Ale for the Soul

Another year is upon us!  Where has the time gone?  Not only a new year, but I am blessed with a new day each and every time God sees fit to allow me to wake up.  I certainly don't need a brand new year to figuratively start over.  I can take each day as a time to assess where I am in relation to God's will and His holy scripture.  Only then can I move my life in concert with the Holy Spirit's direction toward what God would have me do.  Already 2025 has been a blessing!  Last week I rearranged the apartment, with the assistance of my neighbor, to move all my books and research material to the front living room.  This has afforded me the opportunity to once again sleep in the bedroom.  (Long story for another time.)  Not only is it warmer in there, but the move has added more security.  For the previous four plus years, I had been sleeping near the front door and porch window.  Considering the neighborhood I reside in, this pro...

Just found out a few minutes ago a very dear friend passed away back in July.  Guess I wasn't a very good friend in only having found out.  I am very sad nonetheless.  He and I disagreed on a few points in life, but he was a constant support and a good sounding board to discuss whatever came my way.  I initially met Don at Tobacco Lane on the Square, a cigar shop, in downtown Fort Worth.  Over the years, we would meet at other cigar shops in order to visit while I worked or on a day off so we could smoke a cigar together.  Don was always very positive and seemed to take life in stride whether it was good or bad.  We would constantly joke about the oddest stuff, which is what attracted me to him in friendship.  People like him are a great example of how we can be friends without having to agree on everything.  We found our commonality over a great cigar and a good time of fellowship.  He knew the good, bad, and ugly about me and still nev...

Once again, another year has flown by making my head spin.  Overall, 2024 can be placed under the "win" column as I have been able to scratch off quite a few bucket list items.  Primarily this has been the year to catch up on a few health issues: annual physical, lab work, cataract surgery, and so much more.  I still have one medical issue outstanding, but I remain diligent in taking care of yours truly.  In August, I celebrated 18 years of sobriety at my local A.A. group.  This was definitely a memorable event as I never thought I would be alcohol-free for this long.  A testament to the power and influence of God in my life.  Another focus is that of relationships.  As I grow older, especially after turning 51 a few days ago, the value and worth of friendships and family ties increases exponentially.  It is with great pleasure that I was able to help celebrate the marriage of my brother and his fiance with the blending of two families in the...

Today I began working a secondary form employment with Cartan's.  It is a shoe store selling men's and women's footwear located on Magnolia in the Near Southside of Fort Worth.  Ever since I moved here I have tried to get hired on with this place of business.  I formerly worked for the owner at the Rockport Shops in Houston.  Figured I was a "shoe" in with the amount of experience yours truly offered.  Finally, I was hired on and began by working from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.  I dove right in and tried my best.  Slowly but surely, all of my skills and abilities will come back.  The manager seemed pleased and thought I really didn't need much help.  I shadowed him and a few other employees while they waited on customers.  In addition, I helped to put away drags, which are leftover shoes from the sale.  The store hours are from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday and closed on Sunday.  Woohoo!  Think I have found my home....

Last week I was able to get away from the land of exile in order to visit and spend time with family.  Even though part of our plans for a trip to East Texas fell apart, I very much enjoyed spending three wonderful days with my mother in Yoakum.  During this time, as she still had to work her shifts at the church, I was able to scratch off quite a few items from the bucket list.  Many of these items have been on there for several years awaiting much-needed closure.  On top of the list, but really in no particular order, was to visit the Alchoholics Anonymous group in Victoria where I tried to get sober in 2004.  Even though I didn't recognize anyone in attendance, I did enjoy the time spent in fellowship.  Then a visit was made to Memory Gardens Cemetery where three acquaintances are interred.  One in particular, my friend Amy, was buried there in 2021.  Regretting not being able to attend her funeral services, I made every effort to locate her gr...

About ten years ago I stumbled across a website called Find A Grave .  It is a free website associated with Ancestry , possibly started by the same person.  For about nine of those years I was a "member", I dabbled with it until I began discovering family members.  Over the previous year, I quickly began connecting the dots on the family history: who was married to whom, dates born and died, where they are buried, and a whole treasure trove of information.  As I fell down the rabbit hole of genealogy, I discovered the tools at my disposal through the interactive site.  One of the tools is the Suggested Edit tab, in which I can fill in information and connect family members to one another: parents to children, husbands to wives, where they were born, and so much more.  In fact, I've taken the process far beyond the initial personal goal of finding kinfolk.  As of right now, I have a little under 8,000 memorials I manage and am slowly, but surely, workin...