CHRISTMAS STORY---Thank You Mrs. Johnson (REPOST)

MRS. JOHNSON WAS 3RD AND 4TH GRADE TEACHER AT LOVETT. EACH STUDENT WAS REQUIRED TO MEMORIZE THE KJV CHRISTMAS STORY FOUND IN THE BOOK OF LUKE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT.


Can you image the fun and money, the ACLU would have with this?


David Barton has written much about the decline of American education after God was expelled from our schools.


Christmas Story Luke 2:1-20 (No copyright on KJV) 



(Luk 2:1)  And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.


(Luk 2:2)  (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)


(Luk 2:3)  And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.


(Luk 2:4)  And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)


(Luk 2:5)  To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.


(Luk 2:6)  And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.


(Luk 2:7)  And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.


(Luk 2:8)  And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.


(Luk 2:9)  And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.


(Luk 2:10)  And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.


(Luk 2:11)  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.


(Luk 2:12)  And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.


(Luk 2:13)  And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,


(Luk 2:14)  Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.


(Luk 2:15)  And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.


(Luk 2:16)  And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.


(Luk 2:17)  And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.


(Luk 2:18)  And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.


(Luk 2:19)  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.


(Luk 2:20)  And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them.

WELCOME NEW BLOG READERS

I HOPE YOU ENJOY READING THIS BLOG. YOU MIGHT WANT TO START AT THE BEGINNING AND THEN JUST "PICK AND CHOOSE." 

A COUPLE OF NEW FEATURES ARE PLANNED FOR 2014!!!!

STAY TUNED!

MAJOR ICE STORM HITS OKLAHOMA !!!!!!!

 

THOSE DREADED CHRISTMAS LETTERS !

CONTENT REMOVED BECAUSE POST WAS SUSPECTED OF BEING HACKED. GUESS SOME FOLKS CAN'T TAKE A JOKE !!!

AN OLD GI SPEAKS

I TAKE NO JOY IN WRITING THIS POST. THE BASIC MISSION OF THE US MILITARY IS TO BREAK THINGS AND TO KILL PEOPLE. IT IS THE CONDUCT OF US INTERESTS BY VIOLET MEANS. IT IS DANGEROUS, BLOODY AND COSTLY IN MANPOWER AND MATERIAL RESOURCES. 

TODAY IT IS HARD TO FIND A PLACE ON PLANET EARTH WHERE WE ARE NOT FACING WELL TRAINED, WELL FINANCED, AND FANATICALLY INDOCTRINATED ENEMIES. ALL OF THIS GROWING INVOLVEMENT IS BEING PLAYED OUT AGAINST A BACKDROP OF   RAPIDLY DWINDLING RESOURCES.

SIMPLY STATED: TO QUOTE GEORGE CLOONEY IN "O' BROTHER WERE ART THOUGH."  D&*N, WE'RE IN A TOUGH SPOT!

Healthcare, budgets, and appointments do not matter if we are not free.  Get informed and vote for officials who understand this  is our last turn off to freedom!

Glenn <><

A sample of one does not a theory make

WHERE'S THE LINE TO SEE JESUS ?

GUESS I AM THE LAST TO SEE THIS:

IT IS POWERFUL !!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OExXItDyWEY

HELP! I AM CAUGHT IN A VENTURE TIME WARP !!!!!

OK! YOU'VE WANTED TO CRANK THAT 3k WATTS MUSIC MONSTER UP TO 9.9! PULL THE SHADES. TURN OUT THE LIGHTS! TAKE THE PHONE OFF THE HOOK!

DO YOU REMEMBER WHEN MUSIC WAS NOT DROWNED OUT BY SHOUTING AND SCREAMING?

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, LET'S GIVE A PCHS SIZE WELCOME TO THE VENTURES!!!!!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzmSaMnQr5A  

MY GOSH THEY WERE AND ARE GREAT!!!

OLD GUYS CAN STILL GET IT DONE ! VENTURES IN JAPAN !

INVITE THE GRANDKIDS TO CHECK THIS OUT!  (ESP... "I GOTTA A WOMAN")



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yjLFMCj82PI


MICK, MY MAN, EAT YOUR HEART OUT.

JINGLE BELLS---Ventures----Ya Gotta Hear It !

