In prasie of Craftsman

In the nineteen days since we began this remodeling project we have worked with a series of teams who work with their heads, hands and tools. The structure and sheet rock crew was talkitive and jovial, gladly following the orders of the head carpenter.

The cabinet installation team, just two young men, were more deliberate and artistic, even the music they played while working was different. We marveled at the care and creativity of the way they dealt with the eccentricities of our particular space.

The one man who laid out the template for the granite counter had to get it right for his calculations would be set in stone permanately. He told me he loved making model airplanes and cars growing up. So did I, but I am a clutz with my hands.

The two men on the tile crew are very focused, and it is physical and artistic at the same time. Watching the master tile setter create the angles of my daughters design for our entrance tiles was amazing. I honor all those who are in the building trade and hope for boom times again.

I love the scripture that tells us to find work and do it with passion and care. We are made in the image of our creative and careful loving God, who is working still.

Goodbye slippery green apple tile

Mud and Trowel, tools of the tiler's trade.

When we bought this home 8 years ago, it had green apple carpet and dangerously slippery white tile with green apple swirls. The carpet went quickly but the tile remained until yesterday. It was the main thing we disliked about the home. We are glad we waited as we have learned so much about design as our daughter has studied interior design in college. It felt so good to walk on the new tile this morning.

Watching the tornado recovery in the south has been heart wrenching. I still love the Bible belt, all teasing to the contrary. When the Mississippi Governor uses the word "hunderds" instead of "hundreds", it brings a smile to my face. That syrupy language is part of my life experience.

When I was 16, at ball practice one spring afternoon in 1966, We took cover when we saw a tornado, which would later hit a small but busy shopping area, killing over 40 when stores collapsed. I still remember the helpless feeling huddled in the hallway of Murrah High School listening to the roar.

1000 posts

Two weekings into the project with two weeks to go until counter tops are installed. This is fun...and expensive.

Once again I thank the Callaway High School class of 1968 for inspiring me to start a blog in August of 2008, and my love of sharing pictures of life for keeping me at it. My family for telling me that they can keep up with us through this medium which for me is easier than letter writing or emailing. For the members of my church who say they enjoy checking in on my daily doings and odd thinkings.

I was getting more heart health lectures from the educational staff at Banner Desert Sam Hospital yesterday and she was using this most excellent computer program that is available for everyone on the Web which shows all the things going on with heart disease and heart health. Fascinating. She used an illustration of the heart being like teflon when we are young, and scrambling eggs with a fork as to how our heart lining is damaged by excess glucose and other irritants in our diet.

All disease has its roots in inflammation as our bodies try to fix the damage and the fix goes wrong. Excess triglycerides enter the arteries behind cholesterols attempts to smooth out our irriated vessels and get stuck so the plaqueing gets enlarged and narrows the arterial wall.

When and if the plaque ruptures, the fat explodes into the artery and the blood instanly begins to clot in an attempt to heal itself, The clogging brings on a sudden and often fatal heart attack. So its not our miraculous bodies, but our dietary abuse that creates the problem. This may be more information than you wanted, but for me this knowledge is about life and death.

Someone asked me if God knew the length of your life. Yes, from God's prospective, but from ours we have all kinds of opportunities to take proper care of ourselves, live wisely, so that from our perspective we are extending out life. It's a beautiful joining of God's knowledge with His encouragement for us to do the things that lead to abundant life.

Pumping on all cylinders

Having problems getting online . Home and resting. More tomorrow

Succesful Stenting

Overnight stay at Desert Sam , I feel fine

Cabinet installation Day

It was very exciting to see months of planning and years of thinking about how to improve our dated Kitchen. We are definitely going to have to have a step ladder to use those high cabinets but the effect of going to the ceiling we think is nice.

Tomorrow I will undergo another heart catheterizing procedure to relive a plaque build up in the arteries of my heart. Your thought and prayers are appreciated and meaningful. At least we are acting proactively on this one, and my dietary changes are keeping my insulin needs and blood sugar levels very steady and low.

A one night stay in the hospital, resting at home for a few, Lord willing.

