Shutting Detroit Down

Coming out of Retirement

I have decided to come out of my voluntary retirement from the game of golf. I used to play a lot of golf and enjoyed it, even though I have never been very good at it. I played several years about every weekend with the same three people, My Step Dad Ed, my Uncle Jim and a friend from work, Don. I not only enjoyed the game, but the friendly rivalry we all had with each other. We all were competitive but not to the place where winning or losing was the most important thing. I always enjoyed seeing my opponents make good shots even if it meant me losing a game or two and they did too.
A few years ago Uncle Jim moved to Florida and our weekly games ended At that point I had already started losing some interest in the game as my new passion, competitive scrabble, took up most of my spare weekend time. Now I am not coming out of retirement because I am giving up scrabble! As a matter of fact, I still enjoy playing in scrabble tournaments. You might be surprised to learn why I am going to start playing golf again. It is the result of a book my Pastor gave me to read over the holidays. Now he not only gave this book to me but gave a copy to our entire leadership team. The book is Humility True Greatness by C.J. Mahananey. It is a small little book that I read through rather quickly, but a book I plan on reading many more times in the days to come. Now you ask, "What does this book and golf have in common?" I am glad you asked. Toward the end of this very practical book the author suggests a good way to help lessen pride in our lives and to encourage us to practice humility. Yes, you guessed it... play golf. If you have ever played the game you well know it is one of, if not the most humbling game a person can ever play. Looking back on my retirement from golf I realize now part of the reason I quite playing was... yes you guessed it again, my pride. So I am going to get back one of my two sets of clubs I let my brother and son use, clean them up and get ready to get humbled. I will let you know how it goes. FORE!

My God is Mighty to Save!

Do Not Worry About Tomorrow- Matt 6:34

Matthew 6:25-34 is a portion of scripture I have read many times over my lifetime. As I read it again this morning oh how I needed to be reminded of it. The future in our country seems to be the darkest of any time in which I have lived. We are constantly being bombarded with negative news not only from our State , but our Nation and the world in which we live in. I have to admit I have thought about my economic future more in this last few months than I have in the last several years combined. I have to admit also that at times I have caught myself sinning as I have dwelt on some of these possible scenarios. That is why I guess I need to read this portion of scripture at least once a day. It reminds me that I am not to worry about my future because when I do I am not trusting the very God who has promised to take care of me. How foolish of me to think I can trust God with my eternal destiny but think he can not provide for my needs during a downturn in the economy. As a matter of fact I need to concentrate on the positive spiritual effects this downturn could bring not only in my life but in the lives of many who may now turn to Christ and His Church for help in a time of need. I have heard it said that a revival of God's people has never taken place in a nation during times of prosperity. We can look back at our nation during the Great Depression of the 1920's and realize that was the last great awakening in the last 100 years here. 2009 may be a very difficult year for many in our nation ,but it may be a time like you and I have never seen in our lifetimes, of seeing our mighty God work in a way only He can. Because of that I am optimistic as I look to the future and can't wait to see what our great God is going to do through and in me, and His Church!

How long do we have?

I received a forward this week and found it very interesting so I thought I would post part of it and see what you think about it.


How Long Do We Have?

About the time our original thirteen states adopted their new constitution in 1787, Alexander Tyler, a Scottish history professor at the University of Edinburgh , had this to say about the fall of the Athenian Republic some 2,000 years earlier:

'A democracy is always temporary in nature; it simply cannot exist as a permanent form of government.'

'A democracy will continue to exist up until the time that voters discover they can vote themselves generous gifts from the public treasury.'

'>From that moment on, the majority always vote for the candidates who promise the most benefits from the public treasury, with the result that every democracy will finally collapse due to loose fiscal policy, which is always followed by a dictatorship.'

'The average age of the world's greatest civilizations from the beginning of history, has been about 200 years'

'During those 200 years, those nations always progressed through the following sequence:

1. From bondage to spiritual faith;

2. From spiritual faith to great courage;

3. From courage to liberty;

4. From liberty to abundance;

5. From abundance to complacency;

6. From complacency to apathy;

7. From apathy to dependence;

8. From dependence back into bondage'


Could the United Staes be toward the end of this cycle?

