IT'S NEVER TOO LATE!

1.Why was our educational system dumbed down to get everyone into college programs. Now college degrees have less value and it takes higher degrees to mean anything.

2. Why do we undervalue trades and skilled labor, even though people in them are paid well because of unions?

3. Why does it take a college degree to advance regardless of ability?

4. Why can’t we do like other countries and test for college entrance? Those who do not qualify should be taught a trade. Every couple of years they could be given a chance to retry if they were still interested, but by that time I don’t think they would be.

5. Why do we put such emphasis on “higher learning” that those who have degrees look down on those who don’t and consider them dumb or lazy?

6. What is “higher learning” anyway? Who defines it?

7. Is someone who can recite information they learned from books more “learned” than a skilled craftsman?

8. Why don’t we encourage crafts?

9. Why do really good artists have to produce something that looks like a kindergarten child or chimp painted it in order to sell their work?

10. Why do classically trained musicians create music that is nothing but a lot of noise?

11. Why are large publishers not accepting works that are controversial or satirical, so people with a message have to self-publish to be heard?

Here is what I look like 3 days after the cataract surgery and a close up of the eye that had the lens implant.

I had the cataract surgery on my left eye done on Wednesday. What I heard about it was true, it was painless and quick, although we had to wait over an hour past the time they told me to be there before I was prepped. My first follow-up appointment was yesterday and I am seeing better with that eye but still not as good as with my right eye where there is still some cataract. They tell me it will continue to improve, however.

At the one month check-up I will get a new glasses prescription  I am using three eye drops four times a day now and have a shield to put on my eye when I go to bed. It is not a patch, but a clear plastic with holes so I can still see through it. I forgot to put it on the night of the surgery, so last night I put it on before I really was ready to go to sleep to make sure I did not forget to do it. You know how it is when you are sleepy, you forget a lot of things.

I will see the doctor who did the operation next week for another follow-up. Then I will cut down on the eye drops and only use one unless he says otherwise. Those were the instructions I got prior to the surgery. Two to be used for seven days after the surgery but one for 28 days. I will keep you posted on my progress.

 I was at the July session of the Illinois District Council of the PAW (Pentecostal Assemblies of the World) yesterday and had just been in the first part of a terrific leadership seminar based on the book The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership by John C. Maxwell. They had put some copies of the book out for sale at the registration table and I stopped to ask how much they were selling for as I passed by to go to the ladies room. I was told they were $25.00. I said I could not afford it. They asked if I would like a copy and I thought they had not heard me and I said, “Yes, but I can’t afford it.” That was not entirely true. I did have that much, or close to it in my wallet but it was all of the cash I had so I was not going to spend it on a book, especially when I have so many I do not read.

After the second part of the seminar began, (and I had started to fall asleep) the lady next to me tapped me and handed me this book which had been passed to her to give to me. I found out that it was from one of the ladies at the registration table. I have often heard of God using people to be a blessing to others and I tried to be generous and help whenever I could, but I had not been on the receiving end until the last three days and I would not have received them if I had not mentioned having a need.

I had a financial need come up and as I prayed and asked God if I should tell someone about it or keep it between Him and I, I was told to post it on Facebook and my need would be met from an unexpected source. I put the post out this morning and it was replied to from a source I would never have considered asking, just as God said would happen.

I went go to Renaissance Court this morning (the senior center) for the movie they were showing. I was thinking to skipping it because there was a scheduled building inspection this morning, but God told me I needed to see War Room. I missed a little of the beginning but saw the important part and I will probably get it from Red Box or the library and watch it again. One of our chorus members said he had seen it at least four times. One of my other friends was not impressed with it and I was not emotionally moved by it either, but it does give a good Gospel message and I am sure it made a difference in the lives of some people who needed to hear it and will continue to do so as long as people watch it.

He is trying me though. I lost another set of keys because I did not listen to His still small voice this morning telling me it was not a good idea to keep them in my pocket. I had gone out once before with them in my pocket and I dared to try it again. But, before I was only going to a store down the block. This time I was riding two buses. I have no idea which one they fell out of my pocket on, but I know I did not have them when I got off downtown. That is what happens when you don’t pay attention to Him.

I just had a strange experience. It is not the first time, but this went further than previous incidents. I laid down to take a nap at about 4 pm and woke up at 6:55, but I thought it was 6:55 in the morning. I did my journal writing where I describe the pervious day and my concerns and plan for what I will do. I was to go to spend time with my Aunt. I saw that is was pretty dark out but thought it was getting ready to rain. I got up, dressed and went online to check the temperature so I would know if I needed a sweater, jacket or coat. It said it was July 4, not July 5. I thought something was wrong with my computer. I even set it manually, but my cell phone and answering machine also said it was July 4, or Monday and evening. I turned on the TV and there were programs that I watch in the evening, not morning shows. I also noticed that it had become darker and there were fireworks going off, so I finally realized that it is indeed still July 4 and not July 5.

As I said, this went further than when I have woken up from a nap thinking it was the next day before. I usually did understand that it was not sooner than I did this time. These kinds of events give me an idea of what living in eternity with no time might be like, but I don’t know if we will sleep then and there will be no night and day. Has anyone else experienced this and if so, would you like to comment on it?

I am still listening to the author interviews of Jesse Kreiger’s summit and yesterday I got an idea for a book I will write. It will not be a children’s book and not even fiction. I am going to write “Unclutter Your Mind.” I am going to deal with how the condition of our minds can be similar to the condition of our environment and that too much input can slow down, hinder or even stop us from achieving our dreams. So, we need to unclutter our mind the same way we would unclutter or homes, by getting rid of what we don’t need, what is broken, or in our way and organizing what we keep so we can access it easily. Memory problems are also related to having too many and not having them sorted in a way that makes them useful.

We often see comparisons of our brains and computers, (which were modeled after human thought processes).  When I put too many programs on my computer, it slows down. And, when I become impatient and try to change commands before the computer has done what I first told it to, it freezes up and does nothing. This is what happens when we can’t make decisions and is caused in the same way. Wandering thoughts will do that to us. If anyone has some ideas or stories about your own experiences you would be willing to share, I may be able to use them in the book.