Bomb-Pop, Grandpa?

Thursday brought something new to the retirement community.
The Ice Cream Wagon came trolling by. I wrote trolling, but actually the driver wheeled in the driveway and stayed just about as long as a "drive-by" shooter stays at a crime scene!
He must have been unaware that even if our residents could have heard the tinkling music or
made the connection between the music and the impending arrival of the Ice Cream Man, they could never have chased after him.

If he comes by again, the video I may make just might become the next Internet sensation. We'll be ready for him next time. Residents with their canes and walkers, money in hand, will be waiting eagerly behind the shrubbery. Men and women on their electric chairs will be poised and ready, with their fists on the controls and purses in their baskets.
Folks will all "peel out" and start rolling through the parking lot, before his wagon hits the corner. I can see them now, surrounding the surprised driver with their demands for the goodies.Then they will grab the cool stuff and speed back inside to eat the frozen treats in their air-conditioned apartments.
Ain't summertime great?

Dear God we are so thankful for the fun times. We will continue to follow you and ask your guidance in the not so fun times. Life isn't always an ice cream sandwich, but your steadfast love endures forever.

Lord, save me from myself!

Spoiler Alert! I am a Senior Citizen attempting to use the Internet.
Back when it was cool to take "typing" in high school, I took it and got an A. (Not an A+, but a regular A.) I was really pretty good at "Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party." Over the years, I have taught classes in keyboarding, Office and Word.
My spouse and I were a couple who bought a computer for family use, before we knew what the Internet was or how to connect to it. That was years ago.
So, don't call me  Missy Tech-no-nothing. I do Social Media. I email. I process, make labels and create cards.
But, yesterday, when I received a bizarre multi color notice on the lower right corner of my monitor, I was puzzled. What did the message mean?
"My logmein was not connected." OMGoodness!
My first thought was. I have been hacked. And, to top it all off , it must be someone or something from China. That rascal!
Then......Maybe it had something to do with food.  Chow Mein, you know! Maybe I was been stalked by a Chinese Restaurant!
I'd never had a message like this before. What had I done wrong? What button had I pushed, to cause this message?
Then, I ran over to my much younger work colleague. "Kaycee!" I pleaded. "Help me. What have I done? My logmein isn't connected."

"That would be Log Me In," she replied patiently. "Just hit the X in the corner. It will go away."

Oh, Lord. Save us from ourselves. We are so in need of your help and protection. We cannot do life without you. Asking for Your help and the help of others is a very good thing.

" I'll make it anywhere...."

I know many fearful senior citizens. They worry about many things, and they are afraid of a great many more. Fear and worry have paralyzed them. They are afraid to enjoy the rest of their lives.
Here's what I believe.
My youth was spent worrying and being fearful. I always deferred to the sensible and followed along doing what others told me was right. Well, hear this, folks, I refuse to be afraid in my senior years!
I've made it this far. Praise the Lord. I am a survivor!
I just spent the weekend in New York City. On Saturday, this little old lady walked by herself for 4 hours. I shopped, did some sightseeing, visited Grand Central Station, Central Park, Rockefeller Center and Times Square. It was great fun.
On Sunday, I had some family with me, but again, we were adventurers, exploring unknown environs without fear.
Monday, the same.
Look out world. To quote Pogo, (in sort of a bizarre way), " We have met the enemy and he is us." Our enemy in life is truly "us". God has given us the power to do whatever we want. We just have to do it. It is up to us.
With God as our ally, we cannot fail.

Dear God; Let's make it happen. Together we can succeed. You are my source and my shield. AMEN.

Pants on Fire!

I  just listened to a popular TV Commentator talk about what makes him angry. He read a list of things a mile long. I suppose that he must be angry, most of the time. That would be very stressful and lead to the consumption of a whole lot of antacids!
By contrast, I would have a very short list of things that make me angry. Oh sure, I get disappointed and fuss when things don't seem to go right, but I don't often get angry. I roll my eyes a lot. I frown and pout, but, I rarely get really  and truly angry.
But, if hard pressed to tell you about the one thing that makes me angry, it would be lying. I believe that it is very important "to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth".
But, as a addendum to that truth statement, I am reminded of what my mother taught me. My mother used to repeat the "if you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all" mantra.
The Lord, and many people know, that I am not a saint. So, I'm quiet a lot!  I would rather keep my mouth shut, than tell a lie.
I try very hard to be truthful. So, in turn, don't lie to me. I don't like it. If I catch you at it, you will disappoint me.
It's true what they say about lies. Lies are a lot like potato chips. You can't tell just one! Lies grow, with each retelling. Lies are hard to live up to and with. No one ever told just one white lie.
Please, don't lie.

