Ale for the Soul

Keep Fort Worth Beautiful and Reverse Litter (www.reverselitter.com) are campaigning to end litter in Fort Worth.  It is called Ten on Tuesday !  The catch-phrase is a challenge to pick up at least ten pieces of litter on Tuesday of each week.  By doing so, Fort Worth will become a cleaner place to live.  Of course the real solution is to address the actual root behavior of people littering, but for now I can take care of my part of the problem by picking up trash when and where I see it.  Each week I personally walk around the apartment complex and sections of the neighborhood picking up trash.  Surprisingly I receive a lot of joy from stewarding God's creation, for I believe it honors and glorifies Him as the Creator.  Open littering is such a blight on the inherent beauty of my surroundings, it saddens and perturbs me greatly when I see it.  Often I wonder, "Why do people litter?".  An even better question would be, "Why don't people think...

Fighting Soldiers from the sky Fearless men who jump and die  Men who mean just what they say  The brave men of the Green Beret Silver wings upon their chest  These are men, America's best  One hundred men will test today  But only three win the Green Beret Trained to live off nature's land  Trained in combat, hand-to-hand  Men who fight by night and day  Courage peak from the Green Berets Silver wings upon their chest  These are men, America's best  One hundred men will test today  But only three win the Green Beret Back at home a young wife waits  Her Green Beret has met his fate  He has died for those oppressed  Leaving her his last request Put silver wings on my son's chest  Make him one of America's best  He'll be a man they'll test one day  Have him win the Green Beret.

Memorial Day is an Federally observed holiday to honor those men and women who died while serving in the military to preserve the integrity of our nation's security and freedom.  The observance began a few short years after the Civil War in 1868, by The Grand Army of the Republic, a group of Union soldiers in Decatur, Illinois.  Their purpose in instituting the day of acknowledgement was to decorate the graves of Union soldiers with flowers.  In the intervening years till present-day, Union and Confederate holiday traditions competed for preeminence.  Finally, one all-encompassing holiday was created...Memorial Day!  Sadly, the holiday has turned in to a day of big B-B-Q, beer drinking, and huge parades.  However well-intentioned these activities may be, the purpose of the holiday is clouded and lost on those who aren't aware of its true meaning.  Please take time to re-focus on the real design of the Memorial Day holiday weekend.  Until then, rem...

** As part of the Memorial Day celebration honoring those who served in the military and gave their lives for our nation, I am posting a letter written by my father from Korea while he served during the war from 1950 to 1953. Dear Mom & Dad,           Received your letter of August 10th.  I know you were relieved and I was too.  It may be some time before we know whether the peace will last or not, but at least the cease fire will give us all a chance to relax and ease some of the nerves we have gotten.           Say hello to Dr. Hudson and tell him that I hope he preaches in his new way when I get home.  I would like to hear the "New Hudson", 1953 model.           Glad to hear that Bobby is set in business; I have been very bad by him in writing letters.  I guess I have been bad by all of the kinfolk, but it seems that I have lost all energy for writing.  Hope I can get out of ...

Several months ago, I delivered a speech to a Toastmasters Club concerning composting and its benefits.  Today is Learn About Composting Day , and I encourage my readers to reference the Toastmasters' Speech.  Composting is a great way to recycle food items, leaves, small twigs, and a horde of other naturally occurring substances.  These items are rich in nutrients the ground needs, and is a great way to keep from using up valuable land for garbage dumps.  I won't delve in to the process of how various items compost, but I will emphatically state the end result is often better than processed fertilizer.  In fact, the compost material can make such soil as clay in to usable ground for planting and growing just about anything.  Did I mention composting is the cheapest way to add life and vitality to your yard and garden?  The only drawback, if there is one, is the time investment.  The art of composting requires time, lots of diligent effort, and te...