Cabinets are on the way

Saturday we had Jack the Painter over to paint the ceiling, priming the walls and putting one coat of our future kitchen color, which is called "front porch" and is a shade of grey. He just painted the areas where cabinets will meet wall, so the finished work will have a paint line go behind the cabinet.

The Cabinet installation crew will be here today to begin installing the kitchen. Our new kitchen is getting closer and closer each day.

The Day of Resurrection

It is wonderful to believe that God will give us immortality and imperishablity.

Saturday, Saturday

This is the new channel to provide juice for our future cooking and eating island.

Had a rewarding Good Friday worship experience last night and a delightful dinner afterwards.

Jack, the Painter is here putting more primer paint on our walls.

My new diet is working well, I love Cobb Salad. I miss Bread, but not enough to return to blood sugar spikes.

Have a meaningful Easter. By the Way, Joni is this years Chairperson for the National Day of Prayer, and she is suggesting in light of the world situation and the unrest and unease....that we really pray this year. Good idea.

Hangin with Governor Brewer and Joni.

I was impressed with the Prayer Breakfast. No grandstanding, serious Bible reading and prayer, and Joni Earikson Tada and her hubby. I got to speak to them about my friendship with Don S. Sitting with the Joni and Friends table was nice, as were the people I talked to nearby.

Her demeanor and message were so effective, I could tell there was a large representation of mega church pastors and people who attend them. Don't ask me how I know that, I just do.

Joni has been in the chair for 44 years, and is dealing with breast cancer as well. She encouraged Christians not to get overwhelmed by the times, and to ask God to make us servants each day. I was blessed.

First Stage Complete

The room has two rectangles, the side that will house the new stuff is three inched bigger, this shows the solution to the resizing issue.

The last nine days have been interesting as we watched our Kitchen being destroyed and then rebuilt for our new cabinets and fixtures. Taking out soffits, rebuilding walls, changing a/c ducts, wiring for new locations for the fridge, dishwasher, stove, microwave.

The crew was professional, pleasant, timely and careful. The cat went crazy with the noise and hid in the closet most of the week.

Now...we paint and wait for the cabinet delivery and installation, the granite fitting, and then more tile destruction and tiling replacement. We have the outdoor grill, the tiny microwave, and a two burner gas grill in the garage. Good times. Here's some pics.

That's using the old dome

Two domes, one old, one not so old. One is non thinking, the other thinks. The one on the left will be here when the one on the right is gone. Yet God loves His creation and His creatures.

The British Monarchy to most Americans seems like a quaint anachronism. We changed our views 200 years ago. Most Protestants do not understand the robes and hats and incense of the Pope and Catholic worship tradition. We changed our views 500 years ago.

Most Christians do not observe the Jewish Passover. We changed our views over 2000 years ago.

Most younger people do not understand all the reasons older people think the way they do because they lack historic perspective and are driven by peer influence.

A Savior, chosen before the foundation of the world, walked upon it 2000 years ago, rose from the dead and lives forever more and understands it all, and His advice is fresh every morning.

When I am tempted to feel sorry for myself

A Giant among Christians.

I think of the life of Joni Earicksen Tada. She has been greatly used of God through paralysis. Her faith has overcome her problems. We are the same age. Her books on Heaven and Suffering are some of the best ever written.

I heard her speak in person in 1988 at Biola College in Los Angeles. I decided that night to leave Dixie if I had the opportunity.

I will be seeing her at the Arizona Govenor's Prayer Breakfast this week. And my friend Don often shared how difficult it is for her to travel as her bones have become very brittle and her body had wasted from decades of paralysis. I think of her life and ministry, and her constant victory over circumstances that would overwhelm most, and I just cannot feel sorry for my heart disease, my life, my circumstances.

I can only hope to follow this woman in praising God for His goodness and presence through it all.

Tax Day

A visit to Garden of the Gods in Colorado Springs a couple of years ago.

This is my third year of having my taxes done by professionals. The freedom from stress is worth the cost. The more organized our yearly information, the lower the bill. I like it. We payed more because the stock market gave us a little profit. My confidence in saving is pretty much shot from the last decade of performance.

My confidence that my fair share is being used to "promote the common good" is fairly well shot as well.

Still enjoying the remnants and memories of a great nation, and not giving up on a turn around.

