The Old Man Speaks

2008-07-09T05:12:00.000-07:00

FINISHING WELL

I listened yesterday in part to the funeral service for Senator Jesse Helms. It was a praise to God with testimonies of many to his kindness, humility and integrity. In both his public and private life he was known and respected for "keeping his promises" and "compromising on preferences but never on principles."

The scripture verse mentioned that seemed so to fit his life was from Micah 6 and says "He has told you O man, what is good and what the Lord requires of you; but to do justice and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God."

Reflecting on this man's life caused me to think back a day earlier when Logan, Jordan and I did my Meals on Wheels Route. God has blessed me with a route of mostly 80 and 90 year olds who, even though diabetes, arthritis, recent loss of immediate family are real in one form or another in their lives don't dwell on 'those things' but because of their love for the Lord are kind and sweet and full of praise for Him. Their eyes crinkle with laughter when they tell me stories of past days and look with compassion at me when checking on Sue's condition and love it if I see a need in their lives and pray for them right there.

Their life's footprint when God takes them home (and he took a favorite just last month) may not be as large to the world as that of Jesse Helms, yet they have shown t to me over and over again in the past 4 years those same qualities mentioned above: justice, kindness, humility, love.

Im' grateful to God for letting me rub shoulders with these dear, sweet friends of Jesus. As I see them monthly they are giving me good instruction on How To Finish Well.

Maxine

2008-06-25T04:50:00.000-07:00

CAMP OSTBY

This is as good as it gets...our 6 kids along with our 8 grandkids, a beautiful house right on the beach and perfect weather. Sue has done well this week, we girls took 2 long walks on the beach, about a mile each time and she got to get nice and wet as Nicko and Dana took her into the waves.

God truly blessed our week and we've extended it in part because, now back in Wake Forest, we still have Dana, Sue and family here, Mark andTam and family 10 minutes away and Logan and Jordan (Kent and Kradan's kids) for another week. (Just couldn't get Kent to take another week off work!)

Our screened in porch is a perfect place for reading and thinking early in the morning and there's a Carolina Wren who sits on our flagpole and sings to me which definitely adds to the charm.

Yesterday while reading the following from O.Chambers "You can never give another person that which you have found, but you can make him homesick for what you have."

my thoughts immediatelly went to Sue. How she is walking through her suffering, I believe, make many 'homesick for what she has', which is a sweet, sweet closeness with Jesus".

And actually, in maybe a less significant way, as believers we should all be making someone 'homesick for what we have', by how we 'do life'...face hardship, react to tough times, have joy in everyday things. A smile at a grouchy clerk in a supermarket, asking your server in a restaurant if they have a prayer request you can add when you pray for your food, there are lots of little ways to show Christ's love...I'm learning more all the time.

Missed Yesterday

2006-11-29T05:04:00.000-08:00

Well I didn’t post yesterday. I guess that’s alright but I am trying to not let that happen, I know myself, because if I leave it go one day it may extend into the next and the next. You got the picture.

Yesterday I had plenty time to post but fiddled my time away. Maxine (mom, grandma) went to Washington DC to have lunch with my sister Ardi. They had a great time by the way.

I went to the dump and Sams put the groceries away, checked to see if mom made her flights, talked to her on my new cell phone, using the voice dialing feature naturally, and then the rest of the day reading a Louis L’amour Book. A day can’t get much better then that.

Tonight we have "Small Group", and naturally the subject will be Thanksgiving. This is a subject that should be on our minds through the year and not relegated to one day. But that’s the way our culture goes and sad to say most Christians are the same.

Well have a good day; I may post two today.

GeneO

Mower Trouble!

2006-11-27T17:25:00.000-08:00

Mower Trouble! Today it was 70 degrees no wind. The ground was finally dry enough to mow the grass.

I had a chance to get outside and climb on my lawn mower, well actually I got on Maxine’s. This was because I was too lazy to remove the grass catcher from my mower. Anyone reading this and not familiar with Maxine and I, don’t realize we have our own lawn mowers.

Anyway I mowed for about 1½ hours and then a heard a strange sound, I disconnected the mower blades and it stopped. I suspected a branch or something got stuck in the blades, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Needless to say I’m in the doghouse for messing up Maxine’s mower.

The mower will be repaired but my pride may not.

Have a good day. GeneO

Cell Phones

2006-11-26T16:07:00.000-08:00

Cell Phones are not new to this house, but it is to me. I finally got my own, the word finally is probable the wrong word to use because I really don’t think I’ll use it that much. We’ll see.

Anyway I spent a couple hours to find out how to use it. Input names and numbers, about 10, and put a special ring to the family. Also I had Maxine record a voice message that said "Hi hun answer the phone please" this will be her "RING", it will be repeated 4 times. I’m sure I’ll look around in surprise when she calls me the first few times.

Today, we went to a friend’s house for a 4-year-old birthday. It was fun but I got tired and also we had to fix my mom’s diner. Anyway thats why I’m writing tonight rather then in the morning.

Have a good night

GeneO

The house is quiet

2006-11-25T10:18:00.000-08:00

The house is quiet….. Kent, Jordan And Logan are driving back to Atlantic about now. They left about an hour ago, after about 5 games of Nertz. To you who might not know what Nertz is, it’s a card game that is like a multi solitary. Logan loves the game and for his age he’s very good.

We also had a new dog visit today, his name is Baywolf. He should have been called Bear Wolf, he’s a German Shepherd about the size of a bear. He lives on the street behind us, but the owners must be either away for the day or weekend.

We have a call in for him, but he’s happy just lying on the porch.

The weather is in the mid to upper 60 today, it’s really nice.

Not much to say today, but I’ve been thinking, is a Blog a media for Philosophy? I may just start rambling one of these days. Have a great day.
GeneO

Black Friday

2006-11-24T06:41:00.000-08:00

Black Friday! Isn't that an odd name for the day after Thanksgiving? Maybe I think too much but the service people who wait on customers do not look forward to the day after Thanksgiving because of the hassle and frenzy of the crowds. They are all looking for a bargain or in a bad mood because they didn't find what they wanted.

All this after and because of the day to give thanks to God for the blessing of the harvest, or a financial blessing in our culture.

Enough of that, Had a great Thanksgiving with our family. Lots of food and fun, talk and laughter.

Today Marks clan is coming over for Tacos and to watch the Nebraska game. Win or loose the fellowship will be fun.

Thanks Giving Gathering

2006-11-23T05:38:00.000-08:00

Well it's Thanksgiving. We are going to have an early dinner today. Kradan's Grandmother went home to see the Lord yesterday. Kradan needs to catch a plane at 5 PM. We are having 16 for dinner. The Mark Ostby clan, the Kent Ostby clan, the Stoney Blevens clan, GG Ma, Maxine and I.

My sweet wife is fixing the works, turkey, tatters, cranberries, dressing, chocolate pie, French apple pie. By the end of the day there will be more then one stuffed turkey in the house.

Please pray for Kradan and her family as they go through this time of loss. We need to be thankful for more then endless football game today. The Lord has blessed each of us with family, health, and prosperity. Have a great day.

First Post

2006-11-22T16:46:00.000-08:00

Hello World! This the day the Lord has Made.