If I'm like most people, assuming this next statement is true, I have a "bucket list" of stuff I want to accomplish before I die.  In this case, I have a list of "To Do" items I want to experience before I ever move out of Fort Worth.  Today is the day I was able to scratch off one of those items.  What is it, you may ask?  Well, I searched out and visited Lee Harvey Oswald's grave.  He is the alleged assassin of John F. Kennedy, our 35th president.  I say alleged because of all the conspiracy theories floating around concerning the assassination.  (I for one do not believe Oswald killed Kennedy.  If he did, he most certainly had help.  But this is not the purpose of the blog entry.)  In reading some of the backstory on the particular cemetery he is interred, I discovered Shannon Rose Hill Memorial Park was the only place who would accept his remains due to his notoriety.  The Memorial Park is located on the east side of Fort Worth ...

When you're weary Feeling small When tears are in your eyes I will dry them all I'm on your side When times get rough And friends just can't be found Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down When you're down and out When you're on the street When evening falls so hard I will comfort you I'll take your part When darkness comes And pain is all around Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Like a bridge over troubled water I will lay me down Sail on Silver Girl, Sail on by Your time has come to shine All your dreams are on their way See how they shine If you need a friend I'm sailing right behind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind Like a bridge over troubled water I will ease your mind

As of 11 a.m. this morning, I began to enjoy my three-day Memorial holiday weekend.  Thankfully I only had one store to service for TNG this morning, and that was the Kroger's on Camp Bowie West and Interstate 820.  Since I clocked out of work while it was still morning, does this make it an almost four-day weekend off from work?  Good question.  Whatever the answer may be, I promptly began my time away with a cigar at Paladin, a tobacconist shop located at the corner of Hulen Street and Granbury Road.  I've been frequenting this establishment since the week they opened for business in December of 2011.  I guess that makes me one of their original customers.  How about that?!  Then I topped off my day with another bicycle ride through the neighborhoods of Fort Worth.  Once again, I found quite a few interesting places of historical interest.  First, was St. Mary's of the Assumption Church, and then Watts Park.  Not too far from the ...

The whole month of May has been Bicycle Awareness Month.  As a result, I've been trying to ride as often as possible to make the sport of bicycling visible.  Lately I've been riding through the neighborhoods for safety reasons, but I have also discovered a few historical landmarks while doing so.  First I rode along Elizabeth Boulevard in the Ryan Place neighborhood.  First on my list of discoveries was a historical marker informing me this particular stretch of road was once a trail for cattle herders, much like the Chisholm Trail.  Really?  Hmm!  Then I rode over to Travis Avenue Baptist Church in order to read their historical markers.  That particular church, in one way, shape, or form, has been around for well over one hundred years.  The church was founded under a different name and was located "many miles" from the city limits of Fort Worth.  This must have been way back in the day when the town was first established.  I thou...

Every time I talk with someone concerning bicycling, I am shocked at what people think are the rules of the road for bicyclists.  First and foremost, most everyone would tell me bicycles are to be ridden on sidewalks, not the roadways.  Wrong!  According to legislative statute, bicycles are permitted on the roadways up to three full feet from the farthest right curb.  When safety becomes an issue, then bicycles are allowed up to a full lane.  Did you know that?  Most people don't, so don't feel bad.  I've even had police officers yell at me to use the sidewalk.  Bicycles are to be treat as simply a slow-moving vehicle and afforded the same respect and courtesy as another vehicular driver.  Because of this, bicyclists are under the same rules and responsibilities as any other vehicle on the road.  We must obey all traffic signs and lights; must signal when turning; must practice other forms of safe driving; and must not ride under the inf...

All the way my Savior leads me What have I to ask beside? Can I doubt His faithful mercies? Who through life has been my guide Heavenly peace, divinest comfort Ere by faith in Him to dwell For I know whate'er fall me Jesus doeth all things well All of the way my Savior leads me And He cheers each winding path I tread Gives me strength for every trial And He feeds me with the living bread And though my weary steps may falter And my soul a-thirst may be Gushing from a rock before me Though a spirit joy I see And all the way my Savior leads me Oh, the fullness of His love Perfect rest in me is promised In my Father's house above When my spirit clothed immortal Wings it's flight through the realms of the day This my song through endless ages Jesus led me all the way

One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin,  but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.  (Proverbs 18:24) Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.  (Ecclesiastes 4:9-12) If one has lived long enough, two distinct definitions of what constitutes a brother will come to mind.  First, of course, is a blood brother.  A blood brother doesn't necessarily presume a close relationship, but experiences in life, along with family dynamics, can produce closeness and a sense of loyalty no one can violate or destroy.  The second is a very close friend who may become a spiritual brother.  Thi...

