Desire to Be Rich

But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and harmful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition. (1 Timothy 6:9)

In today's materialistic society, the desire to be rich is a powerfully addictive agent. From every direction ... [we are] made to feel that there ... [is] something else that ... [we] simply ... [cannot] live without. And while what ... [we have is] not bad, there ... [is] always something else better or newer or improved that promises to improve the quality of ... [our] existence. It seems that the richer America ... [got], the richer the citizens of America want[ed] to become.

It is important to note, however, that being rich or having possessions is not the problem. This verse is not a judgment on the condition of being rich but rather on the individual's attitude about that condition. It is the "desire" to be rich that led [us] ... down a dangerous path. And notice the sequence of events: it starts as a temptation, turns into a full-blown lust, and ends up in destruction. In effect, the verse is saying that the person who has these kinds of desires ends up "not" being rich in any way. A desire like this can never be quenched.

(Paraphrased by Mr. Dickie from Pace Yourself by Ric Engram, 7 February. Special thanks to Mr. Engram for writing something so profoundly applicable to the mess this nation is in at this time.)

Old Tapes

In the recesses of our minds, each of us has old tapes stored away which tend to be played over and over again. These tapes may have been recorded so long ago that they have little if anything to do with our present situation.

The tapes which are recordings of positive thoughts and experiences can be helpful when replayed. Unfortunately, we each possess many tapes which are negative and self-destructive. They include resentments, fears, and hates. When one of these negative tapes begins to play, we may find ourselves ... [engaging in some self-destructive compulsive behavior].
(Food For Thought, 5 March)

• Yesterday afternoon I attended a very good meeting of the Computer Club at the Bowie Senior Center. There was a large crowd. Two of the members gave a demonstration of the Voice Over Internet Protocol (VOIP) using the SKYPE program. Program chairman, Dan Lee, has been using the SKYPE program to talk with and see his relatives in China. Eric gave members a preview of the replacement website for the club. Norman talked about some of the freeware programs that have many of the same capabilities as the commercial programs.
• Before I left for the meeting I discovered that the Pittsburg State University (my alma mater in Kansas) has a presence on Facebook. I clicked the button to become "a fan" whatever that means. I also discovered several other pages with the school logo. I didn't have time to look at those.
• I noticed that a couple of people found my genealogy "news" blog and enrolled as "followers." I'm not certain yet what this means. I do appreciate their interest.
• Melva moved to her sister's house to spend the night yesterday. The first few days of her visit are going to be very busy. She needs to spend time with her ill sister, take care of some personal business, and do a test to confirm that she can use the ATMs. Going on vacation for an extended period in another country isn't all "vacation."

Mr. Dickie

Live a Good Life

We should be ready for death, because it will come sooner or later. The best thing to do is to live a good life. If you live a good life, you should not be afraid of death. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom, 1 March)

See the inevitable changes not as threats but as opportunities that can deepen our understanding and bring us wisdom and growth. (Susan C. Taylor in Faith in the Valley by Iyanla Vanzant, p. 89)

Our calendar is a mess. Every four years a February 29th shows up. Some holidays and events are on fixed dates and others move around. Find a priest and ask him why Christ's birth can stay fixed on one day, but his death date keeps changing. (Andrew Frothingham and Tripp Evans, after Wake Up and Smell the Coffee, 29 February)

• Yesterday I began to review some 3x5 card records I maintained of books read. I discovered that many books have similar titles. I hadn't written down the author's names. This lack of information made it difficult to determine whether I had found the book I wanted on weRead.
• I added a link to my Mr. Dickie's Blog to the Wichita Class of '57 group. I've noticed that folks are reluctant to post
• The public classical radio station called again asking for money. They said my membership ran out. They asked for money too often. Less than a month ago they called and asked for money during the fund drive. If they keep this up I am going to stop contributing.

Mr. Dickie

Melva's Arrival

Through the experience of making a mistake, we have reached a new place. Out of error, we can gain new knowledge and insight. (Food For Thought, 25 February)

I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday. (Abraham Lincoln in Abounding Grace by M. Scott Peck, p. 372)

It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult. (Seneca in Touchstones, 22 February)

