An extra day...

It is leap year!  So, today is an extra day.  Consider it a day that you otherwise would not have had.  An extra, a freebie.

A day that is just a clear gift from God.

But then, anyone who has survived cancer or any other potentially terminal disease will understand when I say that every day is an extra day.

And those among us who are wise will clearly see that no day is ever promised, so that means that every day is a blessing and is to be highly valued. 

But today, February 29th should certainly remind us of the blessing of each day.  We are not promised the next, so let us make the most of this day that God has given us.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

THAT'S IT!!!

My friend Beth sent this to me...

I replied:  THAT'S IT!!!

This is what she sent...

And to the extent that the church cannot get away from teaching correct beliefs, it will continue to die.  We are here to be people of love.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Fair

I was reminded the other day of this painful truth:  "sometimes in life, you get what you want, and sometimes in life, you get what you get."

Life is not fair.

The fair is in October.

Sometime days, the world just does not align itself to make me happy.

There must be something more to life than me getting what I want.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

One less rib.

I hate to tell this story about myself.  It is dumb.  Just really really dumb.

I was a freshman in college at San Jose State.  I was in humanities class.  A talk ensued about the validity of the Bible.  I jumped to it's defense.  After all, I had some great ammunition from my pastor or youth leader.

When they asked what proof I had that the bible was true, I said, and I was totally serious... "don't you wonder why men have one less rib than women?"  You know the story, God made woman from the rib of the man... so men have one less rib.

I really believed it.  After all, I had been taught it.

The entire class laughed at me.  I felt stupid.  I was stupid.

Moral of this story... don't believe everything that your pastor or Sunday School teacher says.  There is a lot of really bad theology out there.

Stay grounded.  Stick with love.  And remember... neither God nor the bible need to be defended.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Life Reset

Sometimes we are burdened by life.  Just the constant gnaw of things can wear us down.  That is when I love to spend time with a friend.  That is when I love to talk with a friend on the phone.

Talking with a friend is like getting a life reset.

We are reminded that we are ok.  We are not crazy.  We are valuable.  If life has you in the dumps, call a friend.  Not to dump on them, but just to enjoy the friendship.  Pretty soon the skies will part and the sun will come out again.

Friendship is a very valuable thing indeed.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Forgiveness

I have been thinking about this lately. The steps to forgive someone. The need to stay with the program and keep working on it.

I found this in my old notes from a book by R.T. Kendall. The title of the book is total forgiveness...

When you have totally forgiven another,

1. You don’t tell anyone what they did to you
2. You can be pleasant if you are around them
3. If the incident or event comes up in conversation, say that which would free them from guilt
4. Allow them to, and help them to feel good about themselves
5. Pray for them 

May we all keep at it. Forgiveness is too important to give up on. Progress can be made. Release and freedom from resentment can be achieved.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

A Happy Heart

I was texting with an old friend. We were asking each other how we were doing. He said, "I have a happy heart." 

 I love that.

A happy heart is a very important thing. We collect a lot of bumps and bruises along the road.  It is easy to let them bring you down.  But if we work on it, we can still see the good.  And then, one day like today, we wake up and look back and consider our life, and it is all good.  To have a happy heart - that’s a blessing.

A happy heart makes the face cheerful.  Proverbs 15:13

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

On letting go...

Yesterday I mentioned looking for a story that I wanted to share with my sister. Here it is.

Once there lived a village of creatures along the bottom of a great crystal river. The current of the river swept silently over them all -- young and old, rich and poor, good and evil -- the current going its own way, knowing only its own crystal self.

Each creature in its own manner clung tightly to the twigs and rocks of the river bottom, for clinging was their way of life, and resisting the current was what each had learned from birth.

But one creature said at last, "I am tired of clinging. Though I cannot see it with my eyes, I trust that the current knows where it is going. I shall let go, and let it take me where it will. Clinging, I shall die of boredom."

The other creatures laughed and said, "Fool! Let go, and that current you worship will throw you tumbled and smashed against the rocks, and you will die quicker than boredom!"

But the one heeded them not, and taking a breath did let go, and at once was tumbled and smashed by the current across the rocks.

Yet in time, as the creature refused to cling again, the current lifted him free from the bottom, and he was bruised and hurt no more.

