* Claire and I will be at Life Care Center this afternoon for a presentation of "When Swing Was King." This is the place that my Mom lived and so returning there since her death is a pretty intense experience. Sad, of course. But she made many friends there (as have we) and so it is a special honor to entertain them, talk with them and be encouraged by their appreciation and affection.
* Yesterday we were praying (and when possible, doing sidewalk counseling) outside the Planned Parenthood abortion facility, a horrid place that kills preborn boys and girls with both suction machines and chemical poisons. And if you needed further evidence that Planned Parenthood cares less than nothing for women (more than the killing of their children), all you'd need see is how rude and mean-spirited PP workers are to their clients. This is, in so many ways, a sinister, cruel and exploitative place.
* There are several things that bug me about Facebook. However, I find it extremely useful. For instance, I use it to steer traffic to the blog and that has been very effective. And I use it to find relevant blog topics. I also have found it a neat way to connect with old friends, new friends and family. Indeed, Facebook allows for almost a daily contact with my younger sister which has been really nice and lately it's also been a point of contact for cousins that I have been completely "unconnected" with for decades.
* We have had several friends undergo surgery in the last couple of weeks including three for cancer, one for kidney problems, one for her eyes, and one dear friend who donated a kidney. Needless to say, this has stimulated a lot of prayers. It has also reminded us of the need to be prepared spiritually for the "bad news" that life brings our way. My sermon from last week on Psalm 130 was sharpened greatly by this understanding.
* We are really missing the three little kids who were living at our next door neighbors earlier this summer. We were hanging out quite a bit with them when they were here and it was really fun for Claire and I. A magnet picture on our refrigerator just isn't the same thing.
* I am really enjoying Charles Dickens. I have for many, many years now and I never tire of his genius. Not that I mind new. No, not at all. New is often quite delightful and I'm grateful to God for it. But, the fact is that I tend to prefer old -- old books, old friends, old mountains, and so on. And for a man who is now 60, the appreciation of old is especially good.
