Author: Ron Baker

In 1974 I was introduced to Sam Polson.  He was a buyer for an national clothes chain.

Sam’s mandate was to outfit a singing group called Sound Alliance.  He made sure that we had ties and wool suits of the highest quality.  He also had to show us a few tricks for tying ties.

When you crossver the two ends of the tie, you find the seam in the tie and start looping from there.  I can tie a tie in less than 20 seconds.  And it looks good first time around.

Many men struggle with ties.  They leave them knotted.  Watch the contortions that happen as they try to remove the tie without pulling their heads off!

If we could get past the actual tying of ties, we would soon see that they are a good thing!  Let’s bring back the tie — for the following reasons

• Keep your neck warm
• Cover your buttons
• Work as a napkin
• Provide clothing decor
• Work like duct tape to tie things together

Any other reasons?  Add your comments as we attempt to resurrect the proper place of the tie in our society!!

A local girl who has been living in Calgary, Sheri Verhaeghe (oops — van Runt) got married to Michael today!!

Last night I spent time thinking.

If fact, most of the night I was thinking.  Not much sleeping.

Our church had been given a new computer (OK, not quite new — but “new to us”).  The library is to be the beneficiary.  All fine and well.  But the disk had been wiped clean.  Windows needed to be installed.  My learning curvewas more like a vertical wall than a slight slope.

I “side by sided” this computer with another of my own.  I would switch back and forth parts to make sure all was running.  In the midst of this both computers quite.  That’s where I stood at close to midnight.  Or should I say lay.  I was in bed determined to sleep.

Worked for four hours.  Then I was up for my usual devotional time with God.  I laid it out to him — but still couldn’t sleep very well.  At 6:30 I was up and moving again.  By 8:00 I was off to a ministerial meeting with a diagnostic in my head.  Had to be the power supply or the motherboard.

I picked up another power supply — that wasn’t it!  But in playing I found that a hard drive I was using to do my testng seemed to have a short in it — or perhaps it was drawing too much power trying to turn the drive.  I dispensed with that drive and soon things were running.

Now it is almost 9:00 in the evening.  Both computers are running.  I trust my midnight sleep tonight will be a little more restful!!

Every few months our local Heritage Manor holds a memorial service.

Today is my first time.  The instructions were pretty vague.  “Just do what you feel is right.”

As a pastor, we encounter all sorts of situations — times when we are expected to know local traditions, possible approaches and who people are!

In this case, I do know a name or two on the list.  I also don’t know a few names.  So I plan on using this as not just a memorial to those passed away, but also an encouragement to those still alive.

In fact, the greater part of the service is for those who still remain.  They are the ones hearing what is said — dead people don’t talk or listen!