Monthly blog report

Yes it has been over a month since I have posted anything on here. In my last blog I told you I was back to work and I am still working up toward Port Huron. It has been a difficult time as my body continues to remind me that I am closer to 55 now than I am 25. I have been sick for over a week and did not go to work today to try and get over whatever it is I have had. I feel like I am close to getting back to normal, whatever that is. ha
I only have a few more weeks left on this job and I hope I can endure until the end. I am thankful to have a job during this time when so many people have lost their jobs or can not find work. Living in Michigan during this economic downturn can bring a person down with it if you allow it to. So much negativity throughout the media does not help. I find myself turning off the news station on my radio on the way to and from work each day and listening to my New Testament tapes or good Bible preaching and teaching on the one station we have that carries them.
I am so thankful for all the blessings God has given me during this point of my life. I am thankful for a great group of people at our church that care for one another. I am thankful for a wonderful wife who shows her love for me in so many ways. I am thankful for a son and daughter-in-law who keep in touch with us even though we are separated by many miles. (Yes cell phones and the internet are a great help in this.)I am thankful for a purpose to live here in this sinful world that has so many problems. I have to admit I do get sidetracked from this purpose (to honor and glorify God with everything I have or do) at times but am grateful that God is patient with me and still uses me for His honor and glory in many different ways.
Please pray for my Aunt Mickey as she is dealing with a very difficult health issue at this time. Also pray for my and Benita's family members many who do not know Jesus Christ yet as their Lord and Savior. Hopefully it will be sooner than a month before I post again. Lord Bless!

Back to Work!

Well my loooong summer vacation is finally over. I go back to work starting tomorow. I was hoping to get a job closer to home but felt I better take this one up toward Port Huron. I will be working 6 days a week 10 hours a day and it should be good for 6 weeks or so. With the drive time I will be leaving the house at 5:45 in the morning and getting back home around 7:30 in the evening. Guess the overtime will help pay for the gas to get back and forth each day.ha
I am not complaining just stating the facts. I am thankful for my job and that it pays me more than I am worth. It puts food on our table, allows us to pay the bills and helps support our church and others that are in need.I think that makes me a very rich man.
While I was getting a hair cut today I overheard a lady across the room say "I am sure glad I am poor, because I do not have any money in the stock market so I did not lose anything yesterday when it dropped some 500 points". Well, I do have some small investments in the stock market but that does not make me rich. What makes me rich though is all that I have been given in this life and the life to come by my great God. Praise to Him from whom all blessings flow!

Songs from my Past

My Pastor loves to quote old songs from the past during his sermons or during his teaching times. I remember times he has quoted songs like "Lord I'm a Rambling Man" by the Almond Brothers (or was it the doobie brothers?), "You are so Vain" by Carly Simon and even the Rolling Stones song, " I can't get no Satisfaction" (LOVE THE DOUBLE NEGATIVE!). I am always amused how people respond to him when he does this. Sad thing is there has not been a song yet like these that was new to me. A matter of fact I tell him often when a song is mentioned I keep singing it in my mind long after he has made his point with the lyrics of it. I know this is not a good thing!To me this illustrates what a powerful medium music can be.

Today at Men's Leadership meeting Pastor Ken used a song that came out in the late 70's by a Christian singer by the name of Dallas Holm. He quoted one of his songs to illustrate a wrong concept of salvation and heaven. As soon as he started quoting it (not singing it) the tune imediatly came to my mind and the song started playing in my head automaticly, even though I can not remember hearing the song for over 25 years. I could even heard another version of the song I believe B.J. Thomas recorded.
Well tonight I looked for the song on Youtube but could not find it. I was going to email it to Pastor as a joke. But while looking for it I ran into some other songs by Dallas Holm during this same period of time. So I posted the one that I used to listen to over and over again while driving around in my triple black cutlass Supreme. I still think this song packs a powerful message about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, even though His name is never mentioned in the song. Hopefully this song will be in my mind tonight as I go to sleep instead of the other one! Good Night and Lord Bless.

Rise Again - Dallas Holm

Steven Curtis Chapman - Cinderella