DISHWASHER BLUES

Thursday, May 31, 2012

IF you believe the Maytag advertisements you think their appliances will last forever.

They won't!

However, our Maytag dishwasher did a great job while it lasted and it lasted twelve great years. That's good.

The Kenmore dishwashers were on sale so we bought one and paid to have it installed.

A few years back we had our old white tile taken out and stone flooring put in. The dishwasher looked like it was locked in place forever and that stone would have to be taken up to get it out.

The young installer said he would give it a try---and he did, after a fashion.

"No Sir, it won't come out. I'll come back after you have the stone in front of the washer removed."

He left.

It took me a few minutes to remove the dishwasher.

I called him back.

He acted amazed. I'm submitting his name to Hollywood for up and coming actors.

It had been a long day and was now turning into night but finally the job was done.

When I started this post I thought there was a great moral to the story. Now I don't know!

Hey, there's a lot I don't know.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

Sunday, May 27, 2012

LIBERTY--LIVING LIFE AS I SEE FIT

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

I love liberty!

As far back as I can remember I have always wanted to do what was right.

I am not a rebellious person.

But I do want to be free!

For almost fifty years I was a minister. Ministers live a "fish bowl" existence. Your every move is watched and scrutinized. 

Now that I am retired I feel like shouting, "Free at last, free at last, thank God I'm free at last."

Now the only restraints put upon me are self imposed or from the United States Government.

I guess I'm a libertarian because I find myself pushing back against both of those restraints--especially the government.

I strongly agree with something Charles Murray wrote and I want to paraphrase it and apply it to myself:

I love liberty and the God-given, inalienable, constitutionally 

guaranteed right to live life as I see fit, beholden to 

no one, taking my own chances, pursuing happiness

in my own way, doing as I damn well please.

THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Are you looking for a program for losing weight, preventing disease and feeling great? And do you want it to start right now? 

Dr. Mark Hyman's #1 New York Times bestseller, The Blood Sugar Solution―The UltraHealthy Program for Losing Weight, Preventing Disease, and Feeling Great Now! is what you are looking for.

President Bill Clinton said, "I hope Dr. Hyman's new book will inspire you as he has inspired me." I can't say that I was inspired by this book―but I liked it a lot. I'm diabetic and this book did give me hope and encouragement. I think that  every diabetic will gain much from reading this splendid book and if you should give a copy to a friend it will bless their life. There's good "stuff" in this book for everybody―not just diabetics.

Dr. Mark Hyman was co-medical director of Canyon Ranch for almost ten years and is now the chairman of the Institute for Functional Medicine and founder and medical director of the UltraWellness Center. He is the New York Times bestselling author of UltraMetabolism, The UltraMind Solution, and The UltraSimple Diet, and coauthor of UltraPrevention. 

Rick Warren wrote: "Dr. Mark Hyman makes managing your health simpler than you ever thought possible. There's no time like the present to get started. Start today!" I agree and at the same time disagree. Much of the book, in fact most of it, is simple. And it is a joy to follow most of his suggestions but not all of them. For example―he suggest that when eating at a restaurant that you "Be obnoxious." Well that may be simple, but it's sure not easy. At least I don't think it is for most people. I had rather not eat out if I am going to have to make all kinds of special requests and be so careful about every little thing. And my personality doesn't "fit well" with suggestions like: "Avoid water from plastic bottles, which contain phthalates, keep your cell phone away from your hip, avoid waterbeds, electric blankets, and metal frames, when using electric stoves, cook on back burners instead of front as much as possible." Now, I'm sure all of this is good advice and the book is filled with such suggestions. It just doesn't fit who I am. I know I'm not going to do it. No use pretending.

One other part of the book that is not as valuable to me as I suspect it may be for most people―is the recipe section. When I read: Millet Cauliflower Mash, Roasted Quinoa With Kale And Almonds, Quinoa-Crusted Quiche, Lacinto Kale With roasted Squash, I think to myself, "Who eats this stuff?" Bill Clinton may enjoy these foods―but I doubt it."

Now, after making these minor criticisms let me say that I found many helpful things in this book and recommend it to anyone concerned with improving their health. I like what Dr. Arthur Agatston, author of The South Beach Diet said, "Dr. Hyman has performed a great service by providing a blueprint for attacking diabesity."

(I received this book free from The B & B Media Group . No other compensation was received and I gave no guarantee for a favorable review.)

LOVING WELL (EVEN IF YOU HAVEN'T BEEN)

Tuesday, May 08, 2012

"By this all people will know that you are my disciples,

if you have love for one another."