Dear God; Sometimes we want things to be better than they actually are. We mess up. We fail. Sometimes we just try to cover up our mistakes. It is not always easy to be faithful. Lead us towards the Goal and show us how to put our faith in You. You are our strength and our rock.

Give Me A Break!

Want to make a three-year old happy? Tell her that you are going to take her to the park.....five minutes before you go. Instant love and undying affection.
Want to create bedlam, chaos, fear and mayhem? Tell an educated and otherwise intelligent group of 80 to 90 year-olds, that two weeks from a specified date, you are going to execute an orderly, planned evacuation of their automobiles, to a secure and guarded site. Promise to return those same cars, after resurfacing the parking lot, to the exact same, numbered spot, and get it all done within 24 hours. Immediate hatred and instant mistrust. Instant anarchy.
My colleagues and I have honestly been herding cats for the past two days. We have had crying women and screaming men. As one man said to me, "This has been the worst day of my life!"

Oh, my word. Up to this point, sir, how truly blessed your life must have been!

Good God! Give us understanding and patience. Help us to realize that we are not the only ones on this planet. Help us to keep things in perspective. Relieve us of our self importance and remind us that possessions are just material things. Grant us wisdom and courage. Give us the joy that comes from truly believing in You.

For Paul's Sake!

Paul's Letter to the Philippians is just a small book in the New Testament. Last week, in our Bible Study, we attempted to seek understanding of a passage where Paul asked the readers of his letter, the members of the church at Philippi, to become more like Christ. He said "always consider the other person to be better than yourself. Have no conceit. Always put the other person's interests first."
Oh, my goodness. Well, that is so simple. Isn't that the solution to all of our problems?
How grand life would be if we, all of us, all of humanity, always put the interests of everyone else, before our own interests.
But, by golly we just can't do it. We live in a ME FIRST Society. No wonder we have stress. No wonder we're unhappy. No wonder we complain all the time. No wonder we con't get along. We are selfish.
Today at work, I encountered a great many selfish and greedy folks. They were, to a man and woman, concerned about their own interests. Nothing was pleasing them. It was a ME FIRST day. Everyone I encountered wanted it "MY WAY or the HIGHWAY".
In my efforts to find create harmony and peace, I just encountered more unhappiness and discord.
But, God is Good. Tomorrow will be better. Paul also said, " There is nothing I cannot master with the help of the One who gives me strength."

Great and powerful God. Give us strength. Show us how to put others first. Give us an understanding of others and help us find the good in everyone. Give us patience.

Do you have something else besides Mexican food?

I have based much of my philosophy of life, on my favorite movie, "The Three Amigos." Not every
one I know understands this, but believe me, there is much to live by in this ridiculously politically incorrect movie. So much so, that even the most conservative soul could learn something of value from Dusty Bottoms, Ned Nederlander and Lucky Day.
Last night, my dear friend and I attended a "Three Amigos Quote a Thon". Apparently, I am not the only "Three Amigos" geek and aficionado in our area, for at least a hundred senors et senoritas were with Sophie and I, as we toasted and saluted the Infamous Tres Amigos.
During every gunfight, we shot off our cap pistoles and during every song we shook our maracas. We sang along with the lyrics of  " My Little Buttercup" and  echoed the words spoken between the Three Amigos and El Guapo. We understood that El Guapo didn't know what foreplay was. And, we understood what happened to the invisible swordsman, because when the emcee asked, "How many of you have seen this movie a hundred times?".......most of us raised our hands and shouted, "Viva los amigos! "
There have been numerous times, over the years, when an earnest presenter has asked me, "What is it that we can do really well? What is it that we are especially good at?"  Each and every time, I have wanted to yell out....WE CAN SEW! Amen and Amen. We are all great at something!

Dear Lord. You have given us so many things to enjoy. We can laugh at ourselves and enjoy the foibles of others. You are our rock and our salvation. We praise your name, over all things, invisible and visible.