ROLL BACK THE CLOCK AND CHECK THIS OUT!!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SR_lI9OgHQ4




33 1/3 LIVES ON !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

The Lovely Legend Of Love

               The Lovely Legend Of Love

At age ten he first heard of that beautiful secluded valley

Where rivers of eternal and mysterious joy freely flowed

Two years later he would awaken with legends made real

He could explain stars and planets but not the valley of truth

 

For several years he sought to find that lush valley of love

Several female sojourners delightfully aided his search

Only one special female searcher could sense his desire

Her heart and soul would engulf him to produce weakness

 

Fear of losing the future depleted the need winning now

His selfish presumption of  her waiting proved so very false

He found another fellow searcher clothed in orthodoxy

Faithful and true she lacked spontaneous abandonment


 

 

 

 

USA----An Exceptional Nation---Founded By Exceptional People

This is part of a message I preached the Fourth of July weekend in 2010 at the First Baptist Church in St. Louis, OK.

"Till Death Do Us Part"

What follows is a brief story of high school sweethearts who were married against the bride's parents wishes. age. Since both were of age and little could be done.

The newlyweds received an envelope from the bride's parents that invited them to come over for a dinner next Saturday night.

The newlyweds viewed the invitation as a mellowing of the bride's parents attitude. The evening produced different result.  

FOURTH AND ONE---MARRIAGE IS S

"SO YOU WOULD KNOW" ----The LeBeaus

I HAVE SAID IT BEFORE---I LOVE SOUTHERN GOSPEL MUSIC. HERE IS A GREAT NEW SONG:

https://myspace.com/lebeaumusic/music/song/so-you-would-know-10680888-10482072




Check It Out. Great Message and  A Great Arrangement.

Glenn <><

NOT ALL OF THE COCKROACHES LIVE UNDER THE SINK !

Following the death of a church member's father, I was asked to accompany the daughter to the reading of her father's Will.

Once more I saw human nature at its most sinful display. Her father had developed a very, very serious relation with a woman about 40 years his junior. This relationship was prearranged by her mother on her deathbed to take care of her boyfriend after her death.

Take care she did. The executrix was changed to the daughter.  Also the major portion of the estate was to go to new executrix instead of my church member. In addition, nothing was to go to the deceased only surviving sibling. He was hurt that he was not named executor instead of a woman his brother had only known for a year.

Even the lawyer for the estate was shocked and amazed by this very strange turn of events.  

I later learned this was a well planned scheme that resulted in the victory for a Gold Digger's family. When it gets dark enough the cockroaches will come out. Not all of the cockroaches live under the sink. I feel very sorry for the family of the victims and those victims yet to come.    

THERE IS A PAYDAY SOMEDAY! 

Thanks for the Emails---Keep 'em Coming

I always welcome emails. The Good, the Bad and the Ugly!
 
One common denominator is that most emails deal with the present. I really appreciate that very much.

One recent email dealt with a widow's plans for travel and family activities. She is moving forward in spite of a great personal loss. That is courage and the Grace of God at work.

Keep reading the Blog and keep those emails coming in.

Glenn <><

THANK YOU PRESIDENT LINCOLN !

Mister President, Thank you for being a president of personal principle instead of political partisanship.

Thank you for showing Christian compassion instead of contrived concern.

Thank you for spending your time majoring on equal opportunity instead of equal outcomes. 

Thank you for focusing on future generations instead of fickle focus groups.

Thank you for using your early failures as a launching pad for real success instead of a platform for rationalizing surrender.

Finally, thank you Mister President for taking time to personally travel to Gettysburg to deliver a speech of only 270 words. That address honored the fallen, comforted the grieving and defined for generations yet unborn, what it means to be an American.

God Bless You Mister President

Gettysburg---150 Years Later---Greatness Never Dies !

NOVEMBER 19, 2013 IS THE 150th ANNIVERSARY OF LINCOLN'S GETTYSBURG ADDRESS 

 

Here is the full text:

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract.

The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

-- Abraham Lincoln

Nov. 19, 1863



THE PAWN SHOP ----A VERY SAD PLACE

I have referred to a pawn shop in earlier Posts. I will guess that many of the readers of this Blog have never been inside a pawn shop. Maybe you will agree with me, after reading this Post, it is a very sad place.

WHY PEOPLE PAWN ITEMS?

1. Temporary Cash Need---In spite of high comparative interest, it is a quick, no-credit check way to get some much needed cash for legitimate reasons.

2. Dump Stolen Items---Police regularly check pawn shops for reported stolen property. A smart thief goes some distance from the local area to dump their items.

3. Cash for Drugs and/or Gambling---This is a major motivator for people in Oklahoma to pawn or sell outright important and expensive
items.

Here's the part that really affects me----children and other family members anxiously await, in the car, the return of the person pawning an item. 

Tornadoes Hit The Heartland---11-17-2013

AP PHOTO

I am watching CNN and talking to my brother in North Vernon all at the same time. Modern technology is something.

The photos and reports are all too familiar to those of us who live in Oklahoma. While the initial shock will wear off, the effects of material and emotional lose will remain for a very, very long time! 

My thoughts and prayers are with family and friends who are victims of this very rare Fall outbreak of very bad weather. 

THE MAN WHO RAN THROUGH 3 STOP SIGNS !

   

True Story

 

I recently met a man who was on his way to recovering after running 3 food safety Stop signs.

 

 

He reported he stopped at his favorite diner to have a hot dog. Here is his near death experience story.

 

Stop Sign #1: His favorite hot dog didn't look right ---it was brownish in color and wrinkled in appearance.

 

Stop Sign # 2: His favorite hot dog did not smell right---for the life of me I cannot describe how it must have smelled.

 

Stop Sign # 3: His favorite hot dog did not taste right----no juice and tough to bite.

 

For four days following the hot dog experience, he battled diarrhea and severe vomiting. One listener to his story asked if his knees were in a permanent right angle! With his condition picking up speed but losing altitude, he went to the doctor.

 

Surprise! Surprise ! He was suffering food poisoning and after several tests the problem was traced to the bad hot dog.. He had both salmonella and ecoli poisoning. The doctor stated if not caught the ecoli would have entered his brain with fatal results.

 

The meds he was prescribed stopped the infection and the long road to recovery started.

 

Yes, the doctor reported the incident to the health department. Here is where common sense gets suspended. I asked, " Did you inform the hot dog vendor?"

 

Are you ready for his reply? 

 

"No, I didn't want to hurt his business." (Emphasis mine.)

 

Some people you just can't help.

 

 





The End of a Lonely and Angry Man

This a real account of a man I know (not a fellow church member) who died (I did not preach the service) and was eulogized by his pastor as being a man of service and great moral character.

One person in attendance asked me following the service if they had attended the wrong funeral? For the man so many of us present knew was a far cry from the man described by the pastor.


The man most of us had known was a very domineering and dictatorial person who seemed to always go out of his way to created problems and bad relations with others, including his own family.

He was a man of great mechanical achievement but never learned the difference between making a living and making a life. He was the poster boy for OCB and perfectionism.

He distrusted everyone, especially those located near him. He would become very upset if a neighbor's tree leaves blew into his yard. Arguments with city officials were commonplace.

Toward the end of his life he had only one friend, his caregiver nurse. Here is the saddest of all situations. She thought he was the perfect man and he thought she was the perfect Christian. Her behavior was equally hypocritical and misleading.

He left behind a tangled financial nightmare. His caregiver is apparently the only person who has the "secret" code to unlock this mess. 

His military honor guard funeral, complete with a 21 gun salute and taps, could not erase the wasted  life he had lived. 

I was very, very glad when the service was concluded. It will take me some time to work through my feelings about this man.

  

Possible Indiana Sighting of Hickory Husker Red Basketball Bus !!!

OK! OK! I know the moie Hossiers

Solar Eclipse

Major Hardware Configuration Changes Underway

Attention: All Blog readers----Posts will continue when changes are completed.

65 and 1/2 Years

I encountered an elderly couple at our pharmacy and asked how long they had been married?

The wife replied, "Sixty five and one half years."


I said, "That is a monument of love."


She quickly remarked, "We are a monument all right!"

Response to a Reader's E-mail

Dear (Name Withheld),

Thank you for your recent e-mail.

I will attempt to respond to your concerns one-by-one:

1. Yes, I do Post on many different subjects on my Blog. I make no claim to being an expert and only try to speak to subjects that are of interest to me. Some are serious and some are tongue in cheek.

2. No, I do not have any ax to grind with any PCHS classmates or other persons. At 72, my life is way too short attacking anyone. In fact, I have on several occasions sought to make amends with those I may have offended in the past. Also, many Posts have sought to thank those from my past who have left a lasting impact upon my life.

3. Yes, I will quickly admit that much of my writing is very plain and lackluster in style and content. I do have a desire to speak with those that have greatly influenced my life. Perhaps, just perhaps, a Post or two will bring some mirth and thoughtful reflection into a few lives.