And the creatures downstream, to whom he was a stranger, cried, "See a miracle! A creature like ourselves, yet he flies! See the messiah, come to save us all!"

And the one carried in the current said, "I am no more messiah than you. The river delights to lift us free, if only we dare let go. Our true work is this voyage, this adventure."

But they cried the more, "Savior!" all the while clinging to the rocks, and when they looked again he was gone, and they were left alone making legends of a savior.
-- from the book "Illusions" by Richard Bach

Are you finding joy, or boredom in life?
Are you clinging, or letting go?
Are you stuck, or flying?

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

Learn

I was looking for a story that I wanted to send to my sister and I ran into this post from Aug 6, 2015. Posted by my dear friend Dan Horn, just months before his passing...

“Don’t turn away from possible futures before you’re certain you don’t have anything to learn from them.”-Richard Bach

Is there anything that we can’t learn from? Even of the things that I know the most about, I still have plenty to learn.  And of course there is plenty to unlearn, as well.  To ignore these truths would be a travesty.  There is so much that I don’t know and understand.  I need to remind myself to pursue those things, even if I fall short, it will be worth the effort.

Peace,

Lions Den Man

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Dynasty - GOAT

Since the Chiefs won the Super bowl last week there has been a good deal of talk about whether this constitutes a dynasty and if Mahomes is the GOAT [Greatest of all time].

I recoil from these questions, and I hope that Chiefs players and coaches do as well.

To take such designations to one's self or one's team is an arrogant and dangerous step.  Never toot your own horn.  Never sing your own praise.  It just doesn't sound very good.

When a person or a team is on top, there is eventually only one way to go... and that is down.  On any given Sunday, any given team can win.

As a Chiefs fan, I wish the team and Patrick all the success in the world.  But may their hearts be filled with gratitude and joy... never arrogance or self-admiration.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

pain

I love the Bill Withers song, "Lean on Me."

Sometimes in our lives, we all have pain, we all have sorrow.
But if we are wise, we know that there's always tomorrow.

click here to listen to the song on youtube

I think that everyone in this life will find some pain and trauma.  The question is, will we wallow in it?  Will we let it define us?  Or will me make the choice to move on to a better tomorrow.

I think that at our worst, we act out of our pain and trauma.  All this does is spread around the pain.  It shares our pain with others who do not need it and probably do not deserve it.  And it is very hard to live a life of kindness when we are acting out of our pain.

There is a better way.

What if we stopped ourselves.  Take a step back.  Gather yourself.  Pray.  Choose to not hurt back.  Remember who you are.  Then act.  Put your best foot forward.

It is never too late to begin a journey of love.  We can learn to live differently.  We can learn to act differently.  We don't have to be bitter.  We can choose to become better.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Glorious Birds

 Ahh those glorious birds!!!

Some weeks ago I was on a cruise.  {Oh, poor me... had to go on a cruise.  What do I have to complain about it life?  Nothing.}  Anyway I was on this cruise and I was hanging over the railing watching the seagulls.  They were hanging close to the ship not just so I could take their picture.  They were in hopes that someone would throw a piece of bread or a cookie.  When they did, the birds gladly swooped in and snatched it out of the air.

Alfred Dreyfus was a French artillery officer.  In 1894 he was wrongly convicted of passing secrets to the Germans.   He was sent to the infamous prison on Devil’s Island. From his cell he would see birds in flight that he called the most glorious birds. Their flight caused him to wish to be free.  Many years later, after his release, he realized that the birds had only been seagulls.

In the 1971 movie Harold and Maude [one of my all time favorite movies], Maude is a concentration camp survivor. In a scene where sea gulls fly by, she tells the story of how Dreyfus got out of prison and was disappointed to see that the birds were only seagulls. Maude says, “to me, they will always be glorious birds.”

To me, they will always be glorious birds.  To me, they will always be glorious birds.

Those who love life and those who see God's handiwork in creation will find many things that they find quite glorious.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

dead cats

I was listening to a podcast the other day.  The author was talking about how we get stuck in the past.  How the hurts of yesterday keep coming back to haunt us.  He talked about how we sometimes like to dwell on the past hurts.  Unfortunately, we can choose to let them define us.

He called this practice, "petting our dead cats."  It's like we go into the back yard and dig up the old carcass of the cat and hold it and pet it.  Doesn't that sound morbid and gross?

Yes it does.

