I' m 89 today.

Yes, today is my birthday.  I recently saw that 16 million people fought or otherwise served the nation in  World War II, and a million of those are still living.  I am proud to be among the living.

This is worship?

Jessica, missionary in Israel, discovered there is no freedom of worship in Israel.   She was invited by Kristen to attend with many others f a non-violent act of resistance in Beit Jala, a town on the outskirts of Bethlehem.  Intent was to have a worshi p service and communion led by a Palestinian Roman Catholic priest.
















Jessica found  out Wednesday morning there is no truly freedom of worship in Israel and peace is easier promised than delivered.

Kristen  invited Jessica and others to attend a non-violent worship service in a town near Bethlehem. Leading the service was a Palestinian Roman Catholic priest.   The priest asked for 30 minutes; the Israel official would permit  only 15.  Arguments led to fighting and three Palestinians were led away in handcuffs.

Jessica did take communion from a Catholic priest.

Jessica preaches Sunday

Jessica  will preach twice  this Sunday -- one Church of Scotland in the morning and another Church of Scotland in the evening.  The Church of Scotland was founded in 1560 by John Knox and carried the name of Kirk.  It has become modernized and Presbyterian.

The Lowes  came here from Ireland as Presbyterians and became Methodists.

Remembering birthdays

My 18th and 19th birthdays came while I was in the Navy.  Note, I did not say celebrated.   I was in the San Diego Naval Hospital the day I became 18.  I was depressed when I informed a nurse that the previous day was my birthday.  She asked me why I had not said anything, that ''we could have had a cake or something."

I was in San Francisco for my 19th birthday.  Japan had surrendered and the Pickens had loaded on troops to occupy Japan.  We stopped in the Philippines and exchanged those  troops  for those occupying those islands.With all the excitement I did  not realize I had become 19 until a week or two after my birthday.

We are not big on birthday celebrations.  My wife surprised me on my  80th with a party attended by relatives and friends.

"It depends upon what the meaning of secret is"

No need  to be concerned, Hillary fans.  Mrs. Clinton will not go to jail nor be fined   more than  what is to her pennies.  She and Bill have been in more scandals than wasps in a nest and they have always escaped and went on to pull another scam.

I have a favor to ask of her though; quit treating ever crime as a joke.

Japan surrenders

Seventy years ago -- August 14, 1945--  I went on liberty in San Francisco, the first liberty I had enjoyed in weeks as I was standing double watches.  Rumors were flying on the USS Pickens that Hirohito was considering surrendering.   That meant so much for us as we were preparing to invade Japan.

I left the ship and went downtown to find a restaurant.  I heard  yells and shouts  --  President Truman  had spoken on the radio and said Hirohito had agreed to terms of surrender.  How his military would take this was still unknown.

I entered a restaurant and found a waiter was hanging a  closed sign on the door.  I was seated at the only open place with  a family group. I ate and went outside to find people going wild.  A girl grabbed my  hat and ran. I chased her down to get my cap back; I did not want to go to the brig for being out of uniform.

All the celebration left me cold; I thought if the president was right we would avoid more fighting, for which I felt a more serious and dignified celebration was called for.

I went back to the ship to  celebrate with my shipmates.

President announces Japan surrenders

My memories of 70 years ago, when  I  was in the Navy, sometimes fail in details.  I had written that Japan surrendered August 12, 1945, but the ship's history says August 14.   Word for word from the history:

     "On August 14 we were in  drydock getting last-minute repairs before sailing into the final Japanese invasion.  But rumors were flying ...Japan is ready to surrender! Then our President's announcement:  Japan has surrendered!"  There was no stopping the hysteria which followed."

Official date of the surrender is September 2, but to most everyone, when the president spoke, the fighting was over.