4. With a few exceptions, I usually write the Posts without a rough draft. A few of the longer Posts have been exposed to a handwritten Bic pen first. 

5. Yes, I welcome guest Posts. Send them to ke5gk@sbcglobal.net  I'll be happy to share your stories with our readers.   

Hopefully, this answers your concerns. Keep reading and keep writing.

Glenn <><  

You Can Get A Bad Rooster !!!!!!!

A lady in our church shared with me and some other church members about the critters that are
near her family's double-wide mobile home. They live in an area at the edge of the woods.

Bobcats, snakes, and a three-legged fox are regular visitors. She has killed four snakes in her backyard this summer.

They raise chickens and gather their own eggs. Snakes and bobcats have greatly reduced their flock. In addition, a big red rooster has attacked her and their four children; especially, their two year old son.

Her husband and father-in-law were unsuccessful in changing the rooster's attitude.

One day, out of desperation, she grabs the family's 20 gauge shotgun and pulls the trigger. BOOM! Blood goes everywhere and feathers fly straight up.

After the feathers flutter down, she ran to the spot where the rooster stood and all she could find was the BEAK and the TOENAILS!!!!!!    

We Are Never Too Old To Learn

Ok. My vanity is on full display, again.

I consider myself an above average identifier of '50s Rock n Roll songs. But today I was stumped on this one:

"Girls grow up faster than boys" by the Cookies

Do you remember this "chart buster"?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CtLBJzHPJbY


Neither my Mom or Dad shared this fundamental truth with me while I was a teenager. I suppose I learned it experientially! If any of the girls who I
dated in high school happen to read this--- I say a belated Thank You for the lessons.

A couple deserve a Golden Apple for their very special teaching ability!

March of the Monarchs

In September of each year the Monarch butterflies pass through Oklahoma on their way to Mexico for the winter months. Thousands come by and it is really something to see. Like migratory birds, the butterflies somehow know the way there and how to fly north in the Spring. ADULTS Male Monarch: Notice the thin vein pigmentation and swollen pouches on the hindwings. Female Monarch: Notice the thick vein pigmentation and no hindwing pouches.

MORE OF MY OBSESSION---Graham Creek



I do not own the Copyright on this photo

I am speculating the photographer is the same chap who has placed many photos of the James Covered Bridge on the Internet. Furthermore, I think this shot is looking North /Upstream from the bridge.
 
The photo was taken in late summer when the creek gets very low. I have caught a lot of smallmouth bass from the small pockets of water. Minnows hang out near the weeds and so do the bass. I can close my eyes and almost hear the riffles and smell the cool dampness of the creek. Mourning doves (rain crows) and an excited child's voice can be heard immediately after a couple of car doors slam.
 
Mussel shells and crawdads cover much of the bottom.  
 
I have been most fortunate to have fished in some very fine trout streams/lakes across our great country. Have fished in three oceans and the Gulf of Mexico; however, my heart will always belongs to Graham Creek and the many wonderful memories made there.
 
My gosh I miss it.          Glenn <><

PRE-MARITAL COUNSELING QUESTIONS

In these tough economic times, BEFORE getting married ask your potential spouse the following questions:

1.   Without looking, how much money do you have in your purse/wallet? Now see if you are within 2 dollars of the actual amount?

2.    Situation: A massive snowstorm hits overnight halting welfare check house deliveries. What would be the best streets to take to get to the local post office.

3.   Jack Daniels is distilled in what state?

4.   When a pair of dice are tossed and a 2 and a 5 are showing, what is on the bottom of each?

5.   Name the operating hours of two pawn shops in the local area.

6.   Name six different ways to prepare baloney.

7.   When your mother refuses to “lend” more money, what is the next course of action?

The answers to these questions could be an indicator to see if the relationship should be continued.

IMMEDIATE JOB OPENING

Life Guard in drive through car wash. Red Cross certification with soapy water endorsement required. UA required. BI required. Primary duties---rescue drunk drivers and disabled passengers who have convertible tops down when entering car wash. No benefits. Pay determined by persons saved minus persons lost. Career advancement determined by daily customer reports. Send resume to : captainahab@deepsixcarwash.com

WHAT'S IN A NUMBER ?? V2.0 Mystery Explained

See Explanation At Bottom Of Post

1.     72 is 2 times 36 which is 2 times 18

2.     72 is 4 times 18

3.     72 is 6 times 12 and 6 plus 12 is 18

4.     72 is  6 plus 6 is 12 and plus 6 is 18  

            "It's elementary Dr. Watson."

