My Ramblings

My book has been on sale now for about six weeks in Kindle form and in paperback for three weeks. The sales are OK but I'd hoped they would be stronger by now. I'm learning there are many ways to get the word out and am in the process of of doing more than I have. I would greatly appreciate your support by purchasing my book, passing on the word about it and then reviewing it on Amazon where it's for sale. I truly believe there is something for everyone in the book. It will make you laugh, cry, think about your own life and possibly help you through a rough time. Thanks to all who have already got one and for your many kind words and support.

I self-published my first bool last Saturday on August 29, 2015. It is available in Kindle form which can also be read on other electronic devices such as computers, smart phones and notebooks. A free Kindle reading app can be downloaded on the Amazon site where the book is found. The Name of the book is Not the Same Person: A journey from heritage to inheritance. It will soon be out in paperback.

As some of you may know, I recently was discharged from the hospital. I went to the ER on Sunday, March 15 because I was short of breath and had tightness in my chest. As I have Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) I knew these symptoms were from being full of fluid. I had also gained about 30 lbs. of water weight in just over a month. I have been to the ER several times for these symptoms and they usually keep me for 3 days or so to give me IV Lasix, a diuretic to cause my body to purge all that fluid/weight.  They also gave me a chest X-ray and an EKG. They admitted me and explored further. It turns out I had pneumonia. A couple of days later, my heart started racing up to 150-160 beats per minute. They slowed it down with copious amounts of medication. When they gave me an echocardiogram of my heart, they discovered my heart is functioning at about 30% and this, along with all the drugs began to damage my kidneys which were already frail. There was talk of giving me a session of dia...

Recently I was talking to a good friend of mine named Bruce Cole. Bruce is an avid outdoorsman who hunts and fishes and is really intent on conserving our natural resources. He is now in his late 50's and has been hunting and fishing since he was a young boy. Bruce is a Christian and each year he hosts a big game feed through his church in Waterford, California as an outreach to non-Christian men who hunt and fish. The dinner is totally free and it draws about 100 men year. Not long ago, he asked me if I knew why he hosts these game feeds for which he provides the meat out of his own freezer from his hunting trips. He explained that about 10 years ago he was out fishing on Lake Shasta with a friend of his in a boat. They were trolling for trout that day. His buddy asked him if he knew what the great commission is. At that time, Bruce, a relatively new believer said he did not so the guy explained that the great commission was given by Jesus and it instructs Christians to going...

Today in church I witnessed an act of kindness that brought tears to eyes. My wife, Linda and I usually sit in a certain place in the back row. This where we were today. I take the aisle seat and she sits to my left. An elderly couple, Lloyd and Anita, usually sit just across the aisle from us with Lloyd in the first chair and Anita at his right. They didn’t show up today. Shortly after the service started with worship time, a woman who I only vaguely recognized, sat in the chair just across from me in Lloyd’s usual spot. She was alone. As I sang along with the worship team, savoring the music and praising God, I glanced over at the woman who had her eyes closed and I assumed she was also enjoying the worship time.  A couple of songs later, I saw a woman get up from her seat next to her husband, walk over to the woman, sit down beside her and put her arm around the woman who began to cry. The second woman put both her arms around the crying woman and they softly exchanged words...

On Sundays, the church I attend, Ceres Christian Church, offers people who need prayer to submit written requests regarding their needs. These range from asking God to comfort them, to heal them, to bring unsaved family members to Him, to work in their broken marriages and lives, and for financial help. On Mondays, I call those who have submitted these requests to confirm it was received and advise them the church staff will be praying about that request during the week. There are usually 20-30 such requests each week. Sometimes, I myself pray about some of them. Sometimes, I ask the person on the phone if we can pray together right now and they always agree. So, I offer up a short prayer. But my primary role is to convey that the staff will be covering the request the people have submitted.  I have been volunteering to do this little job for a little over a year now. As I made the above calls last night, I began to formulate this post in my head. This past several months, people...

It is Thanksgiving Day 2014 and it has, in so many ways, been the best day I’ve had in a long while. I feel much better after having spent five days in the hospital for more congestive heart failure issues a couple of weeks ago. I am definitely on the mend, losing water weight and feeling better every day.  My entire immediate family- wife, three daughters, two sons-in-law and seven grandchildren are here in our beautiful home that God gifted us with in April 2011. Everyone pitched in to provide a wonderful family meal that we will be eating for several days. Heather prepared the turkey and dressing, I made gravy, cranberry sauce and several pies, Holly and Bryan brought deviled eggs and candied yams. Costco provided some of the bounty which makes meal preparation easier. Everyone else pitched in to put it all together to get the house all cleaned up before dinner. Linda did the lion’s share of the cleaning up before and after. It was a fun and relaxing day. There was lots of ...