Pay It Forward

Okay, here's where I get to find out who reads my blog, other than Heather & Ruth. The deal is called "Pay It Forward" and here's what it's all about - I will make a gift of some sort for the first 3 people to post a comment to this entry, provided they post on their blog the same deal... and be willing to follow through with it. Heather & Ruth are already doing this on their blogs, so I really can't expect them to repost it.



Now, I have no idea what the gift will be yet, and I can pretty much promise you that it won't get sent in the next few days, but I will make something for you and it will be sent within 6 months of now. If you're one of the first three, post a comment here, on my Blogger site (http://www.loris-space.blogspot.com/2008/06/pay-it-forward.html if you're seeing this through my Facebook feed), then send me your mailing address in a private message or an email.

This is gonna' be cool!

Freedom Isn't Free

I know this is a couple weeks early for the 4th of July, and wayyy late for Memorial Day, but it's so true all of the time, we shouldn't wait for a specific date to be reminded of things like this. I received this poem in my email this morning. I don't know who wrote it.

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.

I looked at Him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square And eyes alert
He'd stand out in any crowd.

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers' tears?

How many pilots' planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers' graves ?
No, freedom isn't free.

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.

I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant 'Amen,'
When a flag had draped a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.

I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives.

I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington .
No, freedom isn't free .

Father's Day

I did make it to Ohio for Father's Day - a day late. He didn't know I was coming. Melissa just told him on Monday that dinner was on it's way. What she didn't tell him was that I was stopping at the grocery to get some steaks to grill out. I walked in and asked "Did anybody order any steaks?". It took him a moment. Mom was pretty dumbfounded, too, which doesn't happen often. :o0

We had a nice dinner, then went to see the new Indiana Jones movie. Very good movie. Yesterday morning I had breakfast with Danny. He's doing OK. His job future is in question since his employer was bought out by a competitor, his living arrangements aren't working out too well (he lives out in the middle of nowhere, with no vehicle to get back and forth to anywhere with), but he seems to be managing. He wanted a dose of real life, he's got it. He did admit to me yesterday that "The real world really kind of sucks, doesn't it , Mom?" Heheh, yup, it sure can, son. I've told him that if he finds himself without a job, head on back to TN and we'll work on knocking out his school. He has a class and a half left to earn his diploma, and the job market here might be better than what he's looking at up there. He'd definately have something to drive to be able to get to work, which is always a bonus. I'm not getting my hopes up, though, and I'm not expecting him to stay if he does come down. I just hope he finishes his school, and if I can help him do that, I'll be a lot more comfortable when thinking about his future.

Anyway, a great visit with dad and son. It was wonderful. :o)

Lori's Theory of Vinyl Tile Adhesiveness

The desire and ability of old vinyl tiles to stick to a floor is directly proportional to your desire to remove them from the floor and inversely proportional to your ability to remove them.

Yup, we're still pluggin' away at this little house. We have the ceilings down, most of the trim removed, most of the floor tiles up that need to come up, the bathtub surround is gone, and so is most of the musty smell. The walls have all been scrubbed, although they're going to need it again before we paint because of all the dust the tile removal is stirring up, but we're getting there.

We should get the tiles finished tomorrow (tonight if I feel energetic after church), and we're going to put up a vapor barrier on the ceilings before the new ceiling tile goes up. I want to get the vapor barrier up before painting the walls to help keep things currently falling from the ceiling from getting into the new paint. And, I want to paint before we put up the ceiling tiles and before we put down the new floor tiles. We'll have a LOT less trim work with the paint that way. See, I do think on occassion... and sometimes it's even a good idea! I hope to have things ready to paint by the end of work on Saturday, so we can start putting things back together.

Jack will be renting a little backhoe this weekend to work on the drainage issues. Keeping things clean while he's doing it will be quite a treat. I figure it would be pretty pointless to try to paint with all of the dirt work going on outside, so the painting will actually happen next week.

So, after the paint comes the new ceilings, new lights and ceiling fans, new bathtub surround, and upper trim. And we'll get the cabinets painted at the same time. They already have several coats of paint on them, so one more isn't going to hurt. Then floors - half of them will be new vinyl tile, the other half will be painted concrete. Oh joy.... thank goodness for area rugs! After that, the place will be pretty much ready to move into, although there's still a lot of things that need to be done.

Bwahahahaha!

Truer words have not been spoken...

In case you were wondering what my dad is up to, how does up to his knee in mud sound? Okay, errr... dirt.




Yup, that's Dad, playing in the dirt at the Tick farm. They now have water, and this is their water meter/main spigot. I guess this picture proves that boys will be boys, no matter what chronological age they get to be. :o)


You can see Dad's prostetic leg off to the left side of the picture, complete with a black sock. I'll bet it's a gold-toe, too. He loves those things.


My sister wants to take Dad to see the newest Indiana Jones movie for Father's Day. I've been invited, but I'll have to see how it's going at the campground. If I can, I'll sneak away Saturday night and be at their place in time for the movie on Sunday, but it will be a last minute decision, based on what's happening around here.