"Dr. Watson, its really quite simple---The very vain Blogger turned 72 on the 18th of October."

"Holmes, you continue to amaze me."

"Sure wish I'd marked the calendar!"

"Sure wish I'd marked the calendar!"

Was it the day I hired a boy to mow my yard?
                              OR
Was it when I tried to play basketball again?
                              OR
Was it the day I dropped a bag of groceries?
                              OR
Was it when a teenager held a door open?
                              OR
Was it when all the obits were younger than me?
                              OR
Was it when the last piece was saved for me?
                           
Sure wish I'd marked the calendar the day when I got Old

Glenn <><

"All I know is what I read in the papers" ----Wil Rogers

I look for chances to quote the all-time, undefeated, champion entertainer from Oklahoma---Will Rogers.

"SO WAKE ME UP WHEN ITS ALL OVER"

I am probably the last guy on planet Earth to discover this catchy song.

It has a '60s sound. It is the sort of music Jimmy Webb might have written. The late John Denver could handle this song just fine.

Check out this You Tube music video:

http://www.youtube.com/user/AviciiOfficialVEVO?feature=watch


Glenn <>< The Oldest New Music Critic

LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW! LET IT SNOW!

 

 

The following brief true accounts are indicative of Hoosier Hospitality and Dedication:

 

 

1. Sectional Sleepover:  A monster snowstorm piled up many inches of snow during a Columbus Sectional. Fans from many schools were stranded. My wife's grandmother lived about six blocks south of the gym and opened her home for stranded fans.

 

She cooked breakfast for the entire group the following morning. (I loved her as much as my biological grandmothers.)

 

2. Cummins Continuity: Another big snow hit Columbus and a former PCHS student stepped up and did something above and beyond. He had a vital job at the factory that impacted the entire plant. His relief shift operator was snowed out and the former PCHS student stayed on the job a total of 36 straight hours. The multi-million dollar engine maker was able to stay open.  

 

His overtime check was so big they gave him two separate checks.

 

3. Frog legs and Catfish:  This snow story also involves a former PCHS student who was in the Vernon Nip-N-Sip bar when a jumbo snow hit. The total storm dropped 14 inches and the bar owner locked the door at closing time and told the patrons it was too bad to attempt to drive home. He retrieved frog legs and catfish from his freezer and the entire band of bar room buddies ate and drank the night away!---All free!

 

Some snow bound patrons slept (make that passed out) on the floor and some slept crumpled up against the wall like so many puppets with the controlling strings removed. 

 

About 9 am the next morning the snow plows had removed enough snow to permit the headache hurting good old boys to drive home. (For the record---The former PCHS student claims to have pulled an up all night session and never went to sleep.)  

AN AWESOME SURPRISE DISCOVERY V. 2.0

By accident, I found this poem by Abraham Lincoln. (Note--The Second Half is Rough)

My Childhood Home I See Again

I 

My childhood's home I see again, 
And sadden with the view; 
And still, as memory crowds my brain, 
There's pleasure in it too. 

O Memory! thou midway world 
'Twixt earth and paradise, 
Where things decayed and loved ones lost 
In dreamy shadows rise, 

And, freed from all that's earthly vile, 
Seem hallowed, pure, and bright, 
Like scenes in some enchanted isle 
All bathed in liquid light. 

As dusky mountains please the eye 
When twilight chases day; 
As bugle-tones that, passing by, 
In distance die away; 

As leaving some grand waterfall, 
We, lingering, list its roar-- 
So memory will hallow all 
We've known, but know no more. 

Near twenty years have passed away 
Since here I bid farewell 
To woods and fields, and scenes of play, 
And playmates loved so well. 

Where many were, but few remain 
Of old familiar things; 
But seeing them, to mind again 
The lost and absent brings. 

The friends I left that parting day, 
How changed, as time has sped! 
Young childhood grown, strong manhood gray, 
And half of all are dead. 

I hear the loved survivors tell 
How nought from death could save, 
Till every sound appears a knell, 
And every spot a grave. 

I range the fields with pensive tread, 
And pace the hollow rooms, 
And feel (companion of the dead) 
I'm living in the tombs. 

