Friday, November 15, 2013

Missing Opportunity ???

Sometimes we throw away opportunity because we fear failure more.  There is a little known tidbit about a blockbuster movie of the 1980s.  Early in 1982, a movie executive went to the M & M Company to make arrangements to use their little candies, M&Ms in an upcoming movie. The movie script included visitors from outer space who like candy. The M & M vice president said no, he did not want their product used that way.  So the film produce went to the company that makes Reece’s Pieces, and they accepted the offer. So in E.T., the little space child is lured out of hiding by a trail of Reece’s pieces instead of M & Ms. Reece’s stock went up—and the M & M vice president was looking for a job.

We can receive the blessings of opportunity is many forms—in health, or education, or citizenship.  We night enjoy athletic ability, beauty, or intelligence. We may be skillful with our hands, or able to travel or sing. Maybe we are talented in making money or creating art.


Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Things My Mother Taught Me

Many years ago when mom was starting to loose her memory I created and framed this poster for mom's room in the nursing home. My sister Jeannie brought it to the church for display at her Celebration of Life service. The photo was her Senior picture.


Things my Mother taught me:

First to love Jesus with all my heart all the time.
Second to love others more than my self.
Third to always do my best.
Fourth to keep learning all my life.


Monday, November 11, 2013

Inherited Token

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My mother inherited a token from her Uncle Frank Baum who owned a furniture store in Quincy and used these brass tokens for advertising in the 1930’s. I inherited it from her.

Veterans Day 2013



Once again it is Veterans Day and what used to be called Armistice Day. Today we honor all our vets and remember their sacrifice in serving our country.



As a Viet Nam veteran I served in the US Navy on the USS Kearsarge patrolling the coast of North Viet Nam in 1964. Others paid a bigger price than I did in that terrible war and I honor their lives lost in combat. Many of our vets lived to carry the scars of PTSD to this day.

We are still making wounded veterans and I pray that our government will take better care of them than it did of my fellow Viet Nam vets. It does not look like they will and congress haggles over dollars for the VA at a time of war creating a flood of wounded man and women returning and seeking help.

This is Veterans Day – fly your flag and remember.