• Last night Cyndi called Melva at the hotel near the airport in Panama. There was a problem with the luggage when Melva arrived in Panama. Somehow it got sent to a room in the back. One of the airport employees helped her get the three bags brought out to the front. After a 45-minute wait Melva realized that she wasn't going to be picked up by a family member. She asked about the hotel shuttle and learned that it was still at the airport. It's a good thing she had a reservation. At the hotel she was able to get a room before 3:00 p.m. by taking one with double beds. Once she was settled in her room she called her sister, Aura, to see if she could find out what happened to ther transportation. Things certainly got off to a rough start. Experience has taught all three of us that it's best to do our own planning and not rely on others. This time having a reservation at a hotel near the airport and with a shuttle really paid off.
• Yesterday I located my used book, "A Diary of Readings," by John Baillie. I purchased this 1955 book in November 2004 for $12.40 on Ebay. I probably paid too much. I wanted the book because I'd enjoyed another book by John Baillie, "A Diary of Private Prayer." I posted the book to weRead(IRead).
• This morning I added a short description to the header of my "Arrow Prayers" blog. I discovered that there's only room for 800 characters of text.
• On 26 February British actress, Wendy Richard (65) died of breast cancer. She played the part of Miss Brahms in the long running PBS sitcom "Are You Being Served" a favorite television show of mine. She also played the role of Pauline Fowler in another PBS show, "EastEnders." She appeared in the first episode in 1985 and stayed in the role for 21 years.

Mr. Dickie

Over Indulgence

The more spiritual a life a person leads, the less he is afraid of death. For a spiritual person death means setting the spirit free from the body. Such a person knows that the things with which he lives cannot be destroyed. (Leo Tolstoy, A Calendar of Wisdom, 1 March)

It is your right to choose those people who will be around you ... you have this right and you must claim it unapologetically. (Dr. Phil McGraw, The Ultimate Weight Solution, p. 238)

Over indulgence of any kind has the effect of poisoning our lives. (Alan L. Roeck, Look To This Day, 17 February)

Snow Day

I can let go of things and people and my need to control today. I can deal with my feelings. I can get peaceful. I can get calm. I can get back on track and find the true to key happiness - myself. I will remember that a gray day is just that - one gray day. (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 15 February)

When I know too much about my options before the time is right to exercise those options, I tend to use the information only to drive myself crazy. (Courage to Change, 14 February)

The more we are able to simplify our lives, the more effective we become. (Food For Thought, 11 February)

The person who makes no mistakes usually does not make anything. (Alcoholism the Family Disease in Courage to Change, 29 February)

• Snow fell during much of the night. By 9:30 a.m. most of the snowfall was over and folks came out to start clearing the walks and driveways. The snow blew around a lot. Even the car in the carport was covered. I left the minivan out in the open. If I can hire someone to clear away the snow I'm going to spend some money to get help. We got very lucky. While I was typing John Cooper showed up across the street with his snowblower. He cleared the snow for Jim, Fred and us. What a blessing.
• Melva is scheduled to leave Dulles airport at 5:30 a.m. tomorrow, Tuesday, the 3rd of March for a five hour flight to Panama. We are hopeful that the airport will be back to full operation in the next nineteen hours.
• Yesterday I continued to find books to add to my weRead. It's fun to have the program count the number of books I have posted. I wonder if I can find 45 more books I've read in the basement. to bring the total to 300. I sure do like counting things.

Mr. Dickie

More Facebook Fun

Encouraging and approving of ourselves is how we help ourselves stay on track. Today, I will love and encourage myself. I will tell myself that what I'm doing is good enough, and I'll let myself enjoy that feeling. (Melody Beattie, The Language of Letting Go, 25 February)

The reason we can't get clear is because we have so many things cluttering our minds and lives. We have so much mental chatter we can't hear ourselves think. (Iyanla Vanzant, Acts of Faith, 23 February)

The future is like heaven - everyone exalts it but no one wants to go there now. (James Baldwin in One More Day by Sefra Kobrin Pitzele, 24 February)

• Back in August I used the Internet to find the address and phone number of Rich, who lived across the street in Wichita, KS. I hadn't been in touch with him for many years. Yesterday I dialed the number and we talked for about an hour and a half. It was great to catch up on news about his family. He remembered lots of things I no longer remembered.
• This morning there was a big surprise when I checked Facebook. There was a message from a classmate of the Wichita, Kansas, East High School, Class of '57 informing me that a group is forming for this class. I put the name of the group in the Facebook search box and quickly found the group. With one more click I became the sixth member. It will be fun to see how this group progresses.
• We are in the final stages of planning for Melva's trip to Panama. The final step is to book the flights. Cyndi will do this task.
• I'm still having fun posting books I've read to weRead(IRead). It's fun to review the books I've read. Touching some of the books instantly gave me a feeling that I ought to read the book again. How can I find the time when I have so many unread books on my book shelves? I'm grateful to teachers, libraries and authors for instilling a lifelong interest in reading. I regret that I didn't devote more time to reading when I was younger. I'm aware that I am going to run out of time before I read all of the books I'd like to read.

Mr. Dickie