Green Eggs

Today was "Family Fun Day" at NTBC as part of our Church Anniversary Celebration.  We had several nights of preaching and we will cap it all off tomorrow with a guest speaker in our services.  There were lots of activities today for the kids, including a BIG, inflatable bouncing room, a petting zoo, crafts and a cooking class.  Please notice the color of the eggs in the photo below.

They loved it!  Our chef put a few drops of food dye in each bowl with an egg, each child was able to whip it up and we scrambled them up together.  Move over Food Network.  After they tasted their creation they sat around and enjoyed listening to another young lady read to them the story "Green Eggs and Ham".  Oh, it was read on an iPhone, because no one was able to find their copy of the book.  We had some other stories for them and some crafts and they sure had a wonderful time. 

While they were all stretched out on a blanket listening to a book being read one of the parents commented to me that these are the things that kids always remember.  That is so true.  Part of what we do, everyday, is make memories.  Children need fond memories of home and of church.  Bible stories, memory verses and the excitement of learning and singing and experiencing the Joy of being with God's people in God's house. 

Make some good memories for the sake of the next generation that must come to Christ.


Chuck

Friday Favorites:

"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy."
                                     Howard W. Newton

"D" is for Deficient

There was a message on the home answering machine last night from the doctor's office.  "Please call Columbus Family Physicians ...", the message gave no details and only created suspicion that something was amiss.  Did they finally discover it was apple juice that I left in a cup for them to test?  Only kidding, but it had to be something related to the blood test from my annual physical.  I called this morning and got the Bad News ... I am Vitamin-D deficient. Oh-No!  Here comes the dreaded daily medications that I have been working to avoid.  They want me to take 3 months of a prescription strength vitamin followed by a daily supplement. So much for that one.

Being very curios of what brings about such deficiencies I turned to the World-Wide-Web and discovered the following causes:

1. Lack of meats and oily fishes. - That certainly is not the problem, I'm a meat & fish eater.

2. Lack of exposure to sunlight. - Again, nope.  I'm outside as much as possible.  This summer we took the GB's to the shore a bunch.

3. Being dark complected - Although I do try to maintain a decent farmer's-tan; I am not Tall, Dark & Handsome.  (One out of three ain't bad.)

4. The kidneys not absorbing sufficient quantities of the vitamin due to .... AGING.  What!?  That's just what I needed to hear.  Another fun effect of aging.  Hey, 50 is not OLD, remember! 

So this is what I'm planning on doing.  I'm going to eat oily fish, and lots of them.  Number one on my list: Sardines!  I love'em.  You hear that my dear wife, I need to eat sardines and I'll even get a doctor's note to prove it.  Do you hear that mom (who made me eat them outside when I was a kid).  They are a medical necessity seeings that I have a deficiency.  This is going to be fun.  Weekly "Dead-Fish" parties (topic for future blog). 

Obviously when weakness of the flesh is discovered there are certainly benefits to be had.  We are reminded that "when I am weak, then I am strong".  For God strength is always made perfect in our weakness.  Certainly the news could have been worse, but no matter what the New is, God is still all sufficient.


Chuck

Wordless Wednesday

Cool Beans!

Today was my annual medical check-up and my doctor was happy with me.  First stop is the front desk to lighten the wallet (co-pay) and then off the scale.  218 fully dressed, which is not bad, considering that last year I weighed in at 238.  I was off to a good start.  Now for the big number that was waiting to see, the Blood Pressure.  The nurse read 112 / 76 and then the Doc confirmed it later with a 110 / 76 reading.  WOW!  Last year it was 144 over something-an-other.  It is amazing what 20 pounds of fat will do to a body. 

Today I received a tetanus shot, it's been 10 years, and also a referral for another favorite doctor to get a colonoscopy.  Thanks to some hereditary risk factors I need one every 5 years.  You know who you are, you hereditary risk factor!  This time I'm not signing the waiver for photos & videos made during the procedure.  Now that I'm blogging I may want to keep them for myself and share them with all of you.

I need to make sure that I just don't stop everything that I have been doing to get to this point.  Success in this matter, like many other things in life, is not simply hitting a number today but maintaining and improving on it for years to came.  I want to get below 200 before the end of the winter so that I will be in better shape to run some bigger races next year. I want to keep the scale and the BP going in the right direction, and like anything that is worth it, it will take some work.  Pitching the excuses and pushing forward.

Chuck (218)

Anticapation

Tomorrow is my annual medical check-up and I am excited about it.  You see for the past several years I have gotten the "Blood Pressure" speech along with the warning.  My BP has been marginally high and, as I was told, if I didn't bring it down a little that I would need to start taking medication.  I don't like to take medication.  It's not that I don't like pills, it's just that I would prefer to get something fixed without having to us a drug to do it.



Several years ago I started taking Fish Oil pills to help with something.  Yuck! Maybe fish oil and coffee just didn't mix well, so you know which one had to go.  I have often refereed to coffee as my vitamin "C", so why give up a good thing.  Last year my dear wife helped to lower my BP, after another threat from the Doc,  by replacing my coffee with half-caffeinated.  No, I didn't go through withdraw, but it did lower my BP by 10 points.  Not to bad, and the Doc was happy and the threat of medication was dodged for another year.

Now this time I'm ready.  I am 20 pounds lighter and with a semi-good routine of running my blood pressure has got to be at least 20 points lower then last years exam.  We'll see tomorrow.  I suppose it is always better to fix our problems then to cover them up.  For me it is better to eat right & exercise then to continue the way I was going and just take a pill so that I didn't have to change anything.  I guess that's exactly how some folks feel about there relationship to God.  Just give a pill (religion) so that I don't have to change anything!  I think that'll preach.


Chuck

"Let's Not ..."

Let's not talk about baseball tonight.  Let's speak of pleasanter things.  Let's not mock Mudville's mighty man, with his bat held aloft like a samurai sword.  Let's not boast of past accomplishments and seemingly endless lists of records, when the hour only calls for results.  Let's not turn the camera to pan the upper decks and dugouts, for they are as empty as the expressions on the faces of thousands that watched and dreamed of grander things.  Let's not exchange niceties and old clichés about next season, and the fact that it's only a game. 

"Oh, somewhere in this favored land the sun is shining bright,
The band is playing somewhere, and somewhere hearts are light,
And somewhere men are laughing, and little children shout;
But there is no joy in Mudville — mighty Casey has struck out."

Chuck

"My Enemy"

There is an old Arabian Proverb that says "The enemy of my enemy is my friend".  This adage applies to world politics as well as baseball, which of coarse we all know is more important and less complicated than world politics.  I have never, let me repeat, never cared about the American League nor any of it's teams.  I have often said, when asked about particular American League teams, "Oh, they play baseball?"  Growing up just south of Philly, and spending many wonderful evenings at Vet stadium, has ingrained a National League view of baseball in my psyche.  At least we can trust our pitchers to swing a bat without hurting themselves! (Anyone who needs any explanation of the last comment can read about the Designated Hitter rule at Wiki.)

Back to the "Enemy" part of this post; I do NOT like the Yankees, I never have and truly believe that I never will.  There is no one, specific reason for my vocal disdain for this American League team.  It could be their Way-Over-The-Top salary package, "Best Team That Money Can Buy", Grab-Up Every Good Player, mentality.  Or it could simply be that they already have more Pennants (40) & World Series Championships (27) then any other team in baseball.  They really need to lose!

So last night I'm watching an American League game, which is a rarity, and rooting for a team that I know very little about.  The only fact about the Texas Rangers that I even cared about was that they were putting a Whoopin' on those Yankees.  Since the Rangers have successfully knocked the Yankees out of the playoffs, the Rangers have now become my favorite American League team.  Which is not a problem ... until the Phillies win the NLCS. I wont say "If", but when the Phillies & Rangers take to the diamond on Wednesday, October 27th, there will be no doubt about where my loyalties rest.  The enemy of my enemy will be my enemy when they stand against my friend.  Something that we all need to remember in viewing world politics and our faith.


Chuck

Friday Favorites:

Today's favorite is my favorite Kid's Books:

This was our kid's favorite book that they wanted me to read to them when they were little.  I'm sure that I must have read it aloud hundreds of times.  We still have that copy of the book and have read it several times to some of the grand kids.  I know that my kids still quote passages from this great literary work. 

Second on the list was Stone Soup.  We actually used to make stone soup for the kids and they loved it.  Joyce had a small rock that she would put into the pot and the kids would excitedly dig through their bowls to see if they were served the Stone in their soup.

Both of these books have a lot of miles on them, and hopefully will serve another generation.  I guess Mom Mom is going to have to find another rock to throw in the pot.  I love reading!


Chuck (218)

Sleepy Head

Am I getting OLD or What!?  I fell asleep last night, on the coach, in the ninth inning of game 4 of the National League Championship.  The Phillies had tied it up in the 8th and I fell asleep.  Unbelievable!  Please don't answer that first question.  I'm only 50, and if I live to 120, I haven't even reached middle-age yet.

Here are my excuses:

1. I got up extra early yesterday so that I'd be ready to preach the junior chapel at Heritage Christian Academy.  BTW I preached in a Tuxedo!  I'll have to tell you all about that later.

2. I was working in my office all afternoon on a bulk mailing for the church which went out today.

3. I went over Eric's house and did more R & T for about 3 hours.  That included some good fellowship with "Chief", who lives around the corner from them.

4.  Well.... There is no 4, I'm all out of excuses ... and really there is no excuse for falling asleep in the 9th inning when your team just tied the ball game.

It is truly amazing how accurate the words of our Lord are, "The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak."  I certainly was determined, excited, extremely interested and fully engaged in the game.  But my flesh is weak.  Yet contrary to my ability to generate a list, there will be no excuses accepted for dozing off in the last inning of the Lord's work.

Tonight's game is critical, a lose means elimination.  With the stakes so high how could any true fan think about sleeping.  No excuses!


Chuck - (Joyce, Thanks for the PIC)

Wordless Wednesday

Crunch Time

That was a close call!   Last night I hit the 'Publish Post' button right as the clock was striking mid-night.  Yesterday was very busy, you know, with burying dead animals, paying all my bills (on-line)  and teaching at LVBBI.  After class I sat and talked with Pastor Roland for a while and so I didn't get home till 11:38 PM and I had not BLOGGED yet!  Yes, I know, the world would not stop spinning ... Yes, I know, that my one or two faithful followers would not be texting to see if I was in the hospital on life-support machines ... Yes, I Know, that it really is no big deal ....BUT... when I started writing this blog back on August 4th I decided that I was going to post a blog every day. 

Fulfilling a self-commitment is essential to maintaining personal progress.  You know that.  If I eat health today I will do it again tomorrow.  If a pay my bills on-time this month then next month I will feel compelled to keep the ball rolling.  If I read my Bible today then ... you get the picture?  Progress is progress-ive!  Every commitment followed through on, no matter how "insignificant" adds to the momentum.  Little ones encourage big ones and big ones can eventually be life changing habits.  Make yourself some promises today and see where it takes you tomorrow.

Oh, BTW, when I posted at mid-night, my "Posted At" time read 9:00PM.  Blogger must run on Pacific Time!  I had three more hours before the day was officially over.  But why wait, do it now while you have the time.

Chuck (215)

Dead Lizard!

That's Right, the Lizard is dead.  Sunny was my Bearded Dragon who lived very comfortably in a large glass container in our front parlor.  Unlike most common house-hold pets, like dogs or cats, Sunny required very little attention or maintenance.  Crickets were her (although we mostly called her a him) favorite meal, yet she was just as content eating up a pile of roman lettuce leaves.

As several of the grand-kids arrived at the house today, the first place they went was to the front room to see Sunny.  "Hey Pop Pop, where's Sunny?  I don't see him in his cage." My reply was simple, "Sunny's dead, you're here to help me bury him."  They were a little surprised, but then excited at the possibilities of such a great adventure.  They decorated a box (coffin), completed digging the hole, and assisted in the internment.  They even provided the flowers (leaves) for the grave.

I wish we could all look at death with a simple, child-like faith, and see the adventure in it.  For those of us who's faith is in Christ for their salvation, we are confident that our absence from the body means to be present with our Lord.  There is no sorrow in that thought, only the adventures of heaven. 

Another exciting day at our house ...


Chuck

Androids & Zombies

This is a text message conversation that I had with my son Eric the other day.  He was at my house while I was at his house doing some R & T (see yesterday's blog for definition).  Here is the text:

C: "How do I get this heater vent off?"

E: "Pry off face.  Than remove nails on back wall and around the floor vent"

C: "Got It"

C: "I love getting messages that start with: 'Pry off face'."

E: "Works for androids and zombies too"

C: "Cute.  I'll keep that in mind.  I've ripped this one's face off!"

If you know my family then you realize that this would be a typical conversation, and when more of us get together then the dialog gets even more bizarre.  I don't know how our wives stand it.

Bizarre conversations are fine in the family but may not always be appreciated by others.  Some don't have the same sense of humor, while others may take the zombie comment a bit to seriously (S.P.C.Z. members).  And then also, there are somethings that don't need to be taken lightly.  To often God massages to us are twisted, humorized (made that word up) or injected with so many other comments that we forget what we're talking about.  Some messages just need to be send and then responded to.  Nothing added, nothing inferred, nothing more then truth.

Chuck

"I'm a Lost Toy!"

I have been lending some assistance to my son Eric at his new house.  Lots of ripping & tearing going on, which is my favorite part of any construction project.  R & T doesn't take too many skills which is right up my alley.  Today, while tearing out some old heat registers, I found a few game pieces from some old toys.  The little dog is obviously from Monopoly, and I think the cardboard circles are likely from an old version of Battling Tops.

I noticed the same phenomenon when ripping & tearing at 52.  We found several lost toys in walls, in ductwork and in ceilings under the 2nd floor bedrooms.  Obviously we've all lost some toys over the years.  Some go unnoticed and others bring the fun to a screeching halt.  Everyone knows that you can't play cards without the 3 of Diamonds.  But we always moved on, likely never really looking for the missing game pieces, justing finding something else to entertain us.  Game pieces, like Guinea Pigs, are disposable (subject of a future blog). They can sit for 30 years in a wall (not guinea pigs) and when found are interesting but not important.  Their significance expired long ago.  So why do we fill so much of our time, even as adults, with so many toys? 

Now if I can only discover where all the missing socks are hiding.


Chuck

Friday Favorites:

"I want to know how God created this world. I'm not interested in this or that phenomenon, in the spectrum of this or that element. I want to know His thoughts, the rest are details."  Albert Einstein 
          "A Talk with Einstein," E. Salaman (1955)


Chuck

First Step

Do you see what I have to put up with?  Those grand kids and their pranks!  As you can see, from the PIC, that is a "Little" pair of shoes stuffed into my "BIG" pair of shoes.  I guess they thought they were being cute, or something.  Okay, it was cute.  We all laughed, and took pictures, and joked about who was going to blog about it first. 

I thought it was interesting to even think that way; "Who gets to blog this one first?"  Two of my DILs blog regularly, my wife, occasionally and I've been blogging daily.  I have noticed that I think that way a lot lately.  One thing I promised myself when I started this blog is that I will never do something with the kids, grandkids or my dear wife, just for the sake of being able to blog about it.  That just doesn't seem right, kind of insincere, kind of fake.  There isn't anything wrong with wanting to share parts of your life with the cyber-world, but if it's manufactured or manipulated then it really isn't your life.  The first step to sharing a life is to live a real life to share.

Chuck

Wordless Wednesday

Test Night

Last night we started Bible Institute class with a short test.  I suppose there could be a class without tests.  My Pastor used to tell me that when Spurgeon had a preacher's school he never gave a test.  I don't now about the validity of that statement, but I would never contradict Pastor Leon Gray.  But this is not Victorian England, and so I give tests.

There will be, and should be tests through out a class as well as our lives.  They give us focus, cause us to pay attention to details and assess what is truly important.  Without the test we would be unaware of our short comings, and likely not given to review and self-evaluation.  The test is not something we desire but it is something that we should expect, it's the nature of the course we are on.  So don't fall apart because of it, just do your best, review the result, and prepare for the next one that will eventually come.

                                                            (Good Job Andy!)

Chuck

BOOM!

That's the sound of a thunderstorm!  One blew through tonight during Bible Institute class.  I am in week 3 of a 5 week series of lectures on the Book of Revelation.  Tonight we covered the last of the Seal Judgments and then started to talk about the Trumpet Judgments.  Hail, Fire and Brimstone were part of the conversation this evening while the storm was just getting started.

