Lessons for Living

I Agree

The Price of Oil Is Too High

Meanwhile, the world’s leading producers say oil is too expensive and they plan to increase supplies.

A source at Opec said its 13 members were uncomfortable with the current price of crude, which last week hit a record $135 a barrel.

Based on present supply and demand, he said it should be fetching $60-$70 a barrel.

May they feel less “uncomfortable” soon! 😉

A Working Toilet Is a Top Priority

“Clearly, having a working toilet is a priority for us, so some of these things that we didn’t need for the next six months or so could wait,” said payload manager Scott Higginbotham.

You really do have to prioritize. Oh, and the shuttle commander for this mission had to weigh in on the subject with an interesting play on words:

“As soon as we get a couple more spare parts that I’m sure some of you guys have heard about … we’re going to be all ready to go.”

Was that pun intentional? 😯

Sincere Whistleblowers Don’t Wait

“Well, why, all of a sudden, if he had all these grave concerns, did he not raise these sooner?”

Yeah, Scott. You tell ’em all! 🙄

Don’t Count on the Powers That Be

The powers that be, they’ve determined, will be largely powerless to stop what is to come.

If it is to come, of course it can’t be stopped. And from the same story, this jewel:

Women will always be having babies, she notes . . . .

If she’s wrong, the powers that be will be powerless. Which means they will no longer be the powers that be. In which case, women do indeed rule the planet.

Sad Memorial Day Lesson

That is, for the living.

Like me.

Driver Had Been Warned

Gig Harbor police say a woman who died in a crash on State Route 16 had been asked not to drive after an earlier crash.

[…]

Schierman said she was only tired, so Busey says she was advised to call someone for a ride and she said that’s what she would do.

Eight minutes later, Schierman was fatally injured. Her 1996 Ford Explorer veered across the westbound lanes of State Route 16, went through a cable barrier, overturned several times and wound up in the eastbound lanes.

Memorial Day, Part 1

I drive by two roadside memorials quite often. (Well, more than two, but I’m thinking of two in particular.)

The first one is about two miles from our place — where Hwy 211 and Canby-Marquam Hwy cross. Over the years it’s been a bad, bad intersection — many wrecks, many injuries; many lives changed, many lives ended here on planet Earth. Interestingly, though, only one memorial remains:

Mercedes F. Ramirez-Flores
Mercedes F. Ramirez-Flores

Cut off at age 15. Eleven years ago. People still remember Mercedes. I know, because I’ve seen some of them there. In their hearts, there’s more left of Mercedes than this roadside memorial.

But there’s another memorial that has often produced fleeting melancholy in me.

It’s also by Hwy 211, about 5.8 miles east of Hwy 99E in Woodburn.

It just sits there year after year. Untended. Perpetually almost to fall over. Forgotten?

Not by me!

And to my knowledge, I don’t even know this Peter:

Peter, that's all

What compelled someone to put up so simple a memorial?

Is it somehow indicative of a wasted life? of a forgotten person? of an insignificant other?

Peter. Mercedes. Sometimes I wish I knew more about them both. And about their families.

And about their relationship with God.

OK, Mark

“OK, Mark,” he whispered intracranially, “you should quit for the day. Just go to bed now.”

“Just let me do a little bit more,” he muttered back.

Now you know the rest more of the story.

I read this somewhere:

“Late to bed and early to rise,
Makes a man baggy under the eyes.”

Fine.

Wanted: Close Friends

I didn’t write any of this post just now. This first block I wrote almost nine years ago in the Fall of 1999.

“After six years away, we aren’t sure we want to return to our home congregation. The close friends we had there have all left.” Though I could understand the comment and sentiment well, and could even empathize with it, I was still cut. You see, I was one of those who was still in their home congregation. Their feelings left me feeling out in the cold. It seemed I didn’t count as a friend or even as a potential friend.

“I hope you don’t decide to leave. If you do, we will have no real friends left here.” The comment warmed my heart at the same time it made my heart sink. It seemed that I had allowed our good friendship to warp our friends socially. It seemed that in their estimation, no one else counted as a friend or even as a potential friend.

Have our congregations turned into ice cube trays with the cubes representing individual friendships that have little in common with each other? I hope not! Actually, I’m sure that they haven’t, but the previous two paragraphs ought to serve as a warning to us. We Christians must be experts at developing new friendships, even close friendships, especially within our local congregations!

Three of my good friends left. One went to the Caribbean, another to Latin America, and the other to the world. Sometimes I feel as though I have good friends at church, but no more real confidants. The strange thing is, I can so easily blame the church. You know, it just isn’t as warm and friendly as it used to be. Indeed. If I am part of the church and I am not establishing new close friendships, then, yes, the church isn’t as warm and friendly as it used to be. And guess who’s partly to blame! Me!

This next block I wrote even longer ago — Summer 1995.

Who in your Sunday School class will walk with you? With whom will you walk? Will anyone walk with you? Will you walk with anyone? You need someone to walk with you, especially during those difficult, perplexing times. And the person next to you or across from you has the same need. Why go it alone? Walk with someone!

“A friend loveth at all times, and a brother is born for adversity” (Proverbs 17:17).

“A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother” (Proverbs 18:24).

“Woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up” (Ecclesiastes 4:10).

And this last block I wrote more recently (February 2003).

“Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do” (1 Thessalonians 5:11).

Be an active, responsible, accountable member of a faithful congregation. Within that local body of believers, be an encourager and a builder in the lives of the others. God will use them to encourage and build in your life.

I originally wrote the preceding blocks for Christian Light Publication’s youth Sunday School quarterlies.

Need for Speed

How do Christians justify driving over the posted speed limit?

Let’s see what kind of a list we can build here.

I’ll start the list with three excuses explanations:

  • “Not keeping up with the traffic flow poses a hazard.”
  • “The speed in this zone is illogically low.”
  • “A police officer told me they’re lenient on this stretch of highway.”

Important Disclaimer: What’s posted here shall not be considered self-incriminatory! 🙂

Above all, love God!