Surely the Sailboat

Surely the Sailboat
Last Day

Shirley's Sign

Shirley's Sign
Beginning the Journey

At the Western(Wailing) Wall

At the Western(Wailing) Wall
Tony, Joe, Myself

Heartbreaking Hawaiian Sunsets

Heartbreaking Hawaiian Sunsets
Scenes of Heartbreak in Haiti will follow later

Pastor Emory Gaskins, and his wife Cindi

Pastor Emory Gaskins, and his wife Cindi
University Ave Baptist Church

University Ave Bapt Church Cambodian Mission

University Ave Bapt Church Cambodian Mission
'Him' playing a Cambodian Thor

Waikiki Yacht Club Xmas 09

Waikiki Yacht Club Xmas 09
Guest of Brian&Kimmie Mahalo!!!!

Good Friends Brian&Kimmie

Good Friends Brian&Kimmie
We Were Kaiser Pediatricians In The 70's!!!

Our Family The Best To be Sure see Chris in other pics

Our Family The Best To be Sure see Chris in other pics
God Is Good, God Is Love, Thank you, God

Chris and The Volcano

Chris and The Volcano
Did He Inhale??

Chris Gets His Goat

Chris Gets His Goat
Date: 1010/01/02/2010

The Father, The Son, The Holy Goat

The Father, The Son, The Holy Goat
We Ask Thou Blessing, O Lord

Kauai Krushers Poipu

Kauai Krushers Poipu
Hard Way To Fish

Well Not Skunked

Well Not Skunked
Chris And The Wrass

Adam and Eve

Adam and Eve
Dec 17, 2009, Another Famous Day!!!

Life is good again!!!

Life is good again!!!
My Bird and Xmas has arrived!!!

Sounds of Aloha!!

Sounds of Aloha!!
Our performance at Kahala Nui 12/3/09

Sounds of Aloha!!

Sounds of Aloha!!
Dan and I

Mac Keral (speaks Spanish) and me

Mac Keral (speaks Spanish) and me

Jeff on GW

Jeff on GW

'Tea Fer' x 2

'Tea Fer' x 2

'Two Fer' x 2

'Two Fer' x 2

Condo Sept 09

Condo Sept 09
WOW!! Compare this with 1974!!

Bill's last Sunday, His Church

Bill's last Sunday, His Church
He left it on Fire; see the Smoke!!! ( Who will be the new Pope?? )

Bill's last Sunday

Bill's last Sunday
with Crystal and friends

Bill's last Sunday at the Pullpit in Hickory

Bill's last Sunday at the Pullpit in Hickory
Still looks young!!!

Commander Walls with me last days

Commander Walls with me last days
A very special person, a joy to work with

A Wonderful Goodbye, Cherry Point

A Wonderful Goodbye, Cherry Point
My CO, Cap't John, old me, Mike, the Base Radiologist, and the Paddle for my Butt for leaving

My doctor friend and old guy: Truk Hospital 1971-73

My doctor friend and old guy: Truk Hospital 1971-73
36 years seem to fade away that day we met again in Ala Moana Park

Chuukese Missison Church Nuuanu

Chuukese Missison Church Nuuanu
Classic Chuukese dress for the women; the head pieces are called Marmars

Chuukese Mission Church at Nuuanu Baptist Honolulu

Chuukese Mission Church at Nuuanu Baptist Honolulu
The young people sing the rich Pacific island spiritual songs

Chuukese Family and Haole Guy

Chuukese Family and Haole Guy
my doctor friend with his large family under the Banyan tree

Chris

Chris
FrontSteet, New Bern

Jamming at the Dink's

Jamming at the Dink's
Patsy fills and thrills!!

WB&Ruth brought the cake

WB&Ruth brought the cake
Go Back 44 years!!!

Gretchen and Joey

Gretchen and Joey
with Shirley at our BibleStudy weekend in May09

Beer Can Chicken and my sister

Beer Can Chicken and my sister
NannynannyPooPoo!!!

Father&Son: Ren&Bill

Father&Son: Ren&Bill
Dock Devotion Time

GG&GW: Jonathan&GradyWhite

GG&GW: Jonathan&GradyWhite
Lift Off!!!

July 2 at Shacklebanks

July 2 at Shacklebanks
Chris, Buzz, Lee, and his boys-Lee manwhatatan!!

Horace&Fran

Horace&Fran
"This is so nice"

Chris' GRRR888 MUSIC

Chris' GRRR888 MUSIC
OneManCBand

Airport Reunion

Airport Reunion
TheCMan arrives!!!

