Many of you know that I’ve been trