Today and tomorrow are my busy days at work. We've had some changes in dealerships lately so an analyst was talking to me about some of the changes needed in my jv's (journal vouchers). I promptly did a cash jv and forgot to look for the changes needed. I discussed with him how to make the changes and I actually knew how to do them on my own! However, when I did a new jv to makes the changes we found out the new project numbers hadn't been set up. Now I had a jv partially done, but I didn't need it. I ask him how to delete the jv. He had never had to do that so we started trying different things. When we had it deleted or at least thought we had, I told him that I was glad that I could train him on this new procedure.

That made me laugh--me training an analyst! It truly was the blind leading the blind.

Stuff Christians Like

Don't know where I came across this site, but I've been reading through it a little bit at a time. It's called Stuff Christians Like, and it lists hundreds of things that have been a big part of Christian's lives. Disclaimer, the guy has some entries that I skip over, his sense of humor doesn't always blend with mine, and he says some things that you may find offensive, but many of the topics are right from my past.

#?? Watered Down Orange Drink at VBS
#50 Bible Fanny Packs
# 16 Greeting the people around you
#14 Dating God
#59 Watching Jon and Kate Plus 8
#72 Love Offerings
#194 Traveling Mercies

I couldn't find the story, but he tells about a friend who went to a fundamentalist Christian college that had long, long, long invitations on Sundays when everyone wanted to get out and go to lunch. Apparently they took turns "taking one for the team" to go forward so the invitation could end and they could all go to lunch. I'm thinking I know that school!

I look at my schedule and think, “when this and this and this are over” life will slow down some and be ok. I’ve been in that mode the last couple of weeks: this is the Klopfenstein reunion, this is my CU class, etc. Paradoxically, in my class we read a book called Margin which is about not overcommitting our time, finances, money, selves, etc. so that we can live a more simplistic life that allows us to love God fully, invest in others, and take care of ourselves.

Yet, it seems as if this is just replaced with that.

What’s going on in my life?
•CU class finished last night.
•Tonight is West Michigan Whitecaps game with tickets I won through work. I thought I’d won four which makes inviting people a bit difficult, but I won five tickets which made it perfect to invite two couples.
•Today was the finance year end celebration. The finance leadership team grills burgers and chicken, and there’s ice cream and prizes. I didn’t win.
•Tomorrow night is the 4th annual street cookout. There will be fewer people this year. One is out of town, one has died, one is in a nursing home, one now lives with her children, one couple’s coming depends on how she feels tomorrow afternoon, etc. Such it is living on a street with half of the owners being over 85!

Rambling Thoughts

•279 Klopfensteins from 25 states is a lot of Klopfensteins!!!
•It was interesting and quite satisfying to see how many people appreciated the work Dad put into organizing the Klopfenstein reunion.
•I think my sister said it correctly when she said it really was a union and not a “re”union since most people hadn’t met the others.

•I met a “cousin” who lives in Grand Rapids and goes to church at a church that I had visited soon after I moved here. What if I’d started going there and we had become friends? And then we found out over the weekend we were related?
•Today I work I talked with another employee who attended the same undergraduate school I did about 10 years before I did. It was interesting to talk with him.
•I’ve cooked the last two nights. My parents were visiting so I had guests both nights. Monday night was pork chops on the grill, red potatoes, carrots, and rolls. Two of the guests brought a fruit platter and dessert. Tuesday nights was grilled chicken breasts on salad. Both were good I thought.
•Bloated dead fish floating in Lake Macatawa are gross. I almost lost my lunch seeing some of them.
•I had a great time visiting with family from Friday evening until this morning.

•I don’t think many people would believe these two people would be so excited about Krispy Kreme 8 years ago!

One year ago today . . .

All week I’ve been reminiscing about my trip last year to Washington DC. A year ago today I toured Voice of America and then did a bus tour to Mt. Vernon. On the way back we toured through Arlington. In colonial days when Arlington was being built, taxes were paid based on the amount of house frontage. This house paid the least amount of taxes of any house in Arlington because it is only 7 feet wide!

Whitney

Had a great Saturday evening with Whitney. We went to Grand Haven pier and walked out into Lake Michigan. She had fun using her new camera. It was fun to spend time with just her as I've not had the chance to do so before. Here are a few pictures from the evening.

I was sad to see on the tv as I left work today that Tim Russert had died. I enjoy watching Meet the Press and liked his book Big Russ and Me.

This morning a car with its hood up and a vehicle behind it were blocking one lane of traffic from turning left where I need to this morning. Because the light was red I was there long enough to see a guy come running from the convenient store across the street with a quart of oil.

I'm not very mechanical but I do know that if the car has no oil it's locked up and isn't going anywhere. If there is oil and the car runs he could have driven across the street to the convenient store. If the car's not running, a quart of oil won't solve the problem.

Seeing the situation reminded me of a friend in Illinois who once said whenever anyone called him with a car problem they would almost always say, "I checked the oil." He would laugh and say, "Did you check the air in the tires?"

More bad customer service

I have readily called myself middle-aged—don’t necessarily like it, but will admit to it. However, today took the cake.

