just couldn’t get it up the 15 steps.  They left it – upside down – in the stairwell blocking the doorway.  I called customer service and explained the problem.  The man in the call center understood our dilemma.  He lined up a crew to take the old (new) refrigerator outside to be picked up while a new one was ordered.  But it would be delivered 2 weeks later!  A week after the conference was over!  So, when the 2 men arrived to remove the old (new) refrigerator, we convinced them to take it upstairs to see if it would work.  And they did.  And it did!  So, the man in the call center said that Lowe’s would give us a considerable discount to keep the old (new) refrigerator and canceled the new (new) refrigerator order. We had our refrigerator for the conference 22 hours before it began.  Hey, God worked it out and we got a discount!  Romans 8:28, “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.”

Parking Lines

 

When I go to cardiac rehab it is 5:45 am.  Well, that is if I am on time.  I park in the same parking lot all the time (so that I can find my car afterwards).  But since it is dark it is hard to see the faint lines to park straight.  I usually get out of the car and check the lines a couple of times.  After all, I am a rules-keeper.  Some might say that I am OCD.  But many drivers are not, and those drivers don’t park between the lines.  And it makes it difficult for those of us who do.  So, regardless of how the non-rule-followers park, I park in the lines.  But on this particular morning, my OCD caused me a little problem.  The big pickup on the one side and the SUV on the other side crowded me and I had to squeeze to get my car door open and wriggle out of my car.  But, I was squarely between the lines.  I felt rather smug with my clever parking job.  I could just see the pickup driver and SUV driver’s faces as they had to wriggle to get into their cars, which were not parked between the lines.  But when I got back to my car after cardiac rehab an hour later, the pickup and the SUV were just where I had left them.  And it was me that had to wriggle back into my neatly parked car.  When it was all over, the other drivers learned no lesson at all, and I was the one who wriggled in and out of the car door.  My take-away lesson: I can’t help anyone but myself. I Thessalonians 4:11, "And that ye study to be quiet, and to do your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you …”  My job is me and your job is you.  It is my responsibility to take care of myself, and it is your responsibility to take care of yourself.  So much for my OCD.

Bully Gerald Whitely Sr.

 

i am thankful for my dad today. my name is the same as his, except that mine has Junior on the end and his had Senior on the end. When I was born, my dad was so proud of me that he gave me his name. Today I am thankful for my dad, and today I miss him.

Memories

 

Today, I’m missing an old friend, so excuse me for being a bit melancholy.  Actually, we’ve been friends from the day that I was born.  It’s the mole on my back.  Last month when I went to the dermatologist, I told her that the mole in the middle of my back was itching me and I wanted to schedule surgery to remove it.  She said, “I can do it right now, if you like.”  I was pleasantly surprised and within 3 minutes it was gone.  I was left with a Band-Aid in its place.  It took 2 weeks for the wound to heal.  The scab came off in the shower yesterday.  For obvious reasons, I won’t show you a picture of my mole scar.  R.I.P.  Have you ever had a besetting sin that has plagued you for years upon end?  You have tried to overcome this evil, but you haven’t been able to beat it back.  Hey, maybe it’s time to give up and let the dear Lord have it!  Galatians 5:16, "This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh."  When your flesh is in conflict with the Spirit of God, it’s time to surrender your will to the Holy Spirit.  Only God can overcome your sins.  The best plan of action is to give your problems over to the Lord.  He can surgically remove them!  Try Jesus.  He will not disappoint you!