HODGE PODGE WEDNESDAY

     My beloved SWMBO (She Who Must Be Obeyed), AKA, my wife, answers these Hodgepodge questions every week and has challenged me to participate as well. I am one of the few men who is secure enough in his manhood to do so!

1.  When were you last facing an ocean? Using just ONE word, describe how you felt as you faced that ocean.
We took our dogs to the seacoast one weekend two years ago and drove up along the coastal highway to Maine. My one word would be "Awed."

2. What are three sounds you hate to hear?
(1) SWMBO moaning in pain; (2) Any child crying; (3) Screeching tires that precedes a crash!

3. This question comes to you courtesy of some real life friends. Hi real life friends! When you shop for yourself, do you try everything on in the store before buying or do you buy, try on at home, and then return what you don't like or what doesn't fit?
I try on pants, shoes and jackets. I buy and try on the rest at home .

4. February 26th is National Pistachio Day...are you a fan of the little green nut? Do you use them in cooking and baking or prefer to eat them right out of the shell?
I love pistachio nuts and pistachio ice cream.

5. When did you last have to compromise with someone?  Were you happy to reach the compromise or slightly irritated it was necessary? 
Being married for as long as I have compromise is often necessary. Generally, I do what SWMBO wants me to do. Sometimes I dig in my heels and she compromises. Somehow it works out for both of us.

6.  Have you ever written a letter to an elected official? Did you get a response?
I wrote my Congresswoman for voting for a bill she had not read. She responded with a form letter response.

7. We 'March' into a new month at the end of this week...what's something on your March calendar guaranteed to make you smile?
March Madness basketball. This is another nail in Winter's coffin, meaning we are that much closer to Spring and Summer!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
SWMBO writes the blog, Life Through Bifocals. She is the love of my life, my dearest and best friend and the most wonderful person that I know. Travelling through life with her by my side is an absolute privilege and pleasure!

Well, how did I do for my first time Hodgepodge-ing?

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?

     Well,that weekend went by fast! Where did it go? Does that mean I'm getting old because time seems to be going by so fast? It seems like it was just yesterday that I posted my 100th blog entry. 
     I've been blogging for over three years. Granted, I didn't do much in 2012 but I started this blog in 2010. Time flies!
     Now back to the weekend. Friday night SWMBO and I were invited to join another couple, who are dear friends, for supper at the Longhorn Restaurant near the Mall of N.H. in Manchester. It made for a really pleasant start to our weekend. We shared a wonderful meal, some laughs and the pleasure of each others company.

     On Saturday I had an Elders meeting at the church office. This was our regularly scheduled meeting with the Deacons. Preacher Dude joined us because our regularly scheduled meeting with the preacher was snowed out by a nor'easter two weeks ago and he had some things he needed to discuss with us that couldn't wait. 
     I must say again that I am really blessed and privileged to be able to associate and serve with such godly men. Preacher Dude, our Deacons and my fellow Elder a really fine, dedicated men.

     After the meeting SWMBO had a wonderful lunch prepared for us. She made soup in the crock pot and chicken salad sandwiches. Have I mentioned how lucky I am to be married to SWMBO? She is my very best friend and the most wonderful person I know!

     Sunday morning brought yet more snow. SWMBO and I opted to listen to the highway safety advisories and stay off the snow slicked roadways and stay home. Church is important, very important. However, we need to arrive safely to reap the benefits of attending. 
     SWMBO shoveled the back deck and walkways. I shoveled the back deck and walkways. SWMBO had to tougher job because there was about four inches of wet, heavy snow when she shoveled. There was only about two inches when I shoveled.
     I also shoveled the front stairs and walkway as well as unburying the trash and recycling bins. 

     Sunday evening brought small group. We observed the Lord's Supper, sang a few songs and then studied a lesson on loving others as yourself. It was a good time.
     We spent time in prayer for our youth group who were at a youth rally this weekend. On the way home they were involved in a traffic accident. Thankfully, there were no serious injuries just bumps and bruises. God is good!