Imagine, now, a devoted and gifted Christian woman (or man) , whose ministry has been precious to her, finding that for quite a long period the Lord sidelines her so that her potential is not being used.  What is going on?  Is this spiritual failure?  It is probably not spiritual failure at all, but a lesson in Christ's school of holiness.  The Lord is reminding her that her life does not depend on finding that people need her.  The prime source of her joy must always be the knowledge of God's love for her -- the knowledge that though he did not need her, he has chosen to love her freely and gloriously so that she may have the eternal joy of fellowship with him.  Regarding her ministry, what matters is that she should be available to him.  Then he will decide when and how to put her to service again, and she should leave that with him.  In the spiritual life, what we are always takes priority over what we do.  If we lose touch with what we a...

** In preparing for church this morning, this hymn popped in my head.  This was a favorite of mine attending First Baptist Church while growing up in Yoakum, Texas. Brethren, we have met to worship and adore the Lord our God; Will you pray with all your power, while we try to preach the Word? All is vain unless the Spirit of the Holy One comes down; Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around. Brethren, see poor sinners round you slumb’ring on the brink of woe; Death is coming, hell is moving, can you bear to let them go? See our fathers and our mothers, and our children sinking down; Brethren, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around. Sisters, will you join and help us? Moses’ sister aided him; Will you help the trembling mourners who are struggling hard with sin? Tell them all about the Savior, tell them that He will be found; Sisters, pray, and holy manna will be showered all around. Is there here a trembling jailer, seeking grace, and filled with...

National Bicycle to Work Week has been Monday, May 16th through Friday, May 20th.  To celebrate the final day of the week-long holiday, today is National Bicycle to Work Day.  For the previous three and a half years, I worked at a cigar shop downtown in which I could very easily ride my bicycle to work, and I did on many occasions.  Now, unfortunately, I am a store merchandiser required to have quick mobility from one location to another, sometimes across town.  As a result, it isn't feasible for me to ride my bicycle to work because I never know where the next store project will take me.  However, I do have many fond memories of riding my bicycle to work, especially those times early on in living in Fort Worth the bicycle was my only mode of transportation.  I often would time myself to see how quickly I could reach point B from point A.  For example, I bicycled from the house on Jennings Avenue to the Buffalo Wild Wings on Hulen Street in roughly thi...

Gen.  Douglas MacArthur 's speech to the Corps of Cadets at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y., May 12, 1962, in accepting the Thayer Award. General Westmoreland, General Groves, distinguished guests, and gentlemen of the Corps, As I was leaving the hotel this morning, a doorman asked me, "Where are you bound for, General?" and when I replied, "West Point," he remarked, "Beautiful place: have you ever been there before?"  [Laughter] No human being could fail to be deeply moved by such a tribute as this, coming from a profession I have served so long and a people I have loved so well. It fills me with an emotion I cannot express. But this award is not intended primarily  to honor  a personality, but to symbolize a great moral code — the code of conduct and chivalry of those who guard this beloved land of culture and ancient descent.  That is the animation of this medallion. For all eyes and for all time,...

It's Monday and the beginning of a new work week, but I have found myself with the day off again.  A three-day weekend?!  I haven't had one of those in a very long time, unless you count the times I was out of work or severely under-employed.  Ha ha!  Of course I took advantage of the situation by taking to the streets on my bicycle.  Over the weekend I discovered a new thoroughfare and recreational area(s) as I was driving home from church.  Upon discovery, I immediately thought these places were prime spots for a bicycle ride.  Since the time was ripe for such a bicycle ride, I set out to explore the area and to take a few pictures using my new Apple IPhone.  (Of course I'll post a few of the pictures at the bottom of this post.)  The parks and trails were secluded enough to not give any indication they were right smack-dab in the middle of a metropolitan area.  So at least I was able to somewhat mentally escape the dislike I have for ...

Either write something worth reading, or do something worth writing. Benjamin Franklin National Biographer's Day sounded rather interesting.  Even though it doesn't mention autobiographical form, by default it must be included, and it is upon this subject I wish to write.  Each one of us, myself included, is the author of the story of our life.  Every event which happens to us is the color and spice of our temperament and character make-up.  Our lives may seem boring, unexciting, or a failure, only to name a few adjectives we may use to describe our life.  However, God uses us in ways we could never imagine or dream.  In the movie Mr. Holland's Opus , the main character considers his life mis-spent and a failure, but it is quickly pointed out his life has not been lived in vain.  His impact on and time investment in the lives of those around him has achieved far greater riches than anything else ever could have. Mr. Holland had a profound i...

As a first baseman for the New York Yankees baseball team, Lou Gehrig played in 2,130 consecutive games from 1925 to 1939, setting a major league record and had a career batting average of .340. He once hit four home runs in a game. On July 4, 1939, he stood before 60,000 fans at Yankee Stadium and confirmed what everyone seemed to know, that the "Pride of the Yankees" had been dealt a terrible blow. He was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (now called Lou Gehrig's disease), a rare disease that causes spinal paralysis. Less than two years later, on June 2, 1941, he died in Riverdale, NY. Fans, for the past two weeks you have been reading about a bad break I got. Yet today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth. I have been in ballparks for seventeen years and have never received anything but kindness and encouragement from you fans. Look at these grand men. Which of you wouldn't consider it the highlight of his career to as...

The following is a poem written from Korea by my father while he was serving in the U.S. Army during the Korean War.  I found it a few years ago, but am only now posting an entry concerning its contents.  The poem is typed "As Is", so the grammatical and punctuation errors are intentional on my part.  Enjoy! A Prayer At Christmas (by Phillip Carter Schwab) It was Christmas eve, a few years ago, As I stood in a land of hill and snow. I was a soldier, and a watch I kept On my country's enemy who never slept. My body was tired, but my eyes were bright, Watching the hills to my left, to my right. The terrane was bare, nothing seemed alarming, And I prayed for a peaceful Christmas morning. My thoughts were of home, of Mother and Dad Of last Christmas' presents, the dinner we had; I thought of rotation, just sixty more days, "I'll be out of this Hell, or in my grave.". The machine gun was loaded, grenades were at hand. ...

Are you superstitious?  What does that mean anyway?  As defined in the dictionary, superstition is the belief in supernatural causality -- that one event causes another without any natural process linking the two events -- such as astrology and certain aspects linked to religion, like omens, witchcraft, and prophecies, that contradict natural.  (Wikipedia)  So where does Friday the 13th fit in to all this?  In the ancient world, the number twelve was considered the perfect number.  As a result, thirteen was considered lacking and unusual.  Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus, was the 13th guest at the Lord's Supper in the Upper Room.  Loki was the 13th guest at the party of the gods in Valhalla.  His presence upset the other twelve gods.  Many people, it may surprise you to discover, hold to the unluckiness of the number.  They often stay at home and dare not venture out in public.  Many refuse to travel, get married, or any num...

Mr. President, Mr. Speaker, and Distinguished Members of the Congress: I stand on this rostrum with a sense of deep humility and great pride -- humility in the wake of those great American architects of our history who have stood here before me; pride in the reflection that this forum of legislative debate represents human liberty in the purest form yet devised. Here are centered the hopes and aspirations and faith of the entire human race. I do not stand here as advocate for any partisan cause, for the issues are fundamental and reach quite beyond the realm of partisan consideration. They must be resolved on the highest plane of national interest if our course is to prove sound and our future protected. I trust, therefore, that you will do me the justice of receiving that which I have to say as solely expressing the considered viewpoint of a fellow American. I address you with neither rancor nor bitterness in the fading twilight of life, with but one purpose in...