My friend Renae and I were at Taco Bell and the clerk (who was probably late 40’s to 50) asked Renae “Are you a senior?” I cracked up laughing and said “You just made my day asking her THAT!!!” Then the clerk, who obviously hadn’t passed Customer Service 101 to ask someone that said, “No, I meant both of you.” Then it was Renae’s time to laugh.

The clerk said they give free drinks to seniors, but even a the thought of a free carbonated beverage wouldn’t assuage the rudeness of asking two mid-40s women if they were senior citizens!!!

A Sad E-Mail

Almost two month ago I posted a string of e-mails from a student I had earlier this year. His unborn child had issues that would result in death soon after birth. This is the e-mail he sent on Friday evening:

Hi all,

I just wanted to give you an update on my son. Josiah was born at 10:09 AM at Spectrum Health downtown, he weighed about 8.5 pounds, was 18.5 inches long. He had a full head of dark hair, and a big smile. He cried about 12 different times for the first 20 minutes. After that Josiah slowly and peacefully faded away, and went to be with his Father in Heaven surrounded by our family at 11:20 AM

I want to thank all of you for all your prayer and support.


Pray for Rob and Sue. The visitation will be Tuesday evening and funeral on Wednesday.

Yesterday Renae, Glenn and I went to downtown GR for Festival of the Arts. It's an event for local musicians and groups to have a chance to perform. Only non-profit groups are allowed to be food vendors and most is ethnic food. It's a lot of fun but typically is very hot. Last night we watched the Grand Rapids Symphonic Band and the Embellish, a handbell ensemble. Thankfully Embellish was in an air conditioned building. The festival shut down due to an approaching thunderstorm just as we were getting ready to leave. We walked about 6-7 blocks to my car and then the rain started.

We made a Meijer stop on the way home. Renae waited in the car so I could pull right up to the covered sidewalk. It was funny to see people walk out and stand there thinking, "It wasn't raining when I came in." By then it was raining very, very hard.

My neighbor came over for about 20 minutes as she is scared of storms. It was cute, "I brought all my cash in my purse in case we have to go to the basement!"

The road leading to my condo was covered with about 6" of water and quite a few places are flooded today. It's interested to see really low places that I had never thought of being low before.

Another thunderstorm is supposed to hit in about an hour. It's headed across the lake now.

Good Rules

Everyone who sends e-mail needs to review this list periodically.

A Wednesday Lunch Drive

Today as I drove back to work at lunch from running a few errands I was driving some back roads. I pulled up to a T-intersections where I needed to turn left and stopped. Most cars approaching turn right as continuing straight is a dead end; however, I’ve learned to wait until the car actually turns before I proceed into the intersection.

A car was approaching the intersection rather fast with its turn signal on. At one point I thought “There is no way he’s going to be able to make the turn!” Right at the intersection the car slowed very, very quickly. Obviously the driver had stepped very hard on the brakes. The front passenger was not happy and waved the driver to continue on straight.

By the way, the car had a large Driver’s Education—Student Driver on top and the passenger was an instructor.

I remembered the boredom of driving in driver’s ed, and thought that there is no way I’d want to be a driver’s ed teacher.

But the best part of driving at lunch--seeing gas for less that $4/gallon!

Prizes

It was a good prize night last night. First, I got a gift card or equivalent cash in the drawing for grand days in April. (Thankfully I had one and Becky automatically got cash for 8 days so I kind of won the drawing by default, but I’ll take winning that way.) Then I had a guest and two bookings so I get a MK calculator! And, I filled out the first column on a worksheet for sales and orders in May so I could have animal print earrings, but I substituted a “leather” cover for my datebook.

I like getting prizes!!!

Church

Three thoughts from church:

1. This morning the minister went into a side room after announcements and brought out several bags of bouquets and another box. He wax expressing thanks for the sound guys and the people who were involved in the worship through music part of our service this past year. He walked to almost all parts of the sanctuary to give a bouquet to each lady and a jar of nuts to each guy. It was really nice and the flowers I received are very pretty. I'll post a picture later.

2. Couldn't have been timed better for a 21st century service and a sign of the times. Minister: Will you answer God's voice? [Cell phone rings.] Minister: God is calling you today. You could tell he was trying not to smile at the timing, but most people in the congregation were smiling and/or laughing.

3. Love this song we sang this morning during communion:

Be Unto Your Name
We are a moment, You are forever
Lord of the Ages, God before time
We are a vapor, You are eternal
Love everlasting, reigning on high

Chorus:
Holy, holy, Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb Who was slain
Highest praises, honor and glory
Be unto Your name, be unto Your name

We are the broken, You are the healer
Jesus, Redeemer, mighty to save
You are the love song we'll sing forever
Bowing before You, blessing Your name

Words and music by Lynn DeShazo and Gary Sadler
© 1998 Integrity's Hosanna! Music

One of the things I've noticed at another church I visited recently was how much of their music focused on our response to God or our worship of Him rather than about God himself. The God-focused worship (is that redundant?) is one aspect of my church that I like.