     After small group and upon returning home, SWMBO went to bed because she was really tired. I had supper and watched the Academy Awards while I typed this blog entry.

     I hope that your weekend was a memorable and enjoyable. God bless you all!  

CAN YOU BELIEVE IT...MY 100TH BLOG POST?

     Upon checking my blog account's stats when I started to write this blog entry I learned that this is my 100th blog post. I was quite surprised to discover this little factoid! I find it hard to believe that to date I have written 100 blog posts. 

     So, after making this discovery I took a walk down memory lane and read my first blog post. The date was August 10, 2010, over two years ago. I started the blog to give me a forum to express my opinions on a variety of subjects. I have been told that I do have a talent for expressing a coherent thought in writing. When I began the blog I purposed to write about the three areas of my life, the Spiritual, the Personal and the Working, hence the name of the blog, "Life SPW"

     During this walk down memory lane I looked at some of the entries that I had posted over the years. On the Spiritual side I tried to share my faith in God. I wrote explaining the reasons why I believe as I do. 
     I also wrote concerning the church. I believe that the Lord established just one church and I gave reasons why I believe which church He established.
     I wrote about the nature of God. I wrote about His character, His love, His faithfulness and His constant care and providence.

     I also wrote about what was going on in my Personal Life. I wrote about my beloved SWMBO and the many ways that she enriches my life with love, devotion and Joy. She also makes me laugh a lot!
     I wrote about a trip we took to Niagara Falls in September 2010. It took four installments to cover the events that occurred during that misadventure. I was deported from Canada if you can believe that!
    Another few blog posts told you about a kitchen remodeling project that took much longer than it should have.

     My work life was problematic when it came to writing about. As a police officer much of what occurred was confidential and it was not appropriate for me to write about. I did write about my retiring after a 30 year career. I am proud of some of what I accomplished as a public servant. I am glad that I have time to concentrate on keeping SWMBO happy and showering her with some of the love and devotion that  she has given to me over the years. 

     Other blog entries expressed my opinion regarding a variety of other topics such as homosexuality, current events, our government and some of the things it has done or didn't do that it should have, and many other issues of the day that provoked me speak out.

     I took a hiatus for much of 2012 for no particular reason, there were several reasons. Anyways, I am back now and I still have stuff to say, shooting to reach 200 blog entry posts.

     Thank you for taking the time to stop by, reading what I had to say and supporting the blog. I further appreciate any and all comments that you left, whether or not I agreed with them. Please continue to stop by and continue to leave your comments. 

IT'S WEDNESDAY...WOO HOO!

     Today is Wednesday, AKA hump day! After today it is all downhill to the weekend! Last weekend, hopefully, is a pleasantly fading memory. Next weekend is filled with anticipation of fun and recreation to be had. Woo hoo! It's important that, no matter what kind of work you do, you take time for yourself on the weekend! I assure you that the world can spare you for a day or two. Please do not forget to take care of yourself! Rest and Recreate! Do it for you...do it for your family...do it for the rest of us!

     Wednesday holds special meaning for yours truly. Every Wednesday, a group of like-minded people meet to share a meal together and to enjoy each others company. It's a nice time away from the cares and hassles of everyday life. It's a good thing for people to be able to go someplace where they are welcomed and accepted as they are and to share a meal.
     Immediately following the meal is a mid-week church service. We gather together and sing a few songs, share a prayer and then have a devotional thought brought to us.                     
     Following this time of devotion we have a Bible study. 

     This is really a nice way to break up the week. It's a really nice way to get away from the cares of the world for a couple of hours and to spend time with some really, nifty people.

