Quality For Life

I went shopping for clothes the other day and a tag on a Haggar shirt caught my eye. See if you can tell which of the following descriptions this bachelor would be most excited about: Stay Crisp Shirt, No Iron, 100% Cotton
But as I read on down the tag, I became intrigued. This is a first. I've never been intrigued by a shirt tag before. This is what the rest of it said...
Haggar, Making Things Right
Quality For Life, Guaranteed As Long As You Live
Shrink Resistant
Unbustable Seams
Unbreakable Buttons

Wow! What a guarantee! It almost makes me want to challenge it and see if I can break a button. Like when I was 7 years old and my Mom saw me with all my little 45 lp records spread around me on the floor. She said to be careful not to sit on one or it would break. Once she left, it was a duty incumbent upon me to test her theory. Turns out, she was right.
While I love the sound of Haggar's guarantee, I'm almost sure someone somewhere could find a way to break a button. Maybe one of those power team guys. But they are certainly good at what they do and I am enjoying the shirt. What actually does meet the guarantee they make is the armor of God. We tend to forget that we are in a battle and that a soldier never goes to war unequipped. Let's be sure to clothe ourselves each day with armor that is guaranteed for life. It's shrink resistant, with unbustable seams and unbreakable buttons. And, by the way, it'll protect us in the war zone. It's quality for life.

Ephesians 6: 11-17 "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.
Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.
Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.
In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God."

Happy Anniversary, Gary and Sheri!

Today is Gary and Sheri's 26th wedding anniversary. I remember their wedding like it was yesterday. My mom made her wedding dress -which was the same style that Lady Diana had worn for the royal wedding. But Sheri's train wasn't as long as Diana's -which I believe was the length of 3 football fields. The first time she tried the dress on I commented on how beautiful she looked. I suppose a little brother doesn't usually do that but she just looked like royalty herself.

For the ceremony they asked my dad to sing "Sunrise, Sunset". Now that I think about it, that was probably kind of cruel. He couldn't do much more than cry into the microphone that day. But he did it on pitch.

All four of my grandparents served communion to everyone in attendance. Gary's pastor, and the president of our organization at that time, Orvel Taylor, performed the ceremony. When he had Gary and Sheri kneel, you could see that Gary's sister, Elaine, had written "Oh no" on the bottom of his shoes in red nail polish.

My mom played the piano and Gary's mom played the organ and I was one of the ushers. At the end of the ceremony the bridal party was so excited that they ran off to the other room with the bride and groom -forgetting that there were people waiting to be dismissed from the church. I was practically running down the aisle to escort parents, grandparents, and other family members out individually.

It was really an amazing day because it was like a family reunion. And it was the last time that we'd all be together. However, it was also the start of something new. They were off to California. We lived in Seattle at that time but eventually followed them down. They are so fun that we just couldn't live that far away. And, of course, eventually there were two more fun ones thrown into the mix. Two little bundles of joy that still give me hugs every time I see them -even though they've grown up. But it all started with this day. Happy Anniversary Gary and Sheri!

Hiroki Kuroda

Gary and I went to the Dodger game Monday night and witnessed Hiroki Kuroda throwing a one-hit shut out against the Atlanta Braves. As the game proceeded you could feel the atmosphere growing thicker with anticipation. Gary was beginning to wonder early on if it could actually turn into a no-hitter. He said he'd never personally witnessed one before.

Then you could see that the entire crowd was beginning to wonder the same thing. With each pitch and strike came thunderous applause. When the Braves finally got on base, everyone felt disappointed for Hiroki...but certainly not disappointed in Hiroki. He received a huge ovation at the end of the night when he tipped his cap.

It must have felt good for him to sense how everyone was wishing for his success. That's how it is in the kingdom. Sometimes I get the feeling that heaven is cheering us on. I told Gary that I hoped Hiroki could rejoice that night over his success and not obsess over the one hit that got away. It's so important that we do our very best -but let go of the failures, the things that have hindered us in our lives, so we can continue to "pitch" our very best until the game is over.

Hebrews 12:1 "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us."

Russian Tortoise Update

The Russian Tortoise...is still missing. While out walking yesterday I noticed this sign in a completely different area from where I saw the first one. We have now reached Week 4. I'm really hoping this won't spark another Russian missile crisis.
I thought it was pretty cool to see how people have responded to their postings. I hope they find the little guy. Unless, of course, he's a spy. In that case, he should be arrested.

Of the people, by the people, for the people

I've been watching a documentary on the Civil War. President Lincoln was invited to speak -almost as an after thought at Gettysburg. The featured speaker went two hours. But it was Lincoln's speech that would stand the test of time. It's worth a read, in these present dark times, if you haven't read it in awhile.

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth."

Don's Sweet Ride

Check out what my buddy Don Croswhite has been driving around. He says it can get a bit claustrophobic spending an entire day in this thing. I'd love to drive this down the 605. Don't think I'd have any problems with people cutting me off.

Starbucks Savings And Loan

Wow, have times changed. Check out how big the Starbucks letters are compared to the Wells Fargo letters you can just make out above the doorway. This is on the traffic circle at Old Towne, Orange. The building is pretty cool with a high beautiful ceiling inside. And, yes, you can consult with either a teller or a barista. I wonder if the tellers offer whipped cream with transactions?

It was a wonderful place to enjoy my cup of Starbucks coffee for the day. I could just imagine for all those folks who have said something along the lines of..."Back in my day we would never pay that much for a cup of coffee," -when they see this building, it must turn into... "See, I told you so. They're even taking over the banks."