I won one million dollars (I bet)

My Gmail has been selected as a Publishers Clearing House winner of one million dollars.  All I have to do to get the money is to send my name and address.  That's what it said; what I would need to do after sending in my  name and address is unknown. It may surprise everyone when I inform you that I did not respond and will thus lose the million dollars. I couldn't believe I won; I'm too good lucking to be that lucky. I can't have everything.

You can't sit while singing "Standing on the Promises"

     Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
     List'ning every moment to the spirit's call.
     Resting in my Savior as my all in all,
     Standing on the promises of God.


 I agreed that I would stay seated during church services this morning, avoiding the strain of moving up and down.  I did this faithfully except I went to the altar and stood for communion.

But then our final hymn was  "Standing on the Promises."  You cannot sit and sing that song -- so I stood and sang.

"One man likes to push a plough--"

A high school girl is not only expelled but  arrested for making a bottle smoke in science  class ; a high school track team is disqualified after winning a relay because a member pointed to the sky -- just two incidents of many crazy over re-actions by school officials nearly everywhere.  Makes me think that maybe my teachers won't so bad.

Which brings to mind Miss Smith.  She was possibly the best teacher in the school although many would disagree.  Note, I didn't say best liked.  She said nice things to and about me in a geography class, commenting that I had a wide range of knowledge. But in typing she constantly found fault with me. Once she said, "You are here to type; you're not pushing  a plow."  One boy spoke up, "That's all you know; you don't push a plow -- the mule pulls it."  His support didn't help me.

Miss Smith could walk into a classroom and all talking would cease immediately.  She could look at you, not say a word, and you would shrink down in your chair.

She had high academic standards.  One of my sisters was taking shorthand at 120 words a minute and that wasn't good enough for an  "A."  My sister was competing for honors and the stress gave her shingles. Most girls competing for top grades avoided classes taught by Miss Smith. Still, it was a mark of honor to say "I survived Miss Smith."

Soluth Carolina, again, first to secede

No, I am not referring to the secession petitions all 50 states have filed with the Obama administration.
That was begun by Louisiana.  What I am calling secession is the  vote by the South Carolina House of Representatives to criminalize the enforcement of Obamacare.

That phrase by Nancy Pelosi that "we must pass it so we can know what's in it" will come back to haunt the Democrats who pushed Obamacare through.  Those Democrats facing campaigns for re-election are trying to distance themselves from the law.  Every day we hear about some problem such as millions will see their health premiums increase and millions of others will lose all their health protection. Nearly half of Americans don't even know Obamacare is  law.  What a rude awakening they will have.

Pickens rests while Okinawa battle goes on

Our job done, the USS Pickens left Okinawa and returned to Saipan.  Meanwhile the battle raged until June22, with enormous casualties on both sides and the civilian population.

When two Marine and two Army divisions landed  Easter Sunday, they faced 155,000 ground, naval and air troops.  To those who thought Japan still had a chance to win the war, Okinawa was their last chance. We heard Tokyo Rose voice that opinion, forecasting fierce fighting for the island, saying if Japan lost all possibility of victory was gone but  the Japanese would continue fighting.

The Navy was very hard hit with 5,000 killed; the Army and Marines had 8,000 killed and 36,000 wounded.  Japan had 107,000 killed and 24,000 buried in caves. Civilian  casualties were at least 42,000.

We on the Pickens were unable to make any additional contribution. I remember very little about this time.I ask  shipmates to share their memories of this period.  I know we radarmen tried to further our education. We chipped paint and painted the deck of the radar shack a restful green.  During inspection the adminral said it was attractive but not regulation and must be replaced.

The fun of medical tests

No, medical tests are no fun, bu what's worse, the tests or all the waiting?  Depends of the tests, I suppose. My son Jason took me to Willis Knighton North Wednesday morning. I told him to leave and come back when tests were completed because the tests would take several hours. He chose to wait. I had a stress test and an ultra sound test of the carotid artery.

I am in two minds about tests. You hope the tests will show that you are healthy with no problems, but on the other hand you hope to find the cause of your problems and  an easy solution.

Jessica completes first year at Duke Seminary

Time moves along; it seems like only a couple months since we watched as Jessica was graduated from LSU.  She is now one-third through seminary. Jen will fly to North Carolina next week, and then she will drive with Jessica to Birmingham, Michigan.  Jen will fly back home as Jessica begins her service with the Methodist Church. Jessica will be back in Louisiana briefly to attend as a delegate to the Louisiana Conference of the United  Methodist  Church.