     Wednesday also is special for another reason. On Wednesday, Becke the Wonder Dog, gets to stay home with yours truly and get spoiled. Her brother, August Rush, the yappy Chinese Crested, has an agility class with my beloved SWMBO. Becke does not tolerate being left alone in SWMBO's office so SWMBO leaves Becke home with me so she and August Rush can focus on agility class.
     Becke will follow me everywhere as I go about my business around the house. She often naps and everytime I go to the kitchen she thinks she is going to get something to eat. She is often correct. Throughout the day Becke gets a few extra treats, maybe some doggy ice cream or a special chew bone. It's not easy being Becke, the Wonder Dog, but she does it so very well. She is 13 years old. That's about 80 in human years, so she is treated like she's a queen. 
     We love our Wonder Dog. She so enriches our lives and we let her know it every chance we get.

     I hope that you all have a wonderful Wednesday like I do! May you find God's blessings during your day!  

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?

     Here it is Monday already! Where did the weekend go? It seems like it just flew by but if you were to ask what I accomplished I'd have to say "Not very much!"

     I did finish reading a novel this weekend. It is called "The Last Patriot" by Brad Thor. This is the second novel that I have read that was written by Mr. Thor. It's an adventure/spy thriller in the manner of a Tom Clancy or Vince Flynn novel. I enjoy reading this type of fiction where a noble, special operations rogue operator, or group of operators, inflicts all manner of mayhem upon those evil minions who would dare attack the good old U.S.A, these selfless men and women keep America safe from all harm and preserve our way of life.

    I also cleaned the pellet stove and kept a supply of wood pellets on hand so SWMBO would be warm. I love keeping SWMBO warm and cozy. When SWMBO is warm, she is happy. If SWMBO is happy, I have a 50/50 shot at being happy!

    On Saturday SWMBO had to go to work. SWMBO teaches pet First Aid and CPR to the doggy daycare staff where she works. This class had been scheduled for awhile so she had to be there. Re-scheduling would be too much of a hassle. She had to work from 9:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m.

   After she got home, I went to the grocery store and did the weekly food shopping while she got some much deserved rest. Don't worry, I was not without adult supervision. SWMBO and I have the same model of smart phone so we're able to converse face to face if the need arises. Also, we use the same grocery list app that automatically syncs when changes are made. So if SWMBO adds something to the shopping list on her phone after I leave the house, the list on my phone automatically syncs and dispays the new item.
   SWMBO loves seafood so while shopping I picked up a package of cooked shrimp as a surprise. Can you say "Brownie Points?"
    Another advantage to doing the food shopping is that I get to put things in the shopping cart that are not, strictly speaking, on the grocery list.

    Sunday morning, of course, was Worship and Bible class with the church family. Our minister, who I affectionately refer to as "Preacher Dude" gave a wonderful apologetical sermon on the truth of the Bible. I know, big surprise...right? I really enjoy a well crafted and well delivered sermon. Preacher Dude is skilled at both. I wish that I could do half as well as Preacher Dude routinely does.

    Sunday afternoon consisted of more pellet stove cleaning and keeping the home fires burning. Also there were high winds blowing all afternoon. There have been sporadic power outages in Goffstown, where SWMBO and I live, and the surrounding communities. The temperature outside is about 20 degree's, with the wind chill making it near zero! YUCK!!! So far, as I write this, we still have power and therefore warmth.

    So I ask again, where did the weekend go?

RANDOM THOUGHTS

CHILDREN ARE OUR FUTURE: "Children are our future!" Have you heard that said recently. After the recent horror in Sandy Hook Elementary School our politicians have been quick to exploit this event for political gain. They say that we need to do something to protect our children! We need to do something to keep our children safe!
Our children are our future!
     What I find so hypocritically inconsistent is that these same people who are so concerned about protecting our children have no problem keeping our children from being born. They have no problem with killing our children while they're still inside the womb. Specifically, the practice of partial birth abortion is nothing short of infanticide. So for some reason that escapes me, these children are not worthy of protection or our efforts to keep them safe. This is just wrong!