The Lord's Prayer - as you've never thought of it before.

The Lord’s Prayer

As you’ve never thought of it before!!

This is very, very good. It is in two parts, ”the PRAYER” (in BLUE type) and GOD (in RED type) in response.

****************************

[Prayer] Our Father Who Art In Heaven,

[God] Yes?

[Prayer] Don't interrupt me. I'm praying.

[God] But -- you called ME!

[Prayer] Called you? No, I didn't call you. I'm praying…. Our Father who art in Heaven,

[God] There -- you did it again!

[Prayer] Did what?

[God] Called ME. You said, "Our Father who art in Heaven". Well, here I am. What's on your mind?

[Prayer] But I didn't mean anything by it. I was, you know, just saying my prayers for the day. I always say the Lord's Prayer. It makes me feel good, kind of like fulfilling a duty.

[God] Well, all right. Go on.

[Prayer] Okay, Hallowed be thy name .

[God] Hold it right there. What do you mean by that?

[Prayer] By what?

[God] By "Hallowed be thy name"?

[Prayer] It means, it means . . good grief, I don't know what it means. How in the world should I know? It's just a part of the prayer. By the way, what does it mean?

[God] It means honored, holy, wonderful.

[Prayer] Hey, that makes sense. I never thought about what 'hallowed' meant before. Thanks. Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven.

[God] Do you really mean that?

[Prayer] Sure, why not?

[God] What are you doing about it?

[Prayer] Doing? Why, nothing, I guess. I just think it would be kind of neat if you got control, of everything down here like you have up there. We're kinda in a mess down here you know.

[God] Yes, I know; but, have I got control of you?

[Prayer] Well, I go to church.

[God] That isn't what I asked you. What about your bad temper? You've really got a problem there, you know. And then there's the way you spend your money -- all on yourself. And what about the kind of books you read ?

[Prayer] Now hold on just a minute! Stop picking on me! I'm just as good as some of the rest of those people at church!

[God] Excuse ME. I thought you were praying for my will to be done. If that is to happen, it will have to start with the ones who are praying for it. Like you -- for example.

[Prayer] Oh, all right. I guess I do have some hang-ups. Now that you mention it, I could probably name some others.

[God] So could I.

[Prayer] I haven't thought about it very much until now, but I really would like to cut out some of those things. I would like to, you know, be really free.

[God] Good. Now we're getting somewhere. We'll work together -- You and ME. I'm proud of You.

[Prayer] Look, Lord, if you don't mind, I need to finish up here. This is taking a lot longer than it usually does. Give us this day, our daily bread.

[God] You need to cut out the bread. You're overweight as it is.

[Prayer] Hey, wait a minute! What is this? Here I was doing my religious duty, and all of a sudden you break in and remind me of all my hang-ups.

[God] Praying is a dangerous thing. You just might get what you ask for. Remember, you called ME -- and here I am. It's too late to stop now. Keep praying.

(pause)

Well, go on.

[Prayer] I'm scared to.

[God] Scared? Of what?

[Prayer] I know what you'll say.

[God] Try ME.

[Prayer] Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us.

[God] What about Ann?

[Prayer] See? I knew it! I knew you would bring her up! Why, Lord, she's told lies about me, spread stories. She never paid back the money she owes me. I've sworn to get even with her!

[God] But -- your prayer -- What about your prayer?

[Prayer] I didn't -- mean it.

[God] Well, at least you're honest. But, it's quite a load carrying around all that bitterness and resentment isn't it?

[Prayer] Yes, but I'll feel better as soon as I get even with her. Boy, have I got some plans for her. She'll wish she had never been born.

[God] No, you won't feel any better. You'll feel worse. Revenge isn't sweet. You know how unhappy you are -- Well, I can change that.

[Prayer] You can? How?

[God] Forgive Ann. Then, I'll forgive you; and the hate and the sin will be Ann's problem -- not yours. You will have settled the problem as far as you are concerned.

[Prayer] Oh, you know, you're right. You always are. And more than I want revenge, I want to be right with You . . (sigh). All right all right . I forgive her.

[God] There now! Wonderful! How do you feel?

[Prayer] Hmmmm. Well, not bad. Not bad at all! In fact, I feel pretty great! You know, I don't think I'll go to bed uptight tonight. I haven't been getting much rest, you know.

[God] Yeah, I know. But, you're not through with your prayer are you? Go on.

[Prayer] Oh, all right. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

[God] Good! Good! I'll do that. Just don't put yourself in a place where you can be tempted.

[Prayer] What do you mean by that?

[God] You know what I mean.

[Prayer] Yeah. I know.

[God] Okay. Go ahead. Finish your prayer.

[Prayer] For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.

[God] Do you know what would bring me glory -- What would really make me happy?

[Prayer] No, but I'd like to know. I want to please you now. I've really made a mess of things. I want to truly follow you. I can see now how great that would be. So, tell me . . . How do I make you happy?

[God] YOU just did.