Silly Song Saturday

"They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick." - Mark 9:12b

Funny Foto Friday

"A time to tear, And a time to sew; A time to keep silence, And a time to speak." - Ecclesiastes 3:7

Just What the Doctor Ordered

It has only been two days since having laparoscopic hernia repair work done and (although extremely sore) it appears I am "on the mend."

I attribute much of this to the prayers of God's people .. our deacons voted 13 to 12 to pray for my recovery, the well-wishes of my Facebook "family" .. a 42 comment thread had many encouraging words like "glad your surgery is behind you" (technically, hernia surgery is in front .. perhaps they were referring to a procedure I had done in 1999), and carefully following the doctor's discharge instructions.

HOME CARE INSTRUCTIONS:

• Do not engage in any activity that requires you to be alert or coordinated for the next 24 hours (No problem here. I suppressed the urge to be an air traffic controller/professional baseball player)
• No swimming, hot tubs, or baths for the next 24 hours (This was a tough one. Usually, immediately after surgery I like to unwind by lying in a big pool of water .. I'm not lying)
• Do not make any important decisions in the next 24 hours such as signing contracts, important commitments, or making expensive purchases (Thanks a lot. Cheryl's dream house is no longer on the market!)
• Do not drink alcohol for 24 hours (I'm a Baptist minister and this one wasn't hard at all. However, people DO drink to forget...)
• Drink plenty of fluids (Evidently, alcohol is not technically a fluid)
• Call your caregiver for persistent nausea (No thanks. I don't need that!!)
• Seek immediate medical care if you show strange or unusual behavior, or behave abnormally...

Please excuse me. It appears I need to make a phone call.

"Achish said to his servants, Look at the man! He is insane! Why bring him to me?" - I Samuel 21:14

Kev's Klip of the Week

I'm at home recovering from hernia surgery, so every blog entry this week will have a medical/hospital theme.

Thanks for the continued prayer!

"But we had the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves." - II Corinthians 1:9a

Right in the Old Bread Basket

I leave for the hospital at 5:30 this morning to have my hernia repaired (it was cheaper than a full replacement), so that means this is pretty much the extent of today's post on RevKev's blog.

If all goes as planned, I should be back home this afternoon. However, don't expect any type of update (I'm looking forward to some very powerful pain meds keeping me knocked out for the remainder of the day .. this is my wife's desire, as well).

Keep me in your prayers.

Keep Dr. Dean Currie in your prayers.

Most of all, keep Cheryl in your prayers for the next several days as she does all the "heavy lifting" and waits on me "hand and foot."

Actually, I plan to be the ideal patient.

Now, where's that bell?

"I looked, and I saw a hole in the wall." - Ezekiel 8:7b

Great ... A Blow Out

Although my life is usually an open book (or rather .. post), with the exception of a couple of passing comments (he looks so natural .. hey, nice tie) on May 18 and July 19, I have been keeping a deep, dark secret from you.

No, it's not that.

I'm having hernia surgery tomorrow morning.

That's right, folk. I not only spill my guts on this blog .. well, you get the picture.

According to this fascinating booklet given to me by my surgeon .. "Hey Buddy, You Blew It" .. I can use the analogy of an old tire to explain what is now going on within (and without) my body (btw, I also have a spare tire .. but it has absolutely nothing to do with this issue).

Picture an old tire. Its outer wall is like the layers of tissue surrounding your abdomen (the abdominal wall). The tire's inner tube is like the thin inner lining of your abdomen (the peritoneum). Instead of holding air (although holding air is also an issue with me .. but there is no surgery to remedy that), your abdomen holds the intestines and other vital organs. If the outer wall gets weak .. uh oh (and you thought the battle of the bulge was only a German offensive at the end of WWII).

The procedure will be done laparoscopically which should be less painful and have a shorter recovery time. However, I suspect I will be "milking it for all it is worth" and taking my own sweet time getting back into the swing of things.

Will it keep me from posting?

You can always hope and pray.

"Mine eyes do fail with tears, my bowels are troubled .." - Lamentations 2:11a

RevKev's Day Off

"Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest." - Exodus 34:21a

Silly Song Saturday

"And there was no bread in all the land ..."

- Genesis 47:13a

Funny Foto Friday

"Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle.."

- Habakkuk 1:8

Oh, RATS!!

Happy Rat-Catcher's Day!

Yes, you heard .. make that, read .. me correctly.

Today is a special day set aside to commemorate the myth of the Pied Piper of Hamelin (don't worry .. the banks are still open).

The holiday was derived from the date (July 22, 1376) given in the Robert Browning poem appropriately entitled, "The Pied Piper of Hamelin" with the intent of honoring all the unsung rat-catchers out there.

Rat-catching, although no longer a form of pest control in highly developed areas .. such as Dollywood .. is still practiced in countries like India (Rajesh the Rat-Catcher .. thank you for a job well done).

In Europe, keeping the rat population under control was practiced to prevent the spread of diseases to man (there must have been a rat-catchers strike during the Black Plague) and to prevent damage to food supplies.