Thursday, September 29, 2011

Surely the Sailboat

Well after Irene she was a problem: torn jib, destroyed selffurling, halyards and shrouds broken or loosened. Yesterday Sept 28, 2011 I gave her to Eugene at Tidewater Marine; I enjoyed piddling on her but took her out just maybe 12 times over the 13 years. Try to put in a pic or 2.
Well about a year later, mid October 2012, I could not believe it: she lay at Tide Water, moored at a broken down doc, had 6-8 inches of water in the cabin, and was a mess. So maybe the saga continues--

Sunday, September 11, 2011

My PTSD 1985-1995

I will just introduce this topic. My friend JJ has suffered from PTSD ever since his days in Vietnam and has written 2 books about it. Mine cannot compare with his and did not occurr in a war torn country but in the medical arena.
2 weeks ago I shredded 6 large full boxes of all that crap, the hearings, the proceedings, the horrible suspensions, the unbelievable loss of constitutional rights, the humiliation, the stress, the terrible toll on my mind, body and soul. and yet it was so bad that I cannot believe that I lived through it. A person of less strenght and faith could not have made it I think now. The problem has been that it was so bad that no one could, would or will believe what happened between 1985 to 1995. But you know what: it has made me a stronger person knowing that I did live through it; that fact in itself gives me strength; if I dwell on the dark side that leads to depression and regret; knowing that my efforts did bring changes for the well being of children in this community gives me the upside; the suffering I endured makes it-- for lack of a better word--worthwhile. Jesus suffered so much more, that I cannot imagine. I can always look to Him for comfort and what He holds for me at the end here and the beginning in His Kingdom.

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Missions: Thank you, Lord

Here's a list of the missions over the years; thot I'd better go ahead w these b4 the memory goes--unless designated they are with NCBaptist Men

Haiti: 1964 Limbe with Hodge's, 1966 Limbe with Shirley, with Hodge's;
2010, Feb Earthquake

Truk/Micronesia: 1971-73 work and mission with Shirley; 1987 Hurricane relief with son, Jonathan; 2003 brief visit mission way back from Vietnam

Byloruss: June 1994 w Sam Owen, Joyce, Nancy, and several others from New South River Assoc

Vietnam: 1997, 98, 99, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007 with Cambodia, all with ECR Bruce Harless; Jay Currin 99, 2003, and John Fox 2001, 2007 accompanied

Honduras, Albaren, few weeks after Hurricane Mitch: Nov 1998

Macedonia: June 1999 with son, Chris; Albanian Moslem refugees

South Africa, Mebapana, building church: June 2000

Iraq, Basra: May, 2003 with Operation Blessing 700 Club w Steve Logue, Mark Miller

Lebanon: Sept-Oct 2006; after Israeli/Hazballa War, working w Christians and Moslems

Samoa (Western): March 2010 with Aloha Medical Mission, after Tsunami

Disaster responses in country, all w NCBaptistMen: Hurricane Andrew 1992 with Jimmy Grant, Hurricane Floyd/Dennis 1999, Hurricane Isabel 2002?, Hurricane Katrina 2005, Tornado Mayodan 1996, Tornado Riggelwood 2007?, Tornado Lee/Cumberland April 2011, Hurricane Irene August 2011 New Bern, NC, Huricane Sandy New Jersy Nov 2012-see new blog/email Nov 14/2012

Other: Miami with Love 2006?,
London Innercity with 2002 with Operation IAM, then Coventry, England International Choir Festival led by Larry Dickens;
Czech Republic Bruno Gloria Ginn 2005,  then Internat Choir Fest Bern, Switz, all with Shirley;

Kauai, Hawaii: June 2008 VBS w Snyder group

Israel: May 2011 with Shirley and Campbell Div School

Mexico, Colonia with Mission Ministries with Hawaii/Colorado group-April 2012

Africa, Kenya with MOHI (Mission of Hope International) w Lisa Orr, then South Africa with Becky Young, Raleigh w Mebapana Orphanage all August 213

Philippines, Taclaban, Tyhoon Ylonda Dec 11-26, 2013 w NCBaptist Men&Women, led by Paul Langston


Sunday, July 24, 2011

The Mill

From time to time I find myself dwelling on the mill, the flour mill my Dad owned and worked in all his life; the memory is there as far back as memories go; I grew up in it, worked in it, delivered flour all over eastern NC, climbed to the top and had flights of fancy, witnessed wind and far off distances from its 80 some feet high stance; memories of my Dad building a hopper piece by piece in an upside down pyramid to direct wheat or flour into a chute. I was about 5 years old then. Then the awful fire that burned the mill in Sanford to the ground and later our move to Henderson where Dad bought the mill there.

The hot summers when we bought wheat from the farmers all around--Glenn Easter--the dentist/farmer who had suggestions for my buck teeth; times at the wheat separater, i had to keep the trash racked off way into the night, then we go home filthy at 1-2 AM totaly worn out.

Dad was a worker and had good relations all around. Helen the office secretary was just good and steady for 50 some years.