II 

But here's an object more of dread 
Than ought the grave contains-- 
A human form with reason fled, 
While wretched life remains. 

Poor Matthew! Once of genius bright, 
A fortune-favored child-- 
Now locked for aye, in mental night, 
A haggard mad-man wild. 

Poor Matthew! I have ne'er forgot, 
When first, with maddened will, 
Yourself you maimed, your father fought, 
And mother strove to kill; 

When terror spread, and neighbors ran, 
Your dange'rous strength to bind; 
And soon, a howling crazy man 
Your limbs were fast confined. 

How then you strove and shrieked aloud, 
Your bones and sinews bared; 
And fiendish on the gazing crowd, 
With burning eye-balls glared-- 

And begged, and swore, and wept and prayed 
With maniac laught[ter?] joined-- 
How fearful were those signs displayed 
By pangs that killed thy mind! 

And when at length, tho' drear and long, 
Time smoothed thy fiercer woes, 
How plaintively thy mournful song 
Upon the still night rose. 

I've heard it oft, as if I dreamed, 
Far distant, sweet, and lone-- 
The funeral dirge, it ever seemed 
Of reason dead and gone. 

To drink it's strains, I've stole away, 
All stealthily and still, 
Ere yet the rising God of day 
Had streaked the Eastern hill. 

Air held his breath; trees, with the spell, 
Seemed sorrowing angels round, 
Whose swelling tears in dew-drops fell 
Upon the listening ground. 

But this is past; and nought remains, 
That raised thee o'er the brute. 
Thy piercing shrieks, and soothing strains, 
Are like, forever mute. 

Now fare thee well--more thou the cause, 
Than subject now of woe. 
All mental pangs, by time's kind laws, 
Hast lost the power to know. 

O death! Thou awe-inspiring prince, 
That keepst the world in fear; 
Why dost thos tear more blest ones hence, 
And leave him ling'ring here? 

Abraham Lincoln

LETTER RECEIVED BY FORMER PCHS STUDENT

THE FOLLOWING LETTER DOES NOT REQUIRE ADDITIONAL COMMENT:

                    DEWEY, CHEATUM & HOWE

                        Specializing in School Disciplinary Law

 

Dear Former Paris Crossing High School Student:

We solicit your assistance in collecting information about teacher/student beat downs during your days at Paris Crossing High School. The information will be part of a Class Action lawsuit we plan to file against the estates of former teachers.

Your factual description (s) of teachers using abnormal force against helpless, defenseless students would be of invaluable assistance. Be specific and give as much detail as possible.

One of your classmates produced a blurry, yellowed Kodak Brownie Hawkeye picture that shows him getting off a school bus that allegedly shows the results of a teacher beat down. The student had a patch over his left eye, a band aid covering a cut lip, his right arm was in a sling and he had a crutch under his left arm. He told an investigator from our firm that as bad as he looked he felt he was one of the lucky ones. In addition, he has suffered post-traumatic teacher beat down since age 20.  To quote Dr. B. Owens, “Losing weight and turning mighty pale.”

Information gleaned from the private diaries of former PCHS students claimed they were privately threatened with brass knucks, rubber hoses and even waterboarding.  All collected information will be shared with Nazi hunters in Israel.

Your prompt reply will move your big payout a day closer.

 

Ima Cheatum

Thanks for nice comments

USED CAR LANGUAGE TRANSLATION GUIDE

In Sunday's newspaper you see an ad for the exact car you have been looking for. The car is being sold by an individual. You excitedly place a call and ask the seller several very important questions and his answers are on the top line and what he really means is on the second line.

1What he says: "It's a real classic."
   What he means: "I can't find parts for this car anywhere."

2. He says: "Only burns a little oil."
    He means: "This car smokes like a locomotive."

3. He says: "Most of the miles are just road miles."
    He means "Three Baja races and five Trans-Canada runs."

4. He says: "It has a few small dents."
    He means: "I rolled that sucker three times."

5. He says: "Like new tires."
    He means: I can see the steel belts on all tires."

6. He says: "Drives out nice."
    He means: "After 90 mph its smooth as silk."

7. He says: "Pulls a bit to the right."
    He means: "I forgot to take the dirt track tires off."

8. He says: "A/C needs some Freon."
    He means: "A/C has never worked and never will"

9. He says: "Radio is slightly scratchy."
    He means: "The second fire under the dash cooked it."

10. He says:: "Best mpg of all my cars."
      He means: "Better have 2 jobs for this guzzler."   

Glenn <><

JAMES COVERED BRIDGE--Letter to Editor V 2.0

I sent this to Editor Mayer: Says it will be printed 

September 19, 2013

North Vernon Sun/Plain Dealer

Letters to the Editor:

Please add my voice to the growing chorus of local residents who are lamenting the damage done to the James Covered Bridge.