There are about as many ways to "catch a rat" as there are to "skin a cat" (btw .. Cat-Skinner Day is later in the year).

Rat-catchers would capture rats by hand (of course .. a rat in the hand is worth two in the bush), with traps, or with specially-bred vermin terriers (often used in the churches/cathedrals and commonly referred to as holy terriers).

In Hamelin, music from the pipe was used to lure these nasty rodents .. AND the village's children.

In Anatevka, the same was accomplished with the haunting sounds of the fiddle...

♫ Rat-Catcher, Rat-Catcher, Catch me a rat ... ♫ (insert groan .. or huh? .. here).

"Of the animals that move about on the ground, these are unclean for you: the weasel, the rat, any kind of great lizard.." - Leviticus 11:29

Kev's Klip of the Week

I received today's "Klip of the Week" in an email from a friend (Allen Bowling .. the funniest music minister I know .. that is ha ha funny, of course) and thought it "blog worthy."

I hope it makes you smile.

"The north and the south thou hast created them."

- Psalm 89:12a

Moon Day, Moon Day .. So Good to Me

On this date forty one years ago (1969), astronauts Neil Armstrong and Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin became the first men to walk on the moon's surface after their Lunar Module (the Eagle) touched down on the Earth's only natural satellite.

To commemorate this historic event, July 20 has been designated as Moon Day (not to be confused with that one crazy night in high school during the 70s .. hey, a double-dog dare makes you throw all reason out the window).

At least two famous "sound bites" came from that Apollo 11 mission:

"The Eagle has landed" and "That's one small step for a man, one giant leap for mankind."

Less familiar quotes included:

"Hey, look what I can do!" ... "See, told ya it wasn't made of cheese!" ... and "Does this space suit make my butt look big?"

Eat a Moon Pie, watch a Twilight movie, or howl at the Moon tonight.

Just be sure to celebrate this special occasion.

It's not often (only once a year) the Moon has its "day in the Sun."

"In his days shall the righteous flourish; and abundance of peace so long as the moon endureth." - Psalm 72:7

Let's Change the Subject

First Baptist Church's F.I.S.H. Camp 2010 is now in the history books (great job, boys and girls, youth and adults .. you done good!!) and I declare this blog a "fish free zone" (admittedly, I went a little overboard on the subject the last seven days) for .. at least .. this week.

It never ceases to amaze me how these children can learn an entire musical in a Monday through Friday day camp!

Oh, to have the mind of an eight year old (for the record, I know what you're thinking .. you can keep those comments to yourself).

It was kind of nice having a "theme" this past week, though. It helped me stay focused and gave me a "jumping off" point for each day's entry.

I usually just get up and start typing the first thing that pops into my head (a risky habit, at best).

After yet another sleepless night (I've been awake .. if you can really call it that .. since two o'clock), my mind is pretty much "blank" (again, spare me any smart aleck remarks) this morning.

So, I can ramble and rant here for several more sentences or I can stop this Monday morning "train wreck" dead in its tracks and hope to be rested and witty tomorrow.

For the sake of everyone involved .. I'm pulling the plug.

Perhaps Tuesday I can start filling you in on my upcoming hernia surgery.

Now THAT'S entertainment!

"Allow no sleep to your eyes, no slumber to your eyelids." - Proverbs 6:4

RevKev's Day Off

Presented by the F.I.S.H. Camp Crew

Tonight @ 6:00 P.M.

First Baptist Church, Humboldt

"Sing unto the LORD a new song, and his praise from the end of the earth, ye that go down to the sea, and all that is therein." - Isaiah 42:10a

Silly Song Saturday

Today's silly song is in keeping with this week's "fish only" (in honor of FBC Humboldt's F.I.S.H. Camp) theme.

Who doesn't love The Muppets?

Plus, it replaces that Little Mermaid pic that creeped you out, Bev!

"And Jesus saith unto them, How many loaves have ye? And they said, Seven, and a few little fishes."

- Matthew 15:34

Funny Foto Friday

"Praise the Lord from the earth, you great sea creatures and all ocean depths." - Psalm 148:7

You Get a Line ... I'll Get a Pole

To those "early bird" readers .. sorry for the late (it's almost 7:30 AM!) blog entry.

There is no internet at my house this morning, so I had to come to the church to post this.

It's just as well.

They found Nemo and I am too upset to write very much. :(

"He turned their waters into blood, and slew their fish." - Psalm 105:29

Kev's Klip of the Week

"On that day, declares the LORD, There will be the sound of a cry from the Fish Gate, A wail from the Second Quarter, And a loud crash .." - Zephaniah 1:10a

Swimming with the Fishes

Yesterday was the first day of F.I.S.H. Camp (FBC's summer music and activities week for kids) and on a scale of one to ten .. I'd give it a nine (hey, there is always room for improvement).

Our musical, UNDER GOD'S SEA IN 3D, is very wordy (like someone else you all know and love .. okay, fine .. you all know), so it is going to be a challenge (hard to .. tackle) learning/memorizing all the songs and script before Sunday night.