I sold my stock 11 years ago to prevent a contentious develepment in the family as my brother's sons had taken it over; they were making decisions without the stock holders anyway. In some ways that is regrettful and I long for the times there, but then I cherish the memories and glad they are making a success of the mill.


Friday, July 15, 2011

Post thoughts on the Holy(thanthou)land Journey

I kept scraps of pieces of journals during the wild ride of a fantastic guided worldwind blitz thru Israel and Jordan. I labored myself with over 2000 pics and freq lagged behind and prob missed salient bits of info from Doran, our guide, who kept us hopping. He was a 35 yr veteran of the scene there and knew everyone which amazed us and kept us in good stead with the hotspots, both popular and out of the way, and of course the shops, where we got some pretty good deals. For instance he had been unable to get into Jordan and Bethlehem for several years, but now he was welcomed back with hugs and kisses as things have relaxed.

I am not going to belabour the points of the journey here as that can be tedious. The problem now is keeping in sinc with what this all means now. Unfortunately there is a diminution and dimming of the experience by others and myself as to it's importance. I believe there are those who are critical of pilgrams who went and 'walked where Jesus walked', who know in their hearts that returning pilgrams are no more experts or Christianized than they are--and they are absolutely correct. Unfortunately the discussion never takes place and that is that and is a dead issue--like the Dead Sea--which is dead because it just recieves and never gives.
It is sad that we have become a society of instant networking, everything is at our fingertips and internet, so that real social interaction is becoming, again, a dead thing of the past; therefore it becomes a very lonely existence. unless of course if you get your bang out of facebook, etc. I admit I do that some but it lacks the real thing. We could use all of these modern blessings to the Glory of God if we would be more respectful of each other and seek His Plan for us.

I will touch on the Palestinean and Israeli issues. It is a much better than the news portray. We visited the Bethlehem Bible College and were amazed at the concepts and energized way that they are providing for the people there, all 3, Pals, Jews and Christians alike.
We would be amiss by not publicizing this and making donations, not only money but spiritual contributions thru our churches and communities. More on this later.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

Difficult Times

When things are not going well or just we are so impatient that they are not progressing or people are just not plugged in and the gaps and jiving is just not there, I call upon the Lord in these times. Even with Usama Bin Laden dispatched we are left with basic questions of dispair and angst. I call upon the Lord to rescue us. Psalms 34

Friday, April 29, 2011

The List Goes On of Human and Natural Tragedies

It seems God throws more at us than we can handle: earthquakes with sometimes Tsunamis: Samoa Sept 09, Haiti Jan 10, Chile Mar 10; this year: New Zealand Jan , Japan Mar 11th possibly over 20,000 deaths with nuclear meltdowns; now tornados historically maybe the worse all of this Month of April deaths over 300 through the South, one was my cousin in Sanford, another cousin hosptilaized; close at home:murder suicides, young people killed in wrecks, more suicides, one an attorney married to another cousin, another so close to our church family; this week a famous photographer from here killed in Libya, the foment in the Middle East, and then the other 2 wars that seem to have no end, then a church family with their Russian parents in a bad accident here--
But an interesting paradoxical day today with the wonderful wedding of Will and Kate, so with the Lord; helping clear a tornando victims yard-Ernerstine's home and the prayers as we left; then the wake of Chris Hombros, the photojournalist above, the Greek homily and the singing chant; he was my oldest son's classmate at TSanford High School; many classmates were there along with hundreds-
"And I will be with you always"---

Return to S Africa and England through the Memory of Clara Crocker

April 29, 2011
I have had the privilege of working, editing and reproducing the respective DVD's of our church missions to the above countries. As I reviewed these memories I realize that it's much more than what we see of Clara but they bring back the joy, the music, the people,  oh! the people, oh! the singing (and of course Bob the Best)!!! Now as I watch Will and Kate's wedding unfold, I am taken back to Sir David Wilcox's presentation of the Queen's 50th Coronation year. As I sit here with my bride of nearly 46 years, we relish this ceremony unfold so simple, yet so meaningful and so like our own ceremony so long ago yet so close there at Knollwood Baptist on June 19 of 1965 Anno Christo.
I dearly hope that others, particularly those who shared these missions can enjoy these memories, knowing that David and Clara will always hold special places in our hearts.