My confidence is in the Lord, the Maker and Sustainer of the Universe.

Pritiken or Adkins????

Eggs and cheese are my friends.

A dear friend asked me if I had considered going vegetarian to deal with my heart and nutritional issues. Yes and no. I considered it years ago after the first, and found it too difficult for me to be faithful and successful with. I spent some time with Raw foodists as well and they both have my admiration.

The other options are low fat, complex carb diets like the family of diets started by Pritiken, or Moderate fat, moderate protien low carb diets like the family of diets following Adkins. Adkins was way to unbalanced, but the role of carb control in weight reduction has been proven beyond doubt.

With diabete and heart disease, my studies have me leaning towards insulin spikes as the cause of inflammation as the cause of plaque build up. Genetics and a nasty form of small dense LDL do not help the situation.

For me the answer until I am convinced otherwise is the rigid control of blood glucose levels which means all carbs that are quickly converted must be severely limited. So many balanced healthy all good food recipes and ideas are out there, and I have found living without processed grains to be doable and enjoyable. The role of cholesterol in heart disease has been overstated, as they are essential to life and health. Bad fats and overeating anything have to go.

I have a goal to lose 25 more pounds and know anything more than one or two a week is not really possible. I am enjoying all I have read about the miracle of the human body and nutrition.

Leave it to the professionals

Busted up tile.

There are so many things about building and remodeling that take forethought. Before you bust out a ceiling, someone has to remove the insulation. After you change things, someone has to reroute all kinds of electrical and plumbing outlets, and redo air conditioning ducts in new places.

We had a 3 inch problem about unmatching walls that had no easy fix. We discussed, and looked at solutions and chose the best of three options. There are things that come up that no one can foresee that take compromise.

God is the master builder of a huge remodeling project, called "the reconciliation of all things in heaven and on earth". Things are happening behind the scenes all the time with foresight we cannot imagine. Its gets messy in the process because so many people and things are changing, but in the end, the beauty will prevail.

So think about the horror and beauty of holy week, when the master carpenter threw Himself completely into his project, and got hurt.....and healed.

Pushy Salesmen and Beggars

Kitchen roof remodel
A street scene in MX.

Algondones is a tourist and senior shopping city just across the California border near Yuma AZ with parking in the US. People buy leather goods, chochskies, and prescriptions drugs. The salesmen molest you with their wares, making it an unpleasant situation more me, a guy who hates saying no to people.

When I was taking photos I was razzed, its like they don't want you to do anything on their streets without paying for it. It's really kind of sad. I gave to as many of the women begging with children as I could. My friend brought back medicines for his family, and their liquor stores are discount as well. If I had problems with medicare payments or finances I would buy those drugs in a heartbeat!!!!!and many people do each day.

You have to show your passport when leaving, and the later in the day, the longer the wait. It took over 30 minutes for us to get back across the border.

Going forward with Heart Disease

Hoping to postpone clouds and harps for another decade at least.

I had my two week check back with the heart doctor yesterday. Heart beating with strength, pulse good. Date set for another cath procedure, safe to return to light anaerobic strength training, approved my dietary decisions for a path to the next round of serious weight loss. Discussed some scenarios for reversing the plaque problems in my arteries.

There is some serious wall and ceiling destruction going on in my kitchen area today, its going to look different in small but helpful ways.

I am traveling with Larry to Algodones Mx today for his drug run. All the seniors around here get their drugs down there.....no....not that kind of drugs silly, the legal ones. The change of pace and scenery change will be enjoyable after staying close to home for the last few weeks.

Knowing?????

Is this vehicle Tsunami proof?

I enjoy movies with mystery, suspense, and a touch of connection to the possible. The recent spate of end of the world movies were enjoyable, like 2012, and Knowing, and the older Meteor hits earth movies. I have watched most of them more than once.

What I do not like is having to watch a repeat of a Harold Camping Debacle. From 81 to 88 the end of the world scenarios captured and wasted the time of the American fundamental and conservative churches. Campings 1994 book of the same name showed how his fecund (reading this as smelly) mind had parsed the dating schemes of history and scripture and prophecy.

