Funkyjimmer's Blog

Saturday, June 24, 2006

CONVENTION BOUND

Next week we are going to attend a church convention in Louisville, Kentucky. It's not far from home--about a 2 hour drive. And we're staying very close to the Convention Center at a Marriott downtown. I'm hoping Karon will be up to all this. But she really wants to go and is looking forward to it. She should have had another chemo treatment this coming Wednesday but was allowed to put it off a week. I certainly hope she's feeling better by the time we leave Tuesday. She hasn't bounced back from her last treatment very well. She has no energy and those awful sores in her mouth and throat are so painful. The mouth sores look awful, too. Every night when she gets home from work she hits her chair and sleeps there until 9:30 - or 10. I try, but can't rouse her much sooner than that.

The Convention is over Friday noon. We're going to Troy, Ohio, to visit some friends who recently moved there from Indy. We'll be home Saturday afternoon. I've arranged for a guest speaker for Sunday, July 2nd, so we won't have to think about preparations while we are gone or just after we get back.

February of 2005 I bought a 1996 Toyota Camry. I really like the car. I like that it has a radio/tape/CD player. I am just now getting the CD player fixed. People said it didn't have a CD player but all the buttons were there and a slot to insert the CD. Sure enough, it has a player. It should be repaired today so I can get it put back it. It will be nice to have a car CD player rather than my portable walkman I use when I want to play CDs in the car--which I do a lot!

Don't know if I'll post again before we leave for Convention or not. I'm off all next week. Karon has to work a few hours Monday. That's all right because I can use the day to get us ready for the trip. If I don't post before, look for me when I return from the trip. Hopefully I'll have some internet access while I am gone.

Jim

posted by jim 8:19 AM 1 comments

Tuesday, June 20, 2006

STORMY WEATHER

We've had some stormy weather of late. Nothing seriously damaging in our immediate area. But rain and wind. I just get the yard picked up from all the dead branches and leaves that have blown down and -- WHOOSH! -- here comes another wind and more branches and leaves are down. I just came in from picking up the yard -- again! This time we had a rather large branch break but not come completely free from the tree. I asked my neighbor to borrow a step ladder. Instead he came over with a very long-handled limb cutter and cut it off and we drug it over to a brush pile on his property. I am so grateful for his help.

We have a postage stamp size garden space where, in years previous, we have had green beans, carrots, tomatoe plants, some flowers, etc. But this year neither of us have the energy, time or inclination to do anything with that space. So the weeds grew up. I spent a bit of time this afternoon, after picking up the yard from the limbs and leaves, hoeing the weeds out of that garden space. So now it looks better from a distance! It will have to be done again--several times--before the frost comes this fall. But it looks better for now.

That's sort of like our lives. We think we've "weeded" our lives and the next thing we know, they are back in some form or other. It seems I've been experiencing that a lot lately in my own life. I wish there was some "weed spray" I could use on those pesky habits in my life to get rid of them.

Last weekend (Friday night to be exact) I got up on the roof of my house and blew the limbs off the roof and out of the gutters. The gutters weren't as bad as I thought they might be. But I'm glad that's done. That is like the weeds--it will need to be done again, especially this fall when the leaves begin to fall! But the limbs and twigs that get on the yard also get on the roof and in the gutters--even though we have gutter guards.

Karon is feeling really ill today. She worked but came home early because she didn't feel well. She has been asleep ever since. She doesn't know all that's been done in our yard yet.

I have a "day trip" tomorrow. And I finally "hit the jackpot" with the car rental. They gave me a 2006 Cadillac to drive! Leather seats and all the "bells and whistles". Too bad I won't have it for several days instead of just over night and a day.

I better think of something Karon can eat. Because of the condition of her stomach, mouth and throat, there isn't a lot she can manage.

Jim

posted by jim 7:13 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 12, 2006

A GOOD DAY

Sunday was okay. We have a lot of high school youth and adult sponsors on a Work Camp Mission trip to Michigan. We missed them being in our worship time. Our Middle School (Junior High) youth and sponsors are leaving Saturday for a Work Camp Mission Trip to West Virginia. They are going to help a struggling church to re-build after some storm damage or something.

I have begun a series of messages on the topic of "THE DESTINIES OF MAN". Last Sunday we talked about beginning life in the world as an infant in innocence. Then we discussed the Age of Accountability--what is it, when is it, etc. The message seemed to be well received. Next week we are talking about who is in the world. We'll talk about the moralist and the sinner. I'm excited about this series because it will be an opportunity to do some old-fashioned Bible teaching. Sunday we'll talk about the Bible people of Cornelius, Saul of Tarsus; Nicodemus and the Rich Young Ruler as examples of good moral people who thought they could "earn" salvation by their morality. But it can't be done! There is salvation only in Christ. But there are a lot of people in the world, and even in the church, who have the same thought process as these Bible men had at one time.