Friday, January 28, 2011

Perils of old age/young heart

It's interesting the similarities we humans have-it's like parallel universes do exist and kinda nice when we meet up and share--
I met another 71-72 yo guy at the hospital where I just had robotic surgery--you know where the doc has fun, when all is said and done, he sits at his play station and fiddles with you inner nation!!
This guy had a wife with half her brain gone from the bad C; who was saying how lonesome they were when it seemed there was little or no communication with folks that seemingly should be doing so--that the world has become so saturated with cells, email, TV, and busy busy lives that things just don't connect anymore--with all our communication skills at hand the lonelier and more isolated we become, it's a paradoxical gap--his daughter in law and 2 grand children--strange coincidence, never called or wrote, seemed detached; the son called many times but the hidden message and gap the father felt was baring down on them and worrisome. I asked him if he prayed about this; he did over and over and sent messages to them--he was under considerble strain, his church was involved with them which helped. I told him that God would answer his prayers in His Time--however I was left with the feeling also that God does seem to leave us under difficult situations, I know I've heard it over and over: to test us--but we are left angry and hurt and want tell those who hurt us the truth, that their distancing from us does not seem to be God's Plan, but there own which is opposite from Jesus' commandment to us. Forgiveness can only come if there is communication. After we prayed we departed.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

Poem written Dec 16 after finding kidney tumor


I wrote this the other night about 330AM--my best poetry is while I'm still asleep!!

Twas the time b4 Xmas of 2010, when then all was quiet,
the world lay as it's been, beautiful and pliant;
when all of a sudden, there arose such a clatter,
you would have thot it was more than a little matter, and I would have rather, stayed snuggled with Shirley together,
when out of a CT there appeared a kidney tumor,
but I imagined it was just another prank rumor;

I flew to the bathroom, threw up the seat,
told my body your'e still complete,
in denial I continued to pray,
that somebody with my mind just wants to play,
that a dream ends well when you wake, come on now for goodness sake!!

Into the urologist I flew, begging for facts that this was not true,
He wore a suit of white, stained with yellow, he was such a callow fellow,
carried a bag of surgical toys, scared me with his 'boys will be boys',
proceeded to check me over, what came next I cannot cover--
When all is said and done, he said robotics will be more fun
for him as he sets there at a play station, and fiddles with my inner nation!!
Then when he has done his deed fulfill, I'll have the courtesy of his huge bill,
then up the hall he'll fly, with his 8 tiny nurses saying byebye;

For all of you who have faced this b4, I ask for your courage and faith more,
to face unafraid, the plans we have made, far back in our SS class, with Wayne, Rick, Jean, Bill, Bob, Jesse at the dias,
our pastors, our church, our prayer group, our Bible study, and any others that can be our buddy:
the lessons we were taught, that Jesus has for us bought, our infirmaties and sins, to save our skins,
on the cross he has hung them tumor and all, so that we may not fall, but in Him believe for once and for all
even when put to the knife, but have everlasting life --if we believe in Him
and to all I say a very Merry Xmas and especially to you, Jim!!! ( thanks for your 'inspirashum'!!!)

Apologies to Henry Longfellow, al

Believe, another version written Dec 2009


“Believe”*, John 3:16, for whosoever believes---
Children glowing, singing o’ God’s revealing,
Our church’s calling, hear her bells appealing;
We were the children not so long ago,
But one by one we let our innocence go;
When it seemed the magic slipped away,
We can find it all again on Christ’s Birthday!
Believe in what our hearts are saying,
Hear the carols that are playing;
There’s no time to waste, each o’ us celebrates
The Baby Jesus’ joyful birth,
Hear the angels sing all His worth!!!
We have everything we need,
In Him just believe!
Time moves swiftly, earthly lives will end;
Destination: eternal life, His saving grace we depend;
By His Star o’ wonder, by His perfect Light,
Trusting Him with all our hearts and our might;
When it seems we have lost our way,
We find ourselves again on Christmas Day!
Believe and love our Jesus Christ,
And have Christmas every single day!
There’s no time to waste, we’ve so much to celebrate;
Bring back our dreams, our Lord to please;
Give us wings to fly, fall on our knees!!!
We have everything we need,
In Him we just believe!!! Yes, Lord, we believe!!
You give us hope!! You give us peace!!
You give us joy!! You gave us your Son!!!
Thank you, O Lord!!!
Amen!!!
For God so loved the world----
Love, and have a meaningful Christ’s Birthday, every day!!!
Shirley and Al
* Adapted from Polar Express: ‘Believe’ sung by Josh Groban

Poem Before Surgery For Kidney Tumor


Wrestling Before the Knife, written early Jan 12, 2011
While others before me have gone
through faith their fears have flown;
my own burdens I unjustly compare
with them should dispel my own despair;
I know not why I worry and toil;
why is it not well with my soul?
I lie here, frightened and ask,
Am I not saved by His Grace?
Do I not really believe
on Him who did reprieve?
Do I really ask for forgiveness
for the sins of my life's mess?
Before him should I be bold?
Is it not well with my soul?
And so, even Jesus asked
that the cup from Him be abast.
I wish the same and without shame
do hereby give my life, my body, my soul
to Him and pledge anew to be whole,
so that peace is like a still water,
through the valley of death I will not falter,
He comforts me from the cold;
He brings me into the fold;
at last it is well with my soul!!!
Thank you so much for your prayers.
In His Precious Name,
al