PRESIDENTIAL CREDIBILITY: President Obama's credibility is being seriously called into question over a variety of issues. The president says that 6 million new jobs have been created during his time in office. The fact is that less than half that amount has been created. The unemployment rate remains at 7.9 percent. 
    President Obama says that his administration is the most transparent in U.S. history. The fact is that we still don't know all the facts regarding the murder of our diplomats in Benghazi because of his administration's stonewalling the congressional inquiries into the incident.
     The Affordable Care Act (Obama Care) will reduce health insurance premiums. If you like your doctor you can keep him. If you like your health plan you can keep it. All of these assertions are patently false.
     These are just a few examples.

NATION OF LAWS: We are a nation of laws, not of men. That means that all laws apply to all of us from the President of the United States down to the average citizen. However, our government doesn't have to follow the law, apparently. By law the government must publish a list of regulations that will have an impact on the economy exceeding a certain amount, I think the amount is a billion dollars, BEFORE that regulation goes into effect. The Obama administration has not published this list in contravention of this law.
     Law requires the Congress to produce a budget for the federal government every year. The Congress, particularly the Senate, has not produced a budget for the last three years.

IF I COULD WORK MY WILL: If I could work my will I would eliminate ALL pensions for Senators, Congressmen, the President, & Cabinet Secretaries. Elected office was never intended to be a career. People were expected to serve a term or two and then return to private life and live under the laws that they passed. This was seen as a restraint on the passage of oppressive legislation.
   I would pass a Constitutional Amendment that says Congress could NOT exempt itself from ANY laws that it passed.
   Congress would have to include the specific provision of the U.S. Constitution that authorizes any law that is under consideration.
   I would eliminate the Department of Energy, Department of Education, and Department of Veteran Affairs. I would fold their "necessary" functions into other cabinet departments.
   I would require people to show an ID at the voter check-in tables before they cast a vote.
   I would outlaw the practice of lobbying. 

   Well, this is what I think. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think! See you in church on Sunday! God bless you!

   

GUNS, ECONOMICS & COMMON SENSE

     How did you like the president's State of the Union address? Frankly, I didn't have the energy to watch it. My lack of energy did not prevent me from reflecting on a few issues that is affecting this country in significant ways.

     Consider the City of Chicago, Illinois. Last year that major American city had a record year for the number of homicides committed with a firearm. Most of them were gang and/or drug related. In effect, children are killing children to protect either their turf or their drug territory. 
     How many of these murderers do you suppose scrupulously followed the law and obtained their firearms legally? I mean, how many do your suppose properly identified themselves and passed a background check before they obtained their firearms of choice? I don't suppose very many!
     What is the City of Chicago's response to address this murderous problem? Mayor Rahm Emmanuel wants to pass more, restrictive, gun laws.
     Instead of making it possible for the law abiding citizens to be able to protect themselves by legally owning firearms, the public servants want to pass more laws to stop people who don't observe the ones already in force by passing more laws that they will no doubt ignore too.  
     Chicago is just one of many American cities facing this problem, most of which are trying to solve it by following Chicago's example. Lunacy! Unadulterated lunacy!

     I understand that President Obama is calling for raising the federal minimum wage law to $9.00 per hour. The president, with all due respect, is dismissing economic history. Every time that the minimum wage law has been raised in the past, there has been a reduction in the number of minimum wage jobs. The fact is that raising the cost of labor results in employers buying less of it. 
     Under the current condition of the economy where unemployment is running at 7.9 percent, the president is espousing a policy that will inevitably raise that level.
     Let me give you a practical example. I like walnuts! I like them on my ice cream, I like them on my salads and I like them on my jello. The price of walnuts has almost doubled in recent months, consequently, I don't buy walnuts.
     Employers buy labor to get things done that they need to get done to operate their particular businesses. If the cost of buying that labor costs more than employers can afford, then employers will likewise buy less of it. This is in addition to the labor that they cannot afford to buy because of the added prohibitive costs associated with the misnamed Affordable Care Act, AKA Obama Care!

