Ain't Complicated

Ooma & Clark Howard

Want free home phone service for life? Clark has a $200 device to tell you about that promises just that — with no monthly fees ever!

[…]

The Ooma device looks like a house intercom. You plug a cable for your Internet into it; you plug your traditional landline phone into it; and suddenly you have phone service! Ooma also has a built-in processor that supposedly makes the sound quality comparable to monopoly phone service.

Other Clark Howard gleanings:

(Thankfully, KeyCorp is among those Top Thirteen banks said to be healthy at this time.)

Blessed By

Special teddy bears blessed by church

A morning service last weekend at the First United Church of Christ in Hollywood took a cute and cuddly turn with a bunch of sweet-faced visitors staring back at worshipers from their place of honor next to the altar.

The batch of about 35 stuffed toy animals were warmly welcomed as special guests when the Rev. Jack Branford presided over the congregation’s annual Blessing of the Bears.

The critters received an inspirational send-off before going to their new home, into the arms of elderly residents at the Hollywood Hills Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center.

Blessed by Giving – Spiritually

Yet, it is a spiritual act that we perform in worship to God. When we give generously we are honoring His name, giving Him first place, and extending His Kingdom. Giving is grace.

Today, seek ways to be full of grace to others – find ways that you can give generously.

President’s Political Protector Is Ever Close at Hand

There are few words that come across the president’s lips that have not been blessed by Mr. Axelrod. He reviews every speech, studies every major policy position and works with Robert Gibbs, the White House press secretary, to prepare responses to the crisis of the day.

Honesty in Seeking God

I am blessed by the realization that God knows me as well as knowing about me. I am encouraged also by the assurance that He knows the course of my life even before I experience it. As Job put it, “He knoweth the way that I take” (Job 23:10).

Pastor to the deaf blessed by his calling

Armstrong officially kicked off his ministry on Sunday with a special event for deaf people in the congregation and other invited guests.

Executive Pastor James Scudder Jr. says Armstrong’s work is more significant than it looks.

“This is so much more than just providing sign language interpretation for the sermon,” he said. “David’s ministry works to keep the deaf fully included in the life of the church. They are part of our family, not a subgroup.”

So what have you been blessed by today?

Alternate question: Who has been blessed by you today?

Heads Up

So…what’s in the headlines this morning?

An Urgent Message from David Wilkerson

AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE – EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.

More Americans say they have no religion

A wide-ranging study on American religious life found that the Roman Catholic population has been shifting out o of the Northeast to the Southwest, the percentage of Christians in the nation has declined and more people say they have no religion at all.

Wikipedia scrubs Obama eligibility

Wikipedia, the online “free encyclopedia” mega-site written and edited entirely by its users, has been deleting within minutes any mention of eligibility issues surrounding Barack Obama’s presidency, with administrators kicking off anyone who writes about the subject….

World Bank offers dire forecast for world economy

In a bleaker assessment than those of most private forecasters, the World Bank predicted Sunday that the global economy would shrink in 2009 for the first time since World War II.

China’s Navy expansion “no threat to others”

China’s plans to add aircraft carriers to its fleet and an historic long-distance mission by its navy are aimed only at protecting the country and its trade interests….

“Iran crossed nuclear tech threshold”

In a chilling indication that Iran’s arms program is advancing steadily, Israel acknowledged for the first time that Teheran had mastered the technology to make a nuclear bomb on the same day that the Iranians announced they had successfully tested a new air-to-surface missile.

Syria: Peace With Israel Possible

Syria President Bashar al-Assad said in an interview published on Monday that a peace deal with Israel was possible but that normal relations would only be possible if Israel ended its conflict with the Palestinians.

There. I don’t know how long that took. But it was quite a while. It would have been faster, but I did it between other computer and online projects. It’s much more efficient for me that way.

Now, make it a good day.

Did I Hear That?

I was only half-attentive (no, maybe not even that much) to the news broadcast yammering forth from the radio. So I wasn’t sure that I’d heard clearly.

Well, the New York Times is reporting:

President Obama declared in an interview that the United States was not winning the war in Afghanistan….

In a 35-minute conversation with The New York Times aboard Air Force One on Friday, Mr. Obama reviewed the challenges to his young administration. The president said he could not assure Americans the economy would begin growing again this year. But he pledged that he would “get all the pillars in place for recovery this year” and urged Americans not to “stuff money in their mattresses.”

Is not winning the same as losing? Or does he mean it’s a stalemate?

About the pledged placed pillars — will the recovery be this year or just the placement of the pillars?

And about the mattressed money (or the moneyed mattresses) — I don’t my money in any mattress nor under it. We spend it. But what about those who actually have extra money? What should they do with it? More directly, do you keep your money close to your mattress?

Look, I’m not knocking the President, OK? 🙄

I’m just wondering.

That’s a Camel’s Nose!

Socialized and nationalized under the radar screen:

If I told you that there’s someone in my very middle-class neighborhood who, rather than being upset with the high-speed re-direction of our culture toward a socialist mindset, is ready to pour billions of additional dollars into completing that transition, would it bother you?

What if I said that there’s someone just like that in your neighborhood as well? And someone with identical intentions in every neighborhood in America?

You know, if you’re a regular reader of my columns, that I don’t truck in conspiracy theories. So I’m not here to tell you some dark and scary secrets. I will argue, on the other hand, how frightening it is that something can be so very out in the open and still escape our attention. And then I want to propose something of an answer.

The sinister influence is…

He makes a very good point.

Like frogs, we easily boil slowly. But we object to boiling too fast.

Oh…and what do you think I mean with this post’s title?

The Beatles and Focus on the Family

From the Lighthouse:

According to the article below, the two remaining Beatles (the musical group from the 60s) will be teaching children around the world to meditate. But they aren’t the only ones who are putting kids in touch with their higher, mystical selves. From AWANA clubs, to Focus on the Family’s Odyssey to Eugene Peterson’s Message Bible for Kids to Rob Bell’s Nooma films in the Christian schools, Christian leaders and teachers are bringing kids to the contemplative, mystical waters as well. Please see our links below.

So there you are.

Repeat Customer

As I scanned the email orders, my scan jolted to a stop. The email address was familiar. So was the last name. I opened the order and confirmed it is the same person.

Last year the customer ordered and paid for 24 CDs.

After a series of emails and phone calls, the customer ended up with 12 duplicate CDs from us.

And I ended up convinced we’d been lied to and defrauded.

By someone claiming to be “Reverend.”

Now we have another order.

And the payment for it.

I’m planning to refund the payment and cancel the order, explaining that I just can’t take the risk.

What would you do with the rev’s order?

Would you do further business with her?