Karon is pretty well "done in and out" right now from her Chemo. She probably sleeps half the time. She is still working and I don't see how she does it. But she comes home and sleeps for 3 hours or so before she even gets anything to eat. She's losing quite a bit of weight. But it is hard to eat during this time after the Chemo because of the side effects.

I'll have a busy week at work. No out of town trips this week but some trips around this area and lots to do in the office as well. But it is all enjoyable and I am thankful to have the job I enjoy.

I am sorely missing some of the contact I have enjoyed with some special friends. I miss the personal, telephone and email contact I have had with some very special friends who are far from me geographically but who are near and dear to my heart. *sigh" Loneliness is a funny thing. It takes various forms. And I am noticing it can lead to difficulties in dealing with other areas of life as well. And loneliness isn't necessarily rational either. I can think of a dozen reasons or more why I shouldn't be lonely. But that doesn't change the fact that I greatly miss having contact in some form or other with those special people in my life. *double sigh*

Jim

posted by jim 10:07 PM 1 comments

Saturday, June 10, 2006

A DAY AT A TIME

That's the Biblical way of life. Karon had her Chemo treatment Wednesday and those awful side effects are beginning to kick in. This will be a rough weekend and into the first part of next week. She was quite disappointed that the cancer count (tumor count) hadn't gone down more. But at least it had gone down. Three weeks ago the count was 108. This week it was 100.8.

Our oldest daughter is looking for employment. She is college-degreed and has experience in both child care (classroom and director experience) and in Administrative Management work. I'll be glad when she is settled into a job.

Got some studying to do for tomorrow so better get back at it.

Regards,

Jim

posted by jim 1:34 PM 0 comments

Monday, June 05, 2006

I GUESS IT WAS OKAY

Sunday morning at church went okay I guess. It was too long. I had no idea I would talk as long as I did. But I had a lot to say! All the visions for the future of our church seemed to be received well. The announcement of my planned retirement apparently was accepted without much reaction. I got a few comments afterward but not an avalanche of comments or reaction. We'll see what the future weeks bring. But all in all it was okay.

The day had some disastrous events. After church our 18-month old grandson locked himself and the car keys in my daughter and son-in-law's car. It took the police to get into the car and retrieve the keys. Fortunately someone from church was with my daughter when it occurred so there was a cell phone available. Hers was also locked in the car.

After retrieving her keys she ran out of gas. The same fellow from church who had the cell phone when the keys got locked in the car brought some gasoline for the car. Then I was able to drive the car to get it filled with gas while my daughter and grandson shopped at Wal-Mart! She had walked to Wal-Mart with the boy after the car ran out of gasoline. Life in the fast lane!

Jim

posted by jim 8:45 AM 1 comments

Saturday, June 03, 2006

RETIREMENT ANNOUNCEMENT

Tomorrow at my church I will announce my retirement plans. I hope it is received in the way the leaders and I intend. In my prevous Post I explained my reasoning and how it will be done. I can't help wonder what the reaction will be. Of course some are already aware of the transition plans. But some are not. When the sermon is over I hope everyone present understands how right this is for the church and how the timing of it all is right.

A Preacher once said, "I stayed at my church for 44 years. It should have been 40!" I don't want that to be said of me.

There are three ways for a minister to leave a church. He can be carried out, kicked out or walk out. I want to walk out.

In my next Post in this Journal I'll let you know how it all went--at least from my pespective.

Jim

posted by jim 9:04 AM 0 comments

Thursday, June 01, 2006

READY FOR SUNDAY

I am about ready for Sunday. I finished the first – and very rough – draft of my sermon last night. Well, it was really this morning about 2 a. m.! But I think I’m pleased with it so far. The purpose is to cast vision for the future of our church regarding our Capital Stewardship Campaign and building addition program. I will introduce the people we have selected to lead us in the Campaign and also the financing part.

As a part of the message I will announce the transition plans for my “retirement” and introduce the Search Team. All in all, it should be a good Sunday. I hope it will all be received well.

I am excited about the future of our little church. The Leadership and I feel this is the right time to transition to a full time minister. The church has had full time ministers in the past. I think they are ready again. It will be a financial “stretch” for them but the potential is there. I hope the whole church will see this as a “positive” for the church.

What pleases me most is that in announcing my “retirement” none of this will be tied in any way to my family situation or Karon’s battle with cancer. We’d be doing this now even if she were in perfect health. It is just the right time to make the transition. We’ll see how it all works out. I plan to tell the church Sunday that, “man proposes and God disposes!” Proverbs 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.”

We are also in the process of beginning Small Group Bible studies throughout the church. That can be a very healthy thing for the church if it is done right. We’ll spend the summer preparing and training and launch the groups in the fall.

Saturday night we have a Hawaiian Luau. Should be fun. The weather promises to be good for an outdoor event. We’re having a barbeque prepared by one of the church guys on a huge outdoor roaster.

Jim

posted by jim 9:59 AM 0 comments