     Now here is the common sense part. If we as a nation are to successfully address the problems plaguing us, we must accept the facts as they are, not as we may want them to be. 
     Above are just two examples where elected leaders are not seeing things as they truly are, but rather as they want them to be. As a result, their solutions are doomed to fail. They will not solve the problem, they will inevitably make it worse! Lunacy! Unadulterated lunacy!

     What do you think? Leave a comment below and let me know!

FINDING NEMO? NEMO FOUND US !!!

     How was your weekend? We had a bit of snow up here in the frozen tundra that is New Hampshire. Mother Nature threw another of her patented hissy fits! This particular hissy fit was named Winter Storm Nemo. According to meteorological records, Nemo produced the second highest snowfall on record at 24 inches. The highest snowfall was recorded over a hundred years ago in March of 1888 which was 27.5 inches of snow. These measurements were both taken at Concord, N.H.

     Here in Goffstown, N.H, we received 22 inches of snow. As you can see from these photographs, we received an impressive amount of snow...

...These pictures are of our back yard.

     After the snow plow came our front yard became even more impressive a sight.

...These snow banks rise to over six feet, taller than me in some places. SWMBO and I have a hundred feet of driveway and there's no way we could shovel all that. So, we hired a local landscaper to plow us out.

     I do not own a snow blower, primarily because I have a dirt-gravel driveway and I was told by people in the know that snow blowing rocks would destroy the internal workings of a snow blower.

     I do have an electric shovel, however. It's a mini-snow blower at the end of a shovel handle. The electric shovel throws the snow an impressive distance and saves me from having to throw the snow myself by shoveling old school.

...In order to shovel almost two feet of snow I need to do so by making several passes, taking about six inches off at a time. As you can see from the picture above it is possible, but it is hard work and it takes its toll on your shoulders and lower back.

     Fortunately, SWMBO and I never lost power during the storm but we were ready with our generator positioned at the front of our garage with sufficient gas to run it for a couple of days if it became necessary. We also had two full 5-gallon water jugs so we could flush the toilet. The well pump is not one of the systems that I power with the generator. We had plenty of flashlights, water, wood pellets for heat, food, etc. So, as I said, we were ready.

     How did you fare during Mother Nature's hissy fit, AKA winter storm Nemo or "the snow-pocalypse?" Leave a comment and thank you for stopping by.

W.I.I.I,I.F, A.T.? - THE BIBLE (PART 2)

     What If It Is, In Fact, All True ?  The Bible (Part 2)

     About a month ago I posted a Blog entry where I contended that the Bible is true and accurate in all respects. The main thesis of that prior post and this one is that the Bible is really true. Logically, however, I will stipulate at the outset that the Bible is either really true as it claims to be or it is NOT really true as it claims to be.
     Should the Bible be shown to be really true, then there really is a God; There really is a Heaven; The Son of God, AKA Jesus, the Christ, really lived as a fully human man, was really crucified and really rose on the third day and now really sits at the right hand of God; There will really be an end to time after which there will really be a judgement of all people.
     Should the Bible be shown to be really UNtrue, then with respect to the previous paragraph, in the immortal words of that celebrated Saturday Night Live character, Rosanna Danna Danna, "NEVER MIND!" If the Bible really is just a book filled with nice stories and some not so nice stories then we Christians and observant Jews are being foolishly naive and pathetic.

     So lets examine some of the evidence that proves that the Bible really is what it purports to be and is really true.
   
     In the Book of Genesis, Chapter 2, verse 7, we read...

               "Then the Lord God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his 
                 nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being." (NASB)

...Science confirms that the human body is made largely of water but also the same elements found in earth.
     Leviticus Chapter 15 describes how someone becomes "unclean" and how to become "clean" again. It describes that any bodily discharge renders one unclean. That person would have to wash his clothes and bathe himself in water to become clean. He would be unclean until evening.
     Anyone who touches that person, their discharge or touches anything that that person lies on or sits on or wears also becomes "unclean." To become clean again the person had to wash his clothes and bathe in water and he would be unclean until evening.
     It wasn't until the late 1800's that medical science discovered germs and how they were transmitted from those who were infected to those who became infected. Doctors learned that the simple act of washing under running water went a long way towards preventing the transmission of germs.
     Question...How did the writer of Leviticus know this? Leviticus was written around 1400 B.C.
Oh, by the way, the Hebrew word for "water" means flowing or running water.