                   ---Jesus

In First Corinthians chapter thirteen, the Apostle Paul said, "Love is patient, love is kind, it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

I say, "Wow!"

In his splendid book, Loving Well (Even If You Haven't Been) William P. Smith talks about love in a powerful, instructive way. He explains that destructive relationship patterns no longer need to control us. We all want to love our family, neighbors, and coworkers. But all too often something goes wrong, and we find ourselves tearing down the relationship we wanted to build. Dr. Smith shows that destructive relationship patterns no longer need to control us. Experiencing God's love will change us, so we can trade bad relationship habits for real love.

William P. Smith, M.Div., Ph.D., is a pastor and director of the community counseling center at Chelten Baptist Church, Dresher, PA. He has authored the book Caught Off Guard: Encounters with the Unexpected God and numerous minibooks including How Do I Stop Losing It with My Kids? and How to Love Difficult People. He is regularly invited to speak at other churches and lead weekend retreats. He and his wife, Sally, are the parents of three children.

Dr. Smith divides his book into an Introduction: Escaping an Empty Way of Life, Part 1: Love That Responds to a Broken World, with chapters like: Comforting Love: Running to Those Who Are Suffering and Forgiving Love: Covering a Multitude of sins. Part 11 is: Love That Reaches Out to Build Others Up. A couple of chapters in this part are: Partnering Love: Working Together to Care for Each Other and Providing Love: Meeting Physical Needs. There are fifteen excellent chapters teaching us how to love well.

I like what Edward T. Welch PhD. CCEF counselor and faculty member said about this book: "I have read dozens of books about love, so I wasn't expecting anything new. But I don't remember too many books that I wanted to read to my wife, inspired me, led me in confession, left me with enthusiasm to try some bolder forms of love, and will leave me poor because I want to get copies for so many friends."

I don't want you to bankrupt yourself but I hope you too will want to buy this book and copies for a few friends.

(I received this book free from The B&B Media Group. No other compensation was received and I gave no guarantee for a favorable review.)

PLAY IT AS IT LAYS

Friday, May 04, 2012

Yes, I knew the tree was directly in front of me. Yes, I knew I could pick up the ball and move it to a better spot. But it would cost me strokes and why would I want to do that? There was no way in heaven that I would hit that tree with a golf ball!

Yes, I hit the tree!

Standing out in front of the green I could "pitch" the ball onto the green with the best of them.

BUT! If there was a body of water between me and the green--even if the distance was the same, I always hit one or two into the water. And then usually the third one would be on. Why? I don't know. If I did I would write a book on how to play golf.

It's a mind game. I probably couldn't have hit that tree with a twenty-two rifle---but I hit it with a golf ball. I probably should have been able to put the first ball right over the water onto the green---but I didn't. I told myself I just might hit the tree--and I did. I told myself I probably would hit a couple of balls into the water--and I did, almost every time around the course.

Life in general is a lot like a golf course. It's a mind game. An attitude thing.

Behind a tree? Lost in the rough? Hazard up ahead?

Don't try to manipulate the situation. Don't lie to yourself and say the situation is not real. Face up to it.

Don't talk yourself into taking the easy way out. Life is hard. Somebody lied to you when they told you it would be easy.

Your ball is in the sand trap? Get in there. You know how to get out.

PLAY IT AS IT LAYS!

BEING MERRY IN MAY

Tuesday, May 01, 2012

Ah May!

May is a great month for ice cream. Any month is a great month for ice cream. Baskin-Robbins 'Men In Black 111' Ice Cream will debut today, May 1. There will be several new menu items including two sundaes, the "Lunar Lander" and the "Agent 31." They say the most exciting offer will be "Pink Surprise Cake." Sounds good! Strawberry, vanilla and chocolate sound alright too.

May is a kind of in between month in the Phoenix area.

It's a nice time to be on the patio in the morning and also the evening hours.

It's suppose to be around 100 degrees by the weekend. The pool will be warming up. I will be warming up. I will get in the pool by the end of the month.

May is a great month for working in the yard if you start early in the morning, as I did this morning.

Mother's Day is in May. It always makes me happy to celebrate Charlotte.

Memorial Day is also in May. It is a day for remembering those who have died in our nation's service. It is also another family/friend day. A time for remembering, being together. Being thankful. Eating too much!

I like May. It's not my favorite month---but I like it.

So I'm planning to be merry in May. I hope you are too.