Hippy-Dippy Weatherman

May 12, 1937 - Born. God winces.

(from Carlin's web page)

“The weather was dominated by a large Canadian low, which is not to be confused with a Mexican high. Tonight’s forecast . . . dark, continued mostly dark tonight turning to widely scattered light in the morning.” Those are the words of my favorite weatherman, Al Sleet, a character George Carlin created early in his career. Carlin was a quick, profane, vulgar, brilliant, and hilarious comedian and cultural critic. He was a serious student of the English language and he could creatively turn ordinary words and phrases into bizarre insights regarding the human condition. Here are a few examples that I've enjoyed.

When cheese gets it's picture taken, what does it say?

When someone asks you, A penny for your thoughts, and you put your two cents in, what happens to the other penny?


When someone is impatient and says, "I haven't got all day," I always wonder, How can that be? How can you not have all day?

If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?

Is a vegetarian permitted to eat animal crackers?

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

Frisbeetarianism is the belief that when you die, your soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck.

Some national parks have long waiting lists for camping reservations. When you have to wait a year to sleep next to a tree, something is wrong.

Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach him how to fish, and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day.

Before they invented drawing boards, what did they go back to?

Just cause you got the monkey off your back doesn't mean the circus has left town.

What does it mean to pre-board? Do you get on before you get on?

Procrastination is the art of keeping up with yesterday.

Atheism is a non-prophet organization.

June 23, 2008 God surprises George by exisiting and welcoming him home!

Spring Update

OK. This is the promised update of my busy, exciting, rewarding,fun, and at times exhausting

Spring. Following the early May trip to South Carolina for my 25th Anniversary of graduation from Seminary and a trip to Darlington Speedway for a Nationwide Series race I accompanied John to a Potential Unlimited Music Weekend. It was held at the Rensselaerville Institute where I had the opportunity to take daily hikes to the Rensselaerville Falls.

I then volunteered a week of mornings helping to build a community playground in Ballston Spa, NY. It was hard work in hot weather and great fun. The park was completed in a week with the help of hundreds of volunteers. Here are some photos of the grandchildren playing in the park that "PopPop" help built.

June began with a trip to Rochester, NY for the Annual Upstate New York ELCA Synod Assembly. The highlight of the trip was when Mary and I ate dinner at my favorite BBQ place, Dinosaurs.

On the 12th of June, John and I traveled to Binghamton, NY for the 2008 New York State Special Olympic Summer Games. I served as a coach of the bowling team. John won a silver and a gold medal in the bowling competition. Here are some pics of John and friends at the event.

In between trips I have been golfing with grandson Brendan. He is improving at a remarkable rate and will soon be beating me regularly. Check out his swing.

Beer

I took a deep sip. The first sip of beer on a hot day is like that first finger dip when you open a new jar of peanut butter. I enjoyed what only could be called God's nectar. Harlen Coben in his novel, The Woods.

Storms and Rainbows

First of all thank you, thank you to those who continue to check this blog, who have patiently waited, who have encouraged and even harassed me to post again. Thank you! I plan to post an update later today of all that has transpired the past month. For now, a reflection on rainbows.

Yesterday we experienced heat, humidity, and severe storms and the weatherman kept reporting that the conditions were right for tornadoes, which of course, are very rare in our area of Upstate New York. It also occurred to me, as I observed these storms popping up and then rapidly moving on, that it was also the perfect conditions for rainbows.

Isn't that just like life. When we are going through the most difficult storms in life....that is exactly when the conditions are right for signs of God's promise and presence...Rainbows. These rainbows take many forms when we are buffeted by the winds and rain of disappointment and despair. A kind word, an encouraging e-mail, an invitation to have a cup of coffee and talk. Yesterdays unsettled weather was a reminder to me to always look for the rainbows in the midst of the storms.