     One of the great scourges to plague mankind are the diseases Cholera, Typhoid and Dysentery. Whenever there is a natural disaster that causes widespread devastation anywhere in the world, a primary concern of relief workers is sanitation. Poor sanitation is a primary cause of these three diseases.
     Deuteronomy 23:12, 13 instructs the Israelites to have a designated place outside the camp for the purpose of relieving themselves. It further requires them to bring a shovel and bury their excrement. This went a long way towards keeping these three diseases at bay.

                " You shall also have a place outside the camp and go out there, and you shall have a spade among your tools, and it shall be when you sit down outside, you shall dig with it and shall turn to cover up your excrement. " (NASB)

      Again Deuteronomy was written around 1400 B.C. How did these ancient people know about the importance of sanitation?

     Another serious and often fatal disease that affects women is cervical cancer. Thousands of women have died from this particular cancer. A review of medical records in different hospitals showed that there was a much lower incidence of cervical cancer among Jewish women. Further investigation by the researchers concluded that the reason why Jewish women did not contract cervical cancer as often as non-Jewish women is because of circumcision. Doctors learned that circumcised males were cleaner and did not transmit bacteria into the cervix as uncircumcised males did.
     Genesis 17:12 records God's instruction to Abraham that every male child will be circumcised on the eighth day of life. An interesting side note is that on the eighth day of life a child has the highest level of blood clotting agents in their blood, about 110 percent, of what they normally will have for the rest of their life.
      How did the ancient Israelites (Jews) know what doctors found out in the late 19th Century and confirmed by further study in the early 20th Century about the affect of circumcision in preventing disease?

     I submit to you that they did not know these things until God told them. Obviously someone wrote these things down for the purpose of instructing future generations. There are also many other examples of ancient people possessing knowledge that was not "discovered" until hundreds or thousands of years later.
     I further respectfully submit to you that the only plausible explanation for ancient people possessing this advanced knowledge is that there really is a God who is all knowing and that the Bible, His Word, is really true.

     Again, I urge you to not take my word for it. Check it out for yourself! If I may be of assistance please let me know. Also, come worship with us at the Manchester, NH, church of Christ at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday. God bless you!
     

HE'S SMART, SO HE MUST BE RIGHT!

"An intellectual is so smart he doesn't understand the obvious."

      It seems to me that we mere mortals give way too much credence to people who we perceive to be very intelligent. The more letters that a person has after his or her name, such as BS, BA, MS, PhD, MD, JD, etc, the more intelligent they must surely be. So, their pronouncements on a variety of issues must be correct because they're smart! Some have been educated in the finest institutions of higher learning. It does not matter if the issue that they're commenting on bears any relation to their particular discipline or education. They're intelligent, so they must be right...right?

     Professor Stephen Hawking is thought by some to be the most intelligent person on the planet. He has studied and written about Einstein's Theory of Relativity and is on the cutting edge of cosmological science. He's really, really smart! Recently, Professor Hawking stated...

"There is no Heaven or afterlife...that (heaven) is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark" 

 ...He opined that the human brain was a computer which would stop working when its components fail. He said that there was no Heaven or afterlife for broken down computers. Is he right? Is what he says true?

    The Bible speaks of a man who is acknowledged to have been the wisest, or most intelligent, man to have lived. His name is Solomon. He was the king of Israel. When he ascended to the throne he asked God to bless him by giving him...

                 "...an understanding heart to judge your people to discern

                      between good and evil." (1 Kings 4:9)

...God was so pleased that Solomon didn't ask for long life and riches for himself or for the lives of his enemies that in addition to the wisdom that he asked for, God gave him great riches and honor. Kings came from far and wide to consult with Solomon because of his proverbial intelligence.