Then why do we continue to do it?  Maybe it is time to stop petting the dead cat.

Let it go.  Live on.  Today is a new day.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

they did not intend to hurt you

We need to keep this in mind...

Most of the time... almost all of the time... when you are hurt, the other person did not mean to hurt you.  Their original thought was not to harm.  They had something else on their mind, and one of the byproducts of what was on their mind was that you were hurt.

Someone was trying to protect their version of the Christian faith and verbally attacked their pastor.  They didn't mean to hurt the Pastor, they  just felt that they needed to protect their version of the faith.

A boss releases you from employment.  They don't do this to hurt you, they do this because for some reason, it seems to them to be the best move for the corporation.

A neighbor is upset about something going on in the neighborhood that you were in favor of.  Their words hurt.  Again, they were trying to protect their vision for their life.

Someone comments negatively on your football team or your political candidate.  They shake their head and use the word "stupid."  Again, they are simply guarding "their world view."

If someone has hurt you... ask yourself... was their main intention to hurt you?  If you can see that they may have had other things on their mind, then don't take the hurt so personal.  You being hurt is a byproduct of some other thing that is going on with them.

Offer grace.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Pray for my city

I saw it on the news last night and so did you.  I immediately thought of my pastor friends who were in the middle of Ash Wednesday services.  The tears that were flowing down the faces of the members, and down the faces of the pastors as people came forward in those solemn tragic moments.  

A day that was supposed to hold reverence, ashes and remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus was broken by gunfire.

And a day that was to mark the celebration of a great sports achievement was marked by tragedy... tens of thousands of Kansas City fans went down to the Union Station area to celebrate the Chief's Super bowl win.

And then there were gun shots.  What is wrong with people?  WHAT IS WRONG WITH PEOPLE?

And so Children's Mercy, Truman and St Luke's hospital [where I was born] are today caring for gunshot victims.

In the days and weeks ahead I will hear stories from my friends who fled with their families.  In the days ahead we may find a motive.  

I don't know how to make sense of any of this... but I ask you to join with me in praying that somehow we can learn to stop this hatred.

Leaders

One of the things that I used to say when I was the Senior Pastor... I told it to lead staff and I told it to church lay leaders.  I told it to other pastors.  I told it to anyone that would listen.  Here it is:

Good leaders take responsibility and give credit.

To me, this means that a leader does not throw others under the bus.  The leaders covers for broken staff and works with the team to make things better.  And when things go well, the leader praises the work of his/her staff.

Another quote along these lines is in this meme:

You see, when you empower others, they improve.  When you cover for others, they become loyal.  When you treat them with respect and celebrate them, they will walk through fire for you.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

really???

Well now, here is something that you don't see everyday.  We were leaving a restaurant... we were walking down the sidewalk.

There were some outdoor tables and chairs [patio furniture] from another restaurant.  As we passed by, I noticed a woman with a very big cat.  Wait.  That is not a cat.

Yes.  You see it.  This woman has a pet skunk.  She said that the scent glands had been removed, but I could still smell him.

Some people I will never understand.  And I guess this proves that it takes all kinds to make a world.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

more on birds

In response to the post on bird spikes on my mailbox, my friend LouEllen sent this in...

We have fishing line hung on our front porch, our deck, and our basement patio rafters and we do not have birds come in and leave their mess any more. The line has been up for 20 years. People hardly believe that but they don't build nests in the corners of any of these areas any more.  Also, I remember having to 'wait' until the eggs hatched. Not that we didn't love the birds - we don't love them leaving their mess for us to clean up. Maybe you knew this trick but some people don't believe us but it works.

And now I find a bit of irony that in a blog about "can you hear the birds sing" I am posting ways to keep the birds at bay...

Kind of funny.  I am laughing as I write this.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

missing friends

I was texting with an old friend the other day.

He said, "I miss you, I miss us, I always have."

I loved that.

I miss you.  I miss us.  I always have.

Cherish your friendships.  Time and Distance can change many things.

Love your friends and tell them that you do.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

I didn't retire well

Retirement may sound like fun, unless you like to be active.  This is my world... too much time on my hands.

I am commonly out working for someone, but the last two weeks have been pretty dry.  So I have resorted to projects around the house.

