Shiny New Accouterment

Jared just brought me a new bike! 

 It's a 1978 Honda TWINSTAR 185

Nifty Huh!

Class Warfare & A Little Scrap of Scripture:

Down through the eons of time, empires, dynasties, and eminent civilizations, have achieved great heights, and then come down like the salmon leaves of autumn, brought low by the same, troublesome human nature that has hobbled mankind since ol’ Cain cudgeled Abel. Learned philosophers and renowned historians have devoted their lives to the study of these events, producing ponderous, voluminous anthologies, which grace the shelves of celebrated centers of higher learning all over the world.  And today, when similar behavior threatens our own aspiring metropolis, we scratch our head, and wring our hands, and wonder what the hell happened.  I feel tremendous empathy for people as individuals. As a species, I think we’re highly overrated.

   King Solomon lamented, “Vanity, vanity, all is vanity, vanity and vexation of spirit” Truer words were never spoken; much of life seems meaningless. I’ve often been the victim of unrealistic expectations myself.  We never outgrow our longing to fill our rooms with the same toys the big kids have, whether we can afford them or not.  Those who achieve the affluence to reach their goals are understandably swelled by the accomplishment. Too often, long sought goals once reached, become a burden, and dreams, once realized, generally disappoint. 

   Reflecting on the life of Solomon, the Bible encourages us to enjoy the simple pleasures of our Christian lives and labors; these are our portion; these are a gift from God. Eat, drink and find gratification through savoring your life and humbly serving others. Offer your heart, and God will surely fill it.  Micah 6:8 points out, that in order to attain goodness in Gods eyes, we need only follow Christ’s example: “Do justly, love mercy, and walk humbly with our God.” STC

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Read a few chapters of Obie's Quest, IN GREAT BIG PRINT, 
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THE AUTHOR

A Personal Testimony

Back in the mid fifties, my previously idyllic childhood was changed forever, by a stubborn fever and a stiff, aching neck. Following a spinal tap and a diagnosis of Poliomyelitis, I spent several weeks convalescing at Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo California. During a two week confinement in a crowded hospital, with countless other crippled children, a five year old has worlds of time to pray. One night, all alone in my room, scared half to death and miles and miles from home, I called out to Jesus from the very depths of my soul. Days later the hospital ran some tests and told my folks to collect me and take me home. Infantile paralysis had run its course; my symptoms were gone, and my folks free to take me home. When I tugged my cowboy boots back on, and Dad and Mom headed out with me in tow, I began a walk with Jesus that has lasted to this day. When my family and I arrived in Missouri in 1978, I became a member of Dry Creek General Baptist Church, where I was baptized under the bridge at Indian Creek in 1979.  Twenty years later, in 1998, I became a member of Pomona Christian Church, where I maintain my membership today. I live in the Ozarks now. Suffice it to say, the majority of my church family are lifelong, staunch conservatives. I love those folks dearly, and so far they tolerate me.  As someone who has considered Jesus Christ my personal Savior for over fifty years, I follow The Golden Rule.  I respond to others as I’d have them respond to me.  I believe in doing justly, loving mercy, walking humbly with my God, and enthusiastically supporting the rights of others to walk with theirs. I believe freedom is all about personal choices. I cherish my own freedom; I make my own choices, and I passionately support the freedom and choices of others.  If that makes me a liberal, so be it.  I prefer to consider myself an American.  

1941 Chevy

Maybe, instead of shopping for old Fords,

 I should have my old Chevy restored.  Any suggestions?

This, by the way, is not my '41, but, with enough work, 

mine could look like this.

WANTED!

Does anyone out there have one like this, 

that you'd part with for around ten grand?

I'd take good care of her.

Yerba Buena 1849

San Francisco Bay is entered through a comparatively narrow passage, and then opens up into a grand expanse of water, extending north and south as far as the eye can see.  Eventually our travels would take us northward across this tremendous bay to the storied El Dorado, with its mountains of gold and the snowcapped Sierra’s beyond.  For now our destination is Yerba Buena.   

   Approximately thirty miles southeast from the mouth of the bay, on the leeward side of a long spit of land, is a high point on which the presidio is built.  Southeast of the presidio is one of several harbors in the bay.  This particular harbor is anchorage for trading vessels, and near it is the mission of San Francisco and the city of Yerba Buena.      

   As we rounded this point and the harbor came into view, even our well-traveled captain gasped and stood in awe!  There at harbor were literally hundreds of ships! I’d seen some busy harbors in the last five months, and the harbor in Philadelphia was no slouch itself, but never in my wildest dreams had I ever even imagined a spectacle like this.  I’d hazard a guess and say there were probably five hundred ships in this bay!  There were tall ships, and steam ships, old East Indiamen, brigs and barges, countless schooners, and clippers of every imaginable cut of sail.  There were Yankee clippers that looked as though they might have been built last week, and ol’ frigates I’ll bet Columbus himself has sailed.  

Obie’s Quest