Posts from 2023
Moving Adventures
This past week, I purchased a printer for my office. Setting up this new, wireless, Wi-Fi, printer was another adventure. I spent all day Tuesday trying to get it set up. Every try made it to the same point where I was told that the printer could not be connected to the network. The printer would install but be listed as “offline.” Richard Mayfield was kind enough to help me on Wednesday. He figured out that the printer was too…
Thanksgiving Proclamation
On October 3, 1789, President George Washington issued the following proclamation: Whereas it is the duty of all Nations to acknowledge the providence of Almighty God, to obey his will, to be grateful for his benefits, and humbly to implore his protection and favor—and Whereas both Houses of Congress have by their Joint Committee requested me “to recommend to the People of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts…
Thankful Everyday
Ah, November! The air is crisp. The leaves, in most places, turn beautiful colors for a short time. And, towards the end of the month, people’s thoughts turn to being thankful for God’s blessings. November is also the one month of the year when everyone in my immediate family except me celebrates another revolution around the sun. Even my still fairly new to the family son-in-law’s birthday is in November! Fortunately a prospective future candidate for a similar spot in…
Wrong Van
This past Monday I had an appointment with my PCP. The appointment went well and concluded with a flu shot — so I anticipate being sick with the flu in the next two or so weeks! After the appointment, I walked to my van. Our van is a white Dodge Grand Caravan. It looks like every other white Dodge Grand Caravan. I clicked the remote to unlock the doors and opened the door. When I opened the door, an alarm…
Parts of the Body
Would you do me a favor? Pick up your right foot and move it in a clockwise circle (that’s to the right for those who only know digital time). Now, as you are moving your right foot in a clockwise circle, draw a “6” in the air. Your foot changed directions, didn’t it? Try it again, this time really concentrate on your foot NOT changing directions. It still changed directions, didn’t it? Do you know why? It has to do…
Welcome August!
Can you believe that it is already August? It feels like the year started only yesterday, and tomorrow it will be 2024! We do, however, have to go through the remaining five months of 2023. Those five months are going to be super exciting for us here at Bell. What is going to make the next five months so exciting? I’m glad you asked! The short answer is YOU! The longer answer is what YOU (and the rest of the…
Targeted Marketing
Several months ago, before we moved to Amarillo, I was asked to do some research on purchasing a forklift. Truth for Today World Mission School in Searcy, AR., where I was working, was close to completing their new warehouse and needed a way to stack pallets of books on top of each other. They ended up buying a pallet lifter (a forklift that has to be pushed around manually). I tell you this because I had logged into my personal…
Space Available
As you drive around town, and even outside of town, if you look closely at many of the strip malls that you come across, you are likely to see a big sign that reads, “Space Available” and then a phone number or website to contact the property manager about the property. Space is available in many of the office buildings around town as well. The building owners know that they need to let people know of the availability of space…
Souvenirs
When we go on vacation, one of the things we like to do is bring home souvenirs as mementos of the places where we have been. They might bring home a t-shirt, or a coffee mug, or a rock . . . something to remember where we went. Perhaps we also pick up souvenirs of things we have accomplished. That rock has a story behind it: you picked it up at the peak of a mountain you climbed. That plaque…
Talents
In Matthew 25:14-30, Jesus tells the familiar “Parable of the Talents.” In a nutshell, a man is planning a trip and, before he leaves, he entrusts some property to his servants. He gives one servant five talents, one two talents, and a third received one talent. Some footnotes say: “a talent was worth more than a thousand dollars.” This, technically, is correct. However, scholars say that a talent was the largest unit of weight, equaling about seventy-five pounds. Others say…
Slow leak
A few weeks ago, the tire pressure light came on in our van. The weather had recently turned cold, so I went to a local establishment and had them check the pressure and add some air so the light would be “happy.” They did and the light went off . . . until about two weeks later. The light came on again. I did the same thing, figuring it was just the weather, and the light went off again .…