I am within an easy layup of 72 years of age.  And that old bridge continues to serve as the lynch pin of my memories of growing up within a few miles of this irreplaceable structure. The bridge was a landmark for relatives who came to visit us. Shelter was often sought in the bridge when rain interrupted our fishing in Graham Creek. Countless times my father would honk the car horn while travelling through the bridge. It also served as a public museum of carved initials.

Call me maudlin, nostalgic, or even worse; but damage to that bridge vicariously hurts me. It is especially distressing to see the bridge damaged so soon after major renovation.

Hopefully, matters of conscience and/or the law , have identified the person or persons responsible for damaging the bridge and restitution started.

Long after I cross River Jordon and enter that city not made by human hands, I pray the James Covered Bridge will still be standing and helping to create memories for generations still unborn.

 

Glenn <><

OH NO!!!!!!!!!

 

The recently rehabilitated James Covered Bridge incurred significant damage on Saturday when it was reportedly struck by a tractor and a loaded grain truck trying to cross it.

"This is heartbreaking," said Shawn Over of the Jennings County Highway Department. "After all that hard work and with so many people watching the progress of the bridge's renovation, this is tough to take. The James Covered Bridge looked great until then."

The damage is to the right side of the west entrance of the 140-foot long wooden span in Lovett Township. One of the beams inside the bridge was also cracked. (Photo & article from North Vernon Sun)

RETHINKING MY LOVE AFFAIR WITH OKLAHOMA V 2.0

Regular readers of my Blog will testify I have an ardent, profound, and highly partial love affair with the state of Oklahoma. After the events of this morning I am taking a hard and reflective re-examination of my touting the virtues of this state.
Here's why: 

In our neighborhood there are 6-8 banana trees, about 7 feet tall, growing in a man's yard. I stopped this morning to take a photo for my brother in Indiana. Just as I was about the click the shutter I heard "Hee-Hee-Hee -He" It was the unmistakable sound of the Tanzanian Low Land GO-rilla. (I've watch a lot of National Geographic's) Around the south side of the trees came a creature with long reddish brown hair. I could not make out any facial features. It was walking upright.

I hop in my old minivan and rush to the nearest convenience store to report my survival escape and to ask the owner to call the police.

The owner calmly asked how long I had lived in our community. I told him about 20 years. He said. "There ain't no GO-rillas here." I think he heard my sigh of relief.

He went on to say, "Every now and again you'll see a wild O-Rang-A- tang." That didn't help me one bit. I now was convinced that the creature I saw was a wild O-Rang-A-tang.

I got one of the guys that just hangs around this store to ride with me back to the banana trees. We found the home owner watering the trees. I retold my story and he started to laugh.


"That GO-rilla sound was me trying to start an old 150cc off road bike. The sound you heard was me beating on the head cylinder." I asked, "What was that reddish brown long haired creature?"

Through his almost uncontrolled laughter he said, "THAT GO-rilla was my wife's no account son Travis who came home from college to do his laundry!"

     (Hopefully, you see this is a fictional account. The banana trees are true.)

FOOD SAFETY RECONSIDERED

YOUR GRANDCHILD’S TEACHER ASKS YOU TO GIVE A SHORT TALK ON FOOD SAFETY. AFTER COMPLETING THE TALK YOU GIVE A SHORT QUIZ: 

1.       It is safe to buy canned food if the can is

a.       Several years out of date

b.      Bloated on both ends

c.       Rusted on the rim of the can

d.      All of the above

2.       At the family reunion it is safe to eat

a.       Aunt Ruth’s potato salad left out in the sun

b.      Uncle Henry’s 3 year old BBQ

c.       Grandma’s fly-blown cream cheese cake

d.      All of the above

3.        You go with Mom to buy fruit at a roadside stand

a.       Completely black bananas are OK

b.      Half of a watermelon covered with burlap is OK

c.       Tomatoes that have turned gray are fine

d.      All of the above

 

HOPEFULLY, YOU REALIZE THIS AN ATTEMPT AT A JOKE. DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME!