Two Personal Items

Item One: Septic Solution!

Back in the fall, I posted an item about a personal "impossible situation." (http://pastordavesbc.blogspot.com/2007/12/impossible-situation.html) The drain field on our septic system had collapsed, and there seemed to be no legal solutions. I mentioned that we had no idea how it would be solved. Our well is in the back yard, and the drain field has to be over 100 feet from the well. Our yard is 85 feet wide, meaning we could not use our yard. We talked to the Assembly of God next door, and the man who owned the cornfield behind us. Neither was willing to sell land or host our drain field. We were told that we could not put the drain field in the front yard because there was not enough room there either.

One of the men in our church had a pump which we hooked up to a hose and pumped our "liquids" out into a corner of our back yard. Trust me, when the wind was right, our back yard was aromatic - not in a nice way. Of course, the grass grew well this spring!

I stated that the situation looked impossible, but that we believed God would give a solution. He did.

In late April, my wife asked for prayer about this in her Sunday School class. (Pumping our waste into the back yard bothered her for some reason - women are odd that way.) One of the ladies told her that they knew someone who could help. We got in touch with him and he came over. He found a solution. There was just enough room in the front yard, so he put in a lift station and put the drain field in the front yard.

When we got back from the wedding in New York, we had a new drain field. We were disappointed in one thing. I offered Ben to the man instead of payment for the drain field (the solution was legal, successful and very expensive) but he said he already had an 18-year-old and didn't need another.

We are grateful for a solution to this problem! Thank for for all who cared and prayed for us. It is probably the only time many of you ever prayed for a septic system, right?

Item Two: My Hobby

Everyone needs a hobby, right? I have one that I want to share with you. I hope that my hobby will become a national movement. If it does, all our lives will be improved.

Do you, like me, get piles and piles of credit card solicitations? I got more and more annoyed with the appeals, until I had a break-through thought. In each of these solicitations is a self-addressed, postage-paid envelope.

So, whenever I get a credit-card solicitation, I just write "please throw away your own trash" on the letter and then send it all back to them - mailing envelope and all. Stuff it all in the self-addressed envelope and stick it in the mailbox.

There is one problem. When you do this, the credit card companies get miffed and stop sending you solicitations. Poor sports. I got two while I was gone to the wedding and they are the first I have had in months. They are packaged and ready for mailing.

There are advantages to this hobby.

1) It costs you nothing. How many peope bankrupt themselves with boats, golf, macrame or whatever. This costs nothing and brings such joy.

2) It cannot be addictive, like some hobbies. If you are faithful to mail back your credit card solicitations, they will stop very quickly. The people at Capitol One are the slowest to get the message, but they eventually get it. Then, you have to find a new hobby.

3) It is good for the environment. Most of these big companies have recycling programs, so they will recycle your mail. Also, they will then stop sending the solicitations to you, and that will help the environment.

I should call this "Save the Environment with Dave's Soliciation Send-back."

4) This hobby gives you a deep sense that you are "sticking it to the man!"

By the way, this works almost as well with those annoying solicitations that fall out of your magazines when you open them. Send them back blank!

One Warning: this will NOT work with credit card BILLS. Only solicitations. If you wad up your credit card bill and resend it, you will be the one who suffers. (I only included this warning because of my fear that Cedar Rapids Bohemies might read this).

Join the movement. Save the environment.

It just feels good to know you are making a difference!

Ding, Dong, the Blogs Are Dead

I am feeling betrayed and abandoned. I was introduced into the blog world reading Wade Burleson's screeds against the IMB Bot's. After a long time, I got tired of that mess, and went on a quest to find some other blogs to read.

I stumbled across a small group of bloggers sometimes called the "Baptist Identity" bloggers. I dubbed them the Baptist Bluster Brigade. They march in lock step, always blogging about the same subjects, always agreeing with one another and affirming the brilliance of each other's posts, and ALWAYS attacking anyone who disagreed as a closet liberal or an agent of "Enid." It didn't take me long to decide that wasn't my cup of tea.

So, I went searching again, and I found some intelligent, intriguing blogs. I found Bart Barber, who agrees with the BI folks in some things, but does so with intelligence and insight. He also engages in discussion when someone disagrees. He has written some great junk. Unfortunately, he has not been blogging. He thinks it is okay for him to DO MINISTRY instead of writing stuff for me to read. Imagine that!

I also found Nathan Finn and his blog, "The Fullness of Times." It was, in my opinion, the best I found. He has a unique insight into SBC issues. His series on the questions students ask him was powerful. He has convinced me to steer my son toward Southeastern Seminary. And now he has had the nerve to put his teaching duties ahead of his blogging duties. AAARRGGHH!

It seems like the good bloggers have better things to do. The purveyors of insipidity and drivel seem to have plenty of time to blog, but those who have something to say either have a better place to say it or don't have the time to write.

I can't believe these guys are putting their ministries ahead of my blog-reading. Very selfish. What is a guy to do to waste time?

The Yankees aren't playing that well. I need some blogs!!!