• I cleaned my paintbrushes
• I trimmed the shrubs.
• I planted grass in bare spots.
• I fertilized the palms.
• I washed the windows on our house.
• I changed the batteries in the smoke detectors.
• I washed the wheels on my truck.

before - caked on brake dust

before

 

after

I am bored.  I just don't sit still very well.  Maybe I can come to your house and change the smoke alarm batteries???  I am praying for work.  

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

bird spikes

So we have had a problem at our mailbox.  The birds seem to like to land on the address bar, and when they land, and get relaxed, they like to leave a memoir of their visit.

I got tired of bird poo on my mailbox.  I mean, the entire mailbox was covered in bird doo.  It was bad.

So I bought some bird spikes.  I was talking to a friend about this.  They were afraid that the birds would impale themselves on the spikes.  I insisted, no no no, the birds will not be hurt by the spikes, the spikes will only keep them away from the mail box.

Since this install, the mailbox is looking better.  The birds are finding another place to take a nap.

Now then, there is this woodpecker that is pecking on our chimney cap.  I need to get up there on the roof and put some spikes on top of that as well.

Sometimes in life, you need to figure out what you need to do and just do it.  The birds of your world can figure their stuff out in their own way and in their own time.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Sometimes I don't

Sometimes I don't.  Sometimes I don't hold to the values that I value. 

This is an example of that.

The other day as I pulled into the grocery store, I noticed a homeless person with a sign.  I didn't think much about them, because I was going in to buy some stuff for the dinner that I was going to cook for my son.  [wife was out of town.]

It was going to the be Brinkman Men's Club dinner.  I got my groceries and headed out.    I drove out of the parking lot, right past the homeless person.  I saw them sitting there and I don't know how to tell you what I was thinking, except that I was thinking about me and what I was about.  I wasn't thinking about other people, and I wasn't thinking about God's people.

I think that we think about us, way too often.  I can become about us in an instant...

I pulled out and started for home. And then I heard this voice [and I heard the voice] quote me a scripture:

1 John 3:17 "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?" 

 I heard it plain as day. "If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person?"

I regained my senses. I turned off at the next possible time and returned to the parking lot. I got out some money for the person with the sign. I gave it to her. She said thank you.

I drove home... A better version of myself.

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? 1 John 3:17

May we all find a little more compassion for those who are in need.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Dad

I don't do much electrical work.  I have most of the needed tools, but they don't get out much.  Every now and then I have a little job.

So I was moving an outlet in the garage.  I grabbed my case of electrical fittings.  Here it is:

This case of fittings belonged to my dad.  In his day, I know that this collection was state of the art.  Dad loved his tools.  Anyway, I had a very interesting sensation when I opened the box...

It was like a little bit of him came rushing out.  Like a bit of his spirit had been closed up in that box.  I almost felt it blow by me.

For a few moments I felt that he was there with me.  It was nice.

I am reminded of the "cloud of witnesses" that the book of Hebrews refers to... this group of loved ones, now passed, who somehow, from time to time, still share a bit of this space on earth with us.

I miss my dad.

Anyway, I got the outlet installed, and it works!!!

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

a good, a better human being

A few weeks ago, I said to someone,  "I am working very hard at being a good human being."  They asked for me to elaborate on that statement. So, here we go...

I would probably point out that there are lots of humans who consider themselves a finished product.   I do not think of myself this way.  I think one of the best qualities that we offer one another is the awareness that we don't have it all figured out.   When I had employees, I always tried to help them understand that they had the ability and the permission to question me.  I am not always right.  When they did question what I was doing, we always got better...

Something else that I think we can do to work on being a good human being is to work on love. To think on love, to practice love, and to give love, every chance that we can.

Finally I would add that it is very easy in this life to simply react to what happens around you. This can often lead to the worst of us coming out.  I think that being a good human includes working on the practice of responding instead of reacting,  or acting instead of reacting.   To learn to take a step back when we don't like something, take a deep breath, count to ten, and ask yourself who you are and who you want to be, say a prayer, get centered, then act.  Act out of the best of who you are. When we do this, things usually go better.

Working on being a better human being is a life long endeavor.  I hope that everyone engages the journey.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

at any moment

Stop.  Think.  Appreciate your life.  At any moment it could change.  

My friend was mowing his lawn and he had a heart attack and died.  My friend woke up one day with cancer...  My mom woke up one day with cancer.  I guess that it had been growing inside of them all the time and they did not know.