    The Bible clearly acknowledges the source of Solomon's intelligence.

               " And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding beyond measure, and breadth of mind like the sand on the seashore, " (1 Kings 4:29)

    The Bible has a word for intelligence. The Bible calls intelligence, that is applied intelligence, Wisdom. The Bible also says that the foolishness of God is greater than the wisdom of man. (1 Corinthians 1:25)

    So, when God, through the Bible, speaks of an afterlife in a place called Heaven, I tend to take God at His word over that of Dr. Hawking. 

              " Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. "

                                                                                  (Matthew 5:3)

              " For our citizenship is in Heaven... "  (Philippians 3:20)

              " Then I saw a new Heaven and a new earth."  (Revelations 21:1)

    Jesus spoke of Heaven while He was on earth as recorded by the Apostle Matthew. The Apostle Paul asserted that a Christian's citizenship is in Heaven. The Apostle John speaks of a new Heaven in the Book of Revelations. These are just three mentions of Heaven from the Bible. There are more.

     Who do you believe, God or Dr. Hawking? Why? I believe God, that the Bible is true. I'll explain why in a future post.

HOW WAS YOUR WEEKEND?

     My last blog post reported the sad story of a power outage. Last Thursday SWMBO was at work and I was at the church building engaged in a Bible study. 
     The weather forecast called for steady winds in the range of 30 to 40 miles per hour with the potential for gusts exceeding 50 miles per hour. At about 11:45a.m, I received an alert from our local police department saying that a section of the road that I live on was blocked due to trees being blown over onto the powerlines knocking out the power. I hoped that power would be restored by the time SWMBO and I returned home.
     I picked up SWMBO at her work place at about 2:00 p.m. When we got home 20 inutes later the power was still out. SWMBO brought the dogs inside while I got the auxiliary power generator up and running.
     Power was restored sometime between 9:00 and 10:00 p.m. However, shortly after power was restored our cable went out taking the TV, Internet and Phone service with it. We had electrical power but in effect we were still cut off from the outside world.
     It never ceases to amaze me how much our everyday lives depend upon the uninterrupted flow of electrons. I thank God for our generator and the fuel to power it.

     Saturday began with a meeting at the church office that lasted most of the morning. I really enjoy working for the church. We are blessed with several godly men who have stepped up to pitch in with the works of the church.
     During the afternoon, SWMBO was busy with her crafts. I watched a few episodes of the series "Homeland." I received the first season on DVD for Christmas. So far, I like it. I like the intrigue, the twists and turns. 
     If you are not familiar with the story line, it's about a U.S. Marine Sergeant who was captured by the enemy in Iraq during the war and was held for eight years. He was finally found and rescued by some Delta Force operators. A C.I.A. analyst believes that the Sergeant has been turned by his captors and is now a sleeper-terrorist agent. Of course, no one believes the analyst. Good series...so far!

     Sunday was, of course, Super Bowl Sunday between the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers. I really didn't care who won. I was pulling for the AFC team, the Ravens, to win but I really didn't care who won. My beloved New England Patriots were not in it and no one in New England cared who won.
     The Ravens won by a score of 34 to 31. It was an exciting and entertaining game that could have gone either way. There was a power outage at the stadium in the second half causing a delay of about 30 minutes in the game.
     The talking heads will no doubt debate what effect the power outage in the second half had on the outcome of the game for months to come. In any event, congratulations to the Baltimore Ravens for their Super Bowl win!    

NO POWER...NO BLOG POST!

     Yesterday we had severe winds, some gusts exceeding 50 miles per hour. A tree on our street was blown over onto the powerlines knocking the power out. Power was not restored until late evening. Matters got worse because after power was restored we lost cable, internet and phone service.
     Consequently, typing a blog post on a computer by candle light just does not work! Hence, the title of this blog post.

     I'll try to have something more substantial for you on Monday. Enjoy your weekend and please make time to worship God this Sunday!