Hop On the Bus, Gus

This has been a topsy turvy week and it's far from over. Today is "finish the order of service for Sunday/go to the hospitals/pick up the meat for the senior adult meeting/and go to YYs" day. In other words, it's Thursday.

The good thing about being busy is .. it helps keep me out of trouble. Unfortunately, no matter how busy I am, I still get in trouble (I say stupid stuff .. do stupid stuff .. write stupid stuff .. think stupid stuff). I don't have a prayer (except this one: "God grant me the senility to forget the people I never liked anyway, the good fortune to run into the ones I do, and the eyesight to tell the difference").

In our men's group yesterday morning, we talked about being truthful .. in everything. This really got me thinking about what I write here each and every day.

Perhaps, I stretch the truth just a tiny bit (also known as lying) for comedic effect and, in the process, hurt the ones who are dearest to me.

Maybe I've gone "over the edge" on occasion just for a cheap laugh .. at the expense of others.

It's possible, I have cared far more about trying to be funny than trying to be sensitive to the feelings of family and friends.

Nah.

Grow up, cry babies.

10,000 BC (Blog Counter)

If my calculations are correct (and my 'hit' counter, accurate), revkev's blog should reach the 10.000 mark today. That's right, if you check the counter at the bottom of the page, you can see the numbers.

Do you know what this means? That's right. There are people out there in cyberspace as crazy as I am.

That number is a little bit deceptive because it represents total hits and not the total number of individuals who stop by. Every time you read a blog entry, you are included in the count.

This brings up another issue.

If a horse kicks you in the head, wouldn't you try to avoid that ever happening again? I know I would. However, the numbers don't lie. Many of you come by to get kicked in the head on a regular basis. I suppose if I carried that analogy on out, it could explain things .. after getting kicked in the head many times, you lose all sense of right and wrong.

That count will, also, include any one who just stumbles on my site by mistake (I like to use the multiple pop-up window trick to hook them). This would be another explanation for such a high count.

Whether it's by mistake (type in 'useless time waster' in Google and I'm right at the top of the list) or intentional (you know how when there's a bad wreck on the interstate you know you shouldn't look .. but you do anyway?), thank you for making revkevhamilton's blogspot the place to be.

You people really need to get a life.

Ain't It Good to Be Back Home Again

The convention is still in session, but I needed (okay .. I wanted) to get back to Humboldt, tonight. Cheryl doesn't like it when I'm away two days in a row (she hates the thought of other women 'eye-balling' her man .. even if most of them are missionaries or in the WMU .. over the age of 75). Since I didn't want to upset the apple cart (that reminds me .. Granny Smith touched my foot under the table at lunch and I don't think it was an accident), I am writing this entry from the privacy (as private as you can be in a small town) of my own home.

As soon as I sang the last note, I was out the door of the choir loft (I faked a coughing spell .. I'm not sure what a 'spell' is, but we have lots of them .. here in the south) and on my way to my car. I was home by 5:30 this afternoon (yes, I obeyed all the speed suggestions).

This morning's time of worship, which included Dr. David Dockery (or 'Spanky" .. as all his friends call him .. make that will start calling him) from Union, was very meaningful. Everything pointed to the Lord (a novel idea, don't you think?) and you could really sense His presence.

When you can feel the Lord at a Tennessee Baptist Convention session, that is really something!

All in all, not a bad couple of days.

Tune In Tonight

I'm still away at the Tennessee Baptist Convention and we have to be in the choir loft at FBC, Hendersonville by 8 o'clock this morning. Since I need to be getting ready instead of picking my brain (yes, I have one .. and yes, mom told me not to pick things) for today's topic. I might update tonight .. I might not. It depends on what time I get home .. and if Cheryl has a better offer (the smart money's on blogging).

I trust this has not caused too much of an inconvenience to my faithful readers. You are the ones who help keep this blog going.

Won't you consider increasing your monthly pledge?

For only a few extra dollars, you can make a difference in a child's life (even though she doesn't live with her parents, Cheryl is still the child of Larry and Alice and .. she needs some extra cash).

Call today operators are standing by.

I Sing Because I'm Happy

We finished the final "Fireproof" small group session (the sixth week) at our house last night and the topic was forgiveness. This is a good thing because we, also, had chili and taco soup afterwards and I am going to be saying, "Excuse me .. please forgive me" all day to those in my immediate vicinity.

Today, I will be going to the Nashville area (okay, Gallatin to be exact) to rehearse with the Tennessee Baptist Mens Chorale and the Tennessee Ladies Chorus (we are singing for the TBC in Hendersonville).

I am not in the greatest shape vocally since developing a sore throat on Saturday night. However, the show must go on (plus, I can get out of the office for the day).

Being in the chorale is one of the great thrills (when you are over fifty, those come few and far between) of my life. I love singing with these guys! As fellow (and a few ladies) ministers on music, they "do what I do" each and every week, so we have a special bond (James Bond).

At today's practice, we will laugh together, cry together and .. maybe (if Paul is lucky), sing together.

You would think MoMs (Ministers of Music) make the very best choir members. This is not true. They get on to YOU (the choir member) for talking on Wednesday night. However, THEY talk constantly during rehearsal. They tell YOU to sit up straight on the front of your chair while THEY are in a slump that makes the economy look great.

You notice, I said THEY. I "practice what I preach." I am the ideal choir member .. no brag, just fact (and I'm humble about it).

I must bring today's entry to a close. There are still a few things I need to do before leaving town and I need some gas .. for my car.

I wonder what would happen if I put some of that chili in the tank?

Ya'll Come Back Now, Ya' Hear

Life By the Yard Is Hard

Cheryl (the woman who likes to sleep in whenever possible .. especially on Saturday) has been up since 6:15 this morning because we are having a yard sale.

The garage has been filling up over the last several months in anticipation of this glorious day. The day we send our junk .. make that priceless treasures (we haven't priced them, yet) home with someone else.

I've never been very good at haggling over the price of anything. If the price tag says this is the cost of an item, that is what I pay (car salesmen love to see me coming and they all say the same thing .. 'one is born every minute' .. I still don't know what that means).

Evidently this is not the way you play the yard sale game.

The price on the item is the "suggested" price and not the final price. Apparently, 75¢ is way too much to pay for a winter coat (my baby doesn't have a coat .. she really needs this to keep from freezing this winter .. I'll give you a quarter and not a penny more).

The "newbies" walk up like a first time visitor at church (a little frightened of the unknown) and you are supposed to treat them just like we do at church .. don't speak or make eye contact. "Getting all up in their face" is a no-no. They need room to breathe and the freedom to look without being bothered.

The "professionals" are different. They are cool, calm, and collected and never crack a smile when they offer you $25 for an entertainment center that cost $800 brand new. How insulting.

Gotta go. Cheryl needs me to help someone load the entertainment center on their truck.

We took $30.