We take too much for granted.  We just think that life is going to keep going on as it has in the past.

“All people are like grass,
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
⁷ The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
⁸ The grass withers and the flowers fall" 

Is 40:6-8

If you woke up today, give thanks.  If you can see, hear, walk and talk today, give thanks.  We never know what tomorrow will bring.

Give thanks for every moment.  Cherish every day.  Each moment is a gift from God.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

who I would have become

My friend Brian sent me this from his daily readings:

“Dear God: Thank You for not letting me become the person who I would’ve been if it was left up to me.” In my experience another good name for the Holy Spirit would be Persistent Presence. Somehow, without forcing me to do or be anything, the HS stuck with me and nudged me into better choices. I couldn’t have gotten here on my own. I could have slid down a thousand rabbit holes. Instead, I stumbled often but kept upright, aided and lead by the loving hand of our Father.

I would add to this post... this is what Methodists call "prevenient grace."  The grace that comes before.  God keeping us from falling so far away that we can no longer sense his love.   God loving us first.  God under-girding us.  God carrying us.

Thank you God for keeping me from the worst of what I might have been.  Thank you for lighting the path to a life of caring and kindness.  Help me to get better at your loving ways.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

Good Morning

Good Morning... today I am writing for two reasons... First of all, if you are not getting the emails of the blog, check your junk or spam.  Gmail particularly is sending them to junk/spam . I did not kick you off the blog.  I love you all.  Check junk or spam.

Now today I want to say a few words about scams. A friend of mine was scammed last week. The caller pretended to be from the Sheriff's office, threatening to arrest her for missing jury duty. The scammer was very very convincing. My friend was stuck on the phone for two hours, and was in tears.

 

Keep in mind, if any of this is happening on a phone call or email, it is a scam...

IRS phone scams are extremely common, most commonly posing as an IRS agent and demanding bogus tax payments.

Scammers commonly use threats to arrest or revoke the drivers license of the victim as a motive to make the payment.

Scammers commonly tell fraud victims to fill out a form in order to collect on an unclaimed return, and steal the customers personal identifiable information.

To best protect yourself from these common schemes, please be aware of the following information the IRS will never do:  

1. Call to demand immediate payment using debit card, gift card or wire transfer.
2. Threaten to bring in law enforcement to have the taxpayer arrested for not paying
3. Demand that taxes are paid without giving taxpayers the opportunity to question or appeal.
4. Request credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Scammers have apps that help them pretend that they are the IRS or the Sheriff's department so that if you call the real number, it can go to the scammer.

If something seems off, then delay.  There is no hurry.  Talk to your friends.  Talk to your relatives.  Never chase these situations by yourself.  A lady at our church was scammed for $5,000.

And if they ever mention paying with gift cards, hang up.

Do not take calls from numbers that you do not recognize. 

Be as wise as a serpent and harmless as a dove.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

being a bit more thankful

I loved this saying of G.K. Chesterton-

You say grace before meals, that's all right.

But I say grace before the play and the opera,
and grace before the concert and pantomime,
and grace before I open a book,
and grace before sketching, painting,
swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing,
and grace before I dip the pen in the ink.

He called this his complete intoxication before life.

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com

a bit of a mess

So I own a pick up truck.  An old one.  A 2006 Ford F-150.  Sometimes when you haul things, stuff flies out of the back of your pick up.  You have to turn around, stop and pick it up.

A few months ago, I was in Kansas City.  I was driving on Victoria Street just east of Douglas street and I came upon this mess.

You can see the yellow and green Waste Management trash truck.  It evidently had a wardrobe malfunction.  Gross trash was spilling out the back of it as it drove down the street.

After my lunch at Jose Peppers, I drove back that way and the company had delivered a dumpster and had a bobcat cleaning the trash up.

I guess my point here is this.  When you think that you have had a bad day, when you think that your trash is on display, just remember that there is someone somewhere who is experiencing something much worse than anything that you have ever thought of.

Can you imagine that driver making that phone call into the office???   Hello, boss, well, we are going to need some help out here...

It's a beautiful day in God's world, be sure to see the good.

- - - - - - - - -

I am leading a trip to Ireland October 15-24, 2024.
click here for the brochure

If you have questions, feel free to email me at jsbrink57@gmail.com