Although the storm provided a great light-show while crossing the river on the Turnpike Bridge, lightning is a constant reminder of awesome power of God.  One day He will unleash the powerful judgment found in that great book.  I hope that you are prepared before the storm is unleashed.  "For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?"


Chuck

It's a Date

Grand Baby #1 and I went to Friendly's for lunch today, it was her idea.  She was talking to me after church services this morning. She hinted around about a few things, asking what I was doing for lunch, what kind of plans I had.  She never really said "Hey Pop Pop, take me out to lunch!", but it was close enough for me to bite.

What great joy to have a Father in heaven, who knows the desire of our hearts, eagerly wanting to respond to His children.

"Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them." Mark 11:24


Chuck

Thank You Pastor Hammett

I have just returned from the Lehigh Valley Baptist Church and the Appreciation Banquet that was held tonight in honor of the Doug Hammett Family.  Pastor Hammett, his wife Beverly and their two youngest children, Rachel & Sam, will be leaving on Tuesday for the Mission field of Botswana.  After serving faithfully at LVBC for the past 23 years they will seemingly be starting all over again on a foreign field.

Actuality this trip is only a continuation of what God has been doing through them for years.  Every ministry that the Lord calls us to is the next step.  One ministry is preparation for the next ministry.  Discipling one new convert only leads to the next soul to bring to Christ.  God always has something planned for what is next and we should all be eager to see what our Lord has is store.

"The success of a Church is not measured by the number of people that they bring in, but by the number that are sent out." 

And so the ministry continues.....


Chuck

Friday Favorites:

Favorite Books seem to have been my bent for several Friday Favorites, so here's yet another one.  This is my favorite Biography.  

I have read many biographies and auto-biographies but the life story of Edward McKendree Bounds (August 15, 1835(1835-08-15) – August 24, 1913) challenged me more than any other.  I first became aware of Bounds when I came across one of his books about prayer.  He has several and they are often grouped together and sold in one volume.  They are also easily available to read on-line on several websites.  One day I was going through some books that had been donated to the church and noticed his biography in the box, so I set out that afternoon to start reading it.  What a story!  This is a must read!  Civil War Battles; a front-line, Confederate Chaplain; Union prison-of-war camps; war-time revival meetings & countless souls won to Christ.  Through it all, Bounds demonstrated a deep sense of dependence upon God through unwaivering, effectual prayer.

There are few books that I have read that caused so much conviction in my life and provoked me to a deeper relationship with my Lord.  I have never read a biography before that has touched me so much.  E.M. Bounds "being dead yet speaketh" through his books and through his life-story still today.

 Chuck

Pop Pop Pop

This is Grand-Baby #6 with her Pop Pop Pop.  This system of identification is simple when considering the obvious generation progression.  My wife & I are Mom Mom & Pop Pop.  Very simple, right?  So of course my folks would be Mom Mom Mom & Pop Pop Pop.  That was easy to explain.  Now I realize that most people, when they hear that from the children, think that they are stuttering, but the great-grand kids consider these titles to be perfectly normal.  That's what they have always called them.

So is the case for the children of God.  We are very comfortable in calling out to our heavenly Father.  His names & titles flow from our lips with ease of familiarity as if spoken a million times over.  Our simplicity of affection my seem odd to some observers, but it deters us not from our pursuit of His face to shine upon us.  We are unashamedly fond of being in His presence and feel as comfortable there as being in our own home, for in reality we believe that it is our home.  This is the obvious generational progression for those who are "In Christ".

Chuck

Wordless Wednesday

Go Phillies

It's that time of year again.  Time for some post-season baseball, and the Phillies have their tickets to attend the fall classic.  I can't wait till tomorrow's game of the division playoff with the Red's.  I wonder if Scott Rolen will get a few boos when he steps on the field at Citizen Bank Park?

Larry Bowa was a shortstop when I was young.  Pete Rose actually played 1st base for a few years on the Phillies and was a part of the World Championship, 1980 season.  I've been a Phillies fan forever.  My grand-mom was a Phillies Fan, my great-aunt Mill was a Phillies Fan and my Mom is a Phillies Fan.  We still call each other after spectacular home runs or following nail-biter, ninth inning wins.

This season was tremendous.  A far cry better then any previous season when they battled for a wild-card slot down to the last few games.  This year they had their division nailed down with nearly a week to spare.  That's the bitter-sweet part.  With their entrance into the playoffs secure, I didn't view that final series against the Braves with as much enthusiasm as I would of in previous seasons.  Fighting for the prize till the very last game is exciting but coasting in to the finish line is not.  Such is the Christian Race that we run.  Although my salvation is secure, the enemy and I are still locked in a battle where he is attempting to rob me of any reward going into the post-season.  This is a fight to the last game for souls of men.  Our security in Christ should never be an excuse to lack enthusiasm for the final series.  The Coach demands that we play hard till the last out.

Chuck

Name Sake

I was running the other day on the local "Rails to Trails" path near the old Pemberton train station.  My plans were to run in about a mile then take the southern spur down towards the Grist Mill Dam and head back through the neighborhood and rack up about 3 miles.  I must have been "In the Zone" because a missed the turn and discovered the error by smell and not by sight.  You see the trail ends in the little town of Birmingham, NJ right next to the wastewater treatment plant.  That's a nose full when you're running!

While making the turn at the end of the trail I noticed the this sewage facility was dedicated to some guy named Doyle or something like that. I don't know about you, but it almost seems like an insult to have a sewer plant named after you, doesn't it?  I'm sure someone thought it was kind gesture for some type of public service or heroic act or self-sacrificial contribution.  But, come on, a sewage plant!

I'm not looking for a bronze plague, but I do want to be remembered when I'm gone.  I want to leave behind some sweet memories, the fragrance of eternal reward. How about you?  So consider what you want associated with your name in the future and then work toward that end so that your name wont be the answer to the question, "What is that smell?".


Chuck

Shrimp Fries

We call them Shrimp Fries and "WE" Love Them.  Not everyone in the Shorter household loves them, but enough to able to say "WE".  We meaning myself, one Daughter-in-law and several, if not all, of the grand babies.  GB6 doesn't count because she is not weaned yet. 

We buy them at the Korean grocery store (H-Mart) down in Cherry Hill for less then a dollar a bag.  They have a certainly fishy, shrimpy, under-the-sea kind of smell & flavor.  Good stuff, if you ask me.  What I have found to be fascinating is that when I am sitting around with an open bag, munching away, and one of the grand babies are there, they will eat them simply because I am eating them. 

Oh that our faith was so contagious.  That we would be simply enjoying our faith, and others would say to us, "Boy, that looks good, can I try it?"  My grand kids know I wouldn't give them anything that would hurt them, or that would be too spicy.  I have a good "testimony" when it comes to munchies.  Pop Pop always offers them enjoyable stuff.  So we should do the same spiritually, always having a good testimony of a delicious faith, that fills the heart and delights the soul


Chuck

Office Furniture

This has been an exciting week for my son Eric & his dear wife.  They FINALLY signed the papers on their house.  This has been months in the making.  They've been staying here at 52 for over three months and will be moving into their home by the end of October.

One of great benefits to having the kids stay with us, while they waited for settlement, is the daily contact with the grand babies, especially GB3.  Nearly every morning she makes her way into my office and climes up on my lap and ask, "What'ja doin' Pop Pop?"  What a great way to start the day!

I keep an office at the house, up on the second floor, overlooking the backyard.  This affords a spectacular sunrise view.  Oh, and my office doubles as the laundry room.  This space was once the second floor kitchen when our old house was divided into two apartments, so there is plenty of room for both activities.  Well, the other day we were at the kid's new house and GB3 was showing me around.  She took me through the kitchen and into the utility room where the washer and drier are set up.  She told me, "Pop Pop, this is where your office can be."  That was too cute!

I have always believed that no house is big enough for two families.  I've seen and heard horror stories of the struggles that couples have gone through because of that type of living arrangement, even for just short periods of time. Yet these past three months have been wonderful.  Not just grand baby time, but we have all adapted, adjusted and / or accommodated each other so well.  We all had to learn to work & be productive in the space that we had.  Just like I adapt to writing sermons while sitting next to the washer, we all need to adjust to the unique arraignment in our home without getting agitated.


Chuck (214)

Friday Favorites:

"Superstition is the worm which exudes from the grave of a dead faith."

                   Anon.