However, I have all the confidence in the world that our cast and crew .. every single girl and buoy .. will be ready by 6 PM on July 18 when we present this musical at First Baptist Church, Humboldt.

I predict it won't be crappie at all.

It is going to be good (believe me .. I'm not feeding you a line). In fact, it's going to be reel good!

If you are at the church this week, stop by the choir room and listen in.

After just five minutes of these catchy tunes .. you'll be hooked!

"Notwithstanding, lest we should offend them, go thou to the sea, and cast an hook, and take up the fish that first cometh up." - Matthew 17:27a

Hey ... Something's Fishy Here

F.I.S.H. (Fun In the Son Hapnin') Camp starts this morning at 9 o'clock, so I've got to get off the computer .. this MacBook Pro is tough, but it can only sustain my weight for brief periods of time .. and get ready.

The goal for the week is to have an entire musical .. UNDER GOD'S SEA IN 3D .. learned by Friday and ready to perform on Sunday evening.

Yikes!!

"Their fish will be of the same kinds as the fish of the Great Sea, exceedingly many." - Ezekiel 47:10b

RevKev's Day Off

"Six days thou shalt work, but on the seventh day thou shalt rest." - Exodus 34:21a

Silly (Love) Song Saturday

"I will sing for the one I love a song .. " - Isaiah 5:1a

Funny Foto Friday

"He will bless those who fear the LORD, Both small and great." - Psalm 115:13

Happy SCUD Day to You!

Growing up (arguably, I am still in the process .. but for the sake of today's post .. try to use your imagination) I was a big tv fanatic.

While the other boys were outdoors playing baseball, basketball or football (like television networks, there were only three major sports back then .. soccer was for foreigners), I was inside, sitting on the floor in the den in front of the television set (at least six feet away, of course .. because of the possibility of being exposed to radiation .. I'm not sure if that was the general consensus back in the early days of color .. or just my own mom's theory?)

Along with some of the finest programming in the history of the medium (just to name a few .. Gilligan's Island, The Mighty Sons of Hercules, and The Man from U.N.C.L.E. .. I once asked the local barber to give me an Illya Kuryakin haircut .. he must not have been familiar with the show because afterward it still looked like the trademark 'Bemis flat-top'), came some memorable network slogans, as well.

There were several over the years, but these immediately come to mind...

CBS - The Best Television on Television

NBC - This Fall, NBC Has It All

ABC - Turn On the Excitement

Well, television .. "you've come a long way, baby" (another slogan from back in the day).

What started out as a little three network operation (four, if you count PBS .. I don't .. it was like soccer), has been expanded to include hundreds of quality?? channels (such as BabyFirstTV, The Golf Channel, HorseRacing TV and at least 50 different forms of ESPN) through cable and satellite technology.

Television used to be pure escapism.

Now, with channels like A & E (Real Life. Drama.) and TNT (We Know Drama) .. resistance is futile .. there is no escape.

Today, July 8, is SCUD (Savor the Comic, Unplug the Drama) Day.

If you look hard enough, just maybe you can find something humorous to help take your mind off all the drama life seems to always bring.

You won't find it here, of course .. but perhaps somewhere.

"I also will laugh .." - Proverbs 1:26a

Kev's Klip of the Week

Great scene from a very funny movie!

"So the two of them sat down to eat and drink together." - Judges 19:6a

What Are You? ... Chicken?

Sunday marked the 234th birthday of this great country of ours (for the record .. USA, you don't look a day over 200) and because many people were also off Monday, they have been celebrating (this comes in various 'shapes and sizes' ... Baptists eat a lot and shoot fireworks .. sometimes we skip the fireworks) since leaving work on Friday afternoon.

Well, it is time to "get back to reality" (or, in Winfred & Carolyn Allen's case .. 'get back to realty') as everyone returns to work (their 'place of employment' might be more accurate .. I doubt much work will be accomplished) today.

Although not as well known and publicized as Independence Day (kudos to our Founding Fathers .. and department stores .. for getting the word out), July 6 is National Fried Chicken Day here in the good old US of A.

Fried chicken was first introduced in the American South by Scottish immigrants .. they kilt the chickens before they cooked them.

Back in those days, slaves were often allowed to keep "yard birds" and it was common to fry chicken on special occasions throughout the African American community.

When the slaves began cooking in homes they added unusual seasonings (perhaps eleven herbs and spices?) that had not been a part of the Scottish tradition and these new seasonings .. combined with the Scottish frying technique .. resulted in what has become known as southern fried chicken.

If you have some flexibility with your work schedule and want/need to "tack on" just one more day to an already long holiday weekend .. go for it.

I can't think of a more noble reason.

National Fried Chicken Day ... "Give me liberty or give me breast!"

Okay, advertising may not be my area of expertise .. I need to think things through a little better and not just wing it.

"Thou shalt part it in pieces, and pour oil thereon .."

- Leviticus 2:6a