Fast forward to the Billboard May 21st rapture hoopla. The old man is at it again, having used his fertile (reading this as decrepit) mind to arrive at another date and to coax loyal followers to quit jobs and raise questions. I personally have a great desire to be surprised by the end of the world, as I will probably be surprised when the big one hits my own heart. Too much time to plan is not such a good thing, especially since I have lived all my life by the psalm that says...teach us to number our days and get a heart of wisdom.

My guess is that they believe this warning will fill the final coffers of the elect on the glory train. "People get ready, theres a train a comin, pickin up passengers one by one." I guess I will watch 2012 one more time....but to put "Knowing" and Harold Camping in the same sentence will be hard. Forgive the rant if I am wrong.

Artisans...Your blank palette awaits you

Tearing out 20 year old tile is hard work, noisy work, dusty work, but the kitchen is now ready for some reconstruction of soffits, walls and especially the new insert for the fridge and kitchen storage cabinet. Once that is done and the surface is smooth, repaired and textured, the cabinets and fixtures will begin to come.

Kitchen...ette

This could get old quick, but Laura prepared taco soup last night in an old cooker that she thinks is older than she is.

Today a team is taking insulation out of the ceiling where the remodeling crew will be changing the shape of the roof and walls. This afternoon the tile wrecking crew will arrive.

I remember where I was and how I felt 50 years ago when John Glenn orbited the earth 50 years ago. I attended a really neat school in the fifth and sixth grade that was on the campus of Troy State College, now University. We were a laboratory school providing young educators an opportunity to observe teaching and participate while in college. The school was torn down decades ago but the memories of those early days in the deep south of Alabama have imprinted so deeply in my brain that I will always be saying.....Not Whistling Dixie!!!!!

Look Mom, no Kitchen

The Stardust Building Community Foundation took our Kitchen appliances and cabinets to have continued use in some needy familys home. Felt Good. We now anticipate the the tile removal project to start tomorrow with some serious dust issues.

Tomorrow is tile removal and preparation for new tile, then kitchen wall and ceiling demo to remove the soffits and prepare a large enclosure for the fridge and double door storage cupboard.

We have a little kitchenette with microwave, coffeemaker in the wash room, but things will be out of kilter for a few weeks.

The Joy of Preaching

I got to golf the Marriot Palm Desert Course last August which was very special.

This morning I spoke of Paul's response to his difficulties in the evangelistic journey.....which was purity, kindness, sincere love, truth....and then he said that he was winning even when it did not appear that he was winning, he was winning because Christ had won already and nothing that happened could ultimately separate him for the victory.

My stress level and blood pressure where up a bit, the folks were so kind and encouraging. Life is good.

Talk about presure....how about the Masters on Sunday afternoon!!!!

Ooh blah dah, Ooh blah dee, la la la la life goes on

Spouting Horn, Kauai, a big sucking sound and then it spouts off.

My metallically filled arteries are functioning smoothly. I have four days of walking logged in my heart rehab program. I am experimenting with a totally gluten free diet, enjoying a rainy Saturday, and waiting for round three of the Masters, while I decide which portion of the glorious gospel I will share tommorow, life is good.

Happy Spring to all.

Here is the new There

Trying to peer through the fog of tradition.

Scott McKnight is reviewing Rob Bells Love Wins chapter by chapter. Scott is balanced and fair and gentle, and is doing a fine job of critiqing Bell's desires to change the way we think about Heaven and Hell.

Being raised in the fundamentalist and baptistic south I often noticed how the ticket to heaven through the sawdust trail walk seems to outweight a persons present walk and to create an us vs. them mentality that failed to engage the lost, serve the hurting, and create a truly blessed life now.

Those who wrestle with this tend to see our calling is to life as "an eternal kind of life now", an "age enduring life". The debate as McKnight correctly saw it, is an old tension between the word eon, and the word aionian. An age is a period of time, and the other word is a state of timelessness, ie. a place called heaven where God dwells and where we hope to go with our sawdust trail ticket.

Others have done significant work in showing that the translation of aionian has been affected by false presuppositions and theological bias. Bell's point is that if you see the restoration of heaven...and earth!!!! which begins now and has obviously a not yet reality because of our mortality, as something other than a decision, then you can embrace the world that is with all its brokeness with a Kingdom presence that does not offend, but attracts, and transforms the world we live in now. It is a world where the one who is not against is with us. It sees God in Christ at work in all nations, cultures, and believe systems.

The Masters

Every golfer warming up believes for a moment that todays round could be his best ever!!!!!

Phil Michealson is favored to win the Masters this week, and that is a heavy burden to carry. My life in Phoenix has spanned the career of this man. The morning after he won the Tucson Open Professional Tournament as an amateur I was headed to a breakfast meeting about 6:30 am and I was driving through Tempe. Phil and his coach were hitting balls on the practice tee at Karsten Golf Course early Monday morning. I thought to myself then....this guy is going to have a great career.

For a lover of golf, Augusta is a bit like heaven on earth. The history, the beauty, the tradition make this a special week in sports viewing. No mere mortal can drive up the the clubhouse at anytime of the year. I was in Augusta one year and I purposely stopped my car and crossed the road to peek through the thick bushes for a live look at the course. One of my deacons happened to win a ticket lottery for a day pass when I was in Moss Point, MS. One shot to be in the gallery....and its the 86 Masters won my Nicklaus. I was on the couch watching then, and will be this Sunday afternoon....kind of connects you to passing time and history.

Eat, Pray, Love

My resting vacation has allowed me to relax a bit more, and I have been watching a movie or two, including the free Starz channels we have been given for a time. I have watched the Julia Roberts movie based on the best selling novel which I have in my library but have not read, first the last half and just now the first.

I loved the story of a woman searching for spiritual healing, the joy and beauty of the three cultures she experiences in a year. I have no need to criticize her search in eastern religion, not because I agree with her thinking, but because we cannot criticize the meditation others are doing if our Christian practices are not equal or better.

The Apostle Paul in IICor. 6 is reflecting on the difficulties of his own journey as a Christian Missionary. The passage is astonishing and will be the basis for my reflections this Sunday. Read it meditatively when you get a moment.

I returned to the gym for a 20 minute walk yesterday, to share with a few gym friends what happened, not to elicit sympathy but to share a setback on my journey to spiritual and physical balance. All I have is this moment, yesterday is history, and tomorrow is a promissory note we cannot cash. I want to live and grow, to eat healthy, pray truly, love unfeignedly.....That's Paul's phrase....and I think it is astonishing.

Revisiting Micronutrients and heart health

Portrait of a soggy waffle.

I often joke with people and say I could lecture on nutrition fluently, I just can't practice good nutrition. The truth is that I read alot and really do understand the debates going on in the healthcare community about the best diet for optimal health.

It is also true that I have, for the last several years been learning to eat better and exercise more regularly. This is the reason for my discouragment about another heart blockage, although as I said I am extremely grateful to still be here having to make the nutritional decisions I face.

I came home with a pile of literature from the hospital which basically recommend some form of a low fat, low cholesterol, high complex carb, low meat type diet. They believe healthy grains should comprise the greatest basis of your diet.

I agree with the teaching that nutrition and health are about far more than "calories in and calories out", I also agree that there are good fats and bad fats, and good carbs and bad carbs. I have read extensively on the issue of metabolic resistance and the roots of type 2 diabetes, which I developed from my adulthood till I turned 50 and was diagnosed.

I have with lessor or greater success been attempting to maintain insulin balance for ten years with diet, and anywhere from six to eight medications to deal with my lifelong high blood pressure, my diabetes, and my cholesterol and high trygliceride issues. To fight artheroscloris I have been on plavix and statin drugs from most of the ten years.

Oops. Sounds like I am lecturing. Got to stop, but here is where I am in my thinking in the most visceral question possible. I have a hard decision to make.....
PIZZA and PASTA!!!!! or....LIFE and BETTER HEALTH and WEIGHT CONTROL!!!!! I will explain this later, blessings, fellow foodies.

Resting

Lake front near Willmar, MN.

My son Matthew has headed home after flying down to visit me over the weekend. I have been charged to rest, and I am using the time for just that, relaxing, napping, reading and making plans for the next step in rehab and recovery. I might not have mentioned that the doctor is recommending another stent in the rear of the heart which I will do after Easter when the heart has had more time to heal. I have an 80 percent occlusion in the artery. Ugh!! and Praise the Lord that I will deal with this surgically without damage to the heart muscle.

I watched Second Hand Lions again, a first rate family values movie with humor and excellent story and lesson of men helping youth to understand life. Haley Joe Osment, Robert DeNiro, Micheal Caine were superb.

Emergencies and the Sovereignty of God

Here is Pastor Don, wading into deep and semi stupid reflections of life and death, in over his head.

I find myself in a strange reflection. Three times in the last ten years my body had begun the process of death, oxygen was deprived from my heart and would have led to death had I not lived in a place and time where modern medicine could help me. I do not know exactly when heart cathaterizations began, but many in the fifties were sent home with damaged hearts, limited circulation, and no hope save bed rest.

My worst heart attack was the first, and I, stupidly, ignored the symptoms for seven hours. Forrest Gump said, "stupid is as stupid does". I did finally go to my doctors office, then to the emergency room, to have stents relieve my immanent death to myocardial infarction. (I know big words, but I am still stupid).

Heart attack 2 started at exactly the same time as 1, 3a.m. the heart patients dreaded hour, when the body shifts from rest to start up and repair for the new day and enzymes are released which often trigger cardiac events. This time I was more proactive, I got up, showered, woke Laura and took my own leisurely drive to the emergency room, walked up to the front desk and told them calmly I was having a heart attack.....(stupid is as stupid does). Nevertheless, medical knowledge this time used balloon angioplasty, as the blockage was in a fork of the hearts life giving arteries. (more impressive vocab from semi stupid emergency room driver).

Four weeks ago I was sitting with the man who saved me from death twice, he told me insurance frowned on stress tests without sufficient cause, so we postponed what my other surgeon said would have shown this problem and saved me from more heart damage.
....and I feel stupid. I further learned that diabetics rarely have advance outward warnings of an attack. Duh. Good reason to schedule stress tests yearly and save much money, like that spent by the teams that saved me.

What is your point, stupid? First, I could have had these clogs in the car hours from help, and would have died. Second, I live in a country and a time and have the insurance to save me three times.....Conclusion: The sovereign God has graciously allowed me to live, if I had died, all things living would have gone on after saying a respectful goodbye and I would be resting with God who saved me in Christ. I may be stupid but I am Not Whistling Dixie about God and the hope of eternal life. Blessed Resurrection Thoughts to all. God is gracious to the stupids among us.

Three times grateful

I have a problem with my heart. Genetic issues, past lifestyle issues, adult onset Type II Diabetes have combined to fill my fifth decade of life with three heart attacks. I am home from number three feeling the beating of my heart muscle and being very thankful to be alive, and not to be deathly afraid of death.

I am thankful for teams. When I called 911 at least 8 huge firemen surrounded my bed, diagnosed a problem, loaded my into the ambulance and careened through traffic. Thank you Firemen

A team of nurses, attendants and the heart surgeon who had been called by the firemen met me at the emergency room and continued diagnosis, and in 22 minutes I was on the Cath table relieving the oxygen deprivation caused by a major artery being 99 percent blocked. Thank you ER team and Dr. Klee. Thank you God for the 1 percent or I would be in a lot worse shape or gone from this world.

A team of caregivers in ICU and Telemetry that serve your every need and monitor your health aggressively. Everyone was great from food servers to physicians to the very special nurses assigned to your room. I am sure it will be expensive, but I am thankful for a great health care system, please don't screw it up Washington. The Chaplain visits and prayers were meaningful.

A team at the church office to share news, fill in for my responsibilities so I can rest and recover, and pray for me.

My family team, who love me and visit me and provide such a place of love and safety and nurture. Also my blog friends and face book friends whose kind words and prayers encouraged me.

My faith team, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and David whose Psalm 23 kept my heart and mind full of thoughts of God and the life to come, as well as a sincere hope that I can have more the life that I enjoy right now. Thank you.

Grim Reaper avoided again

Had chest pains Thursday, called 911, had my third cardiac cath. I am kind of saddened that all the fitness and diet could not stop artery plaque build up. It was mild and my heart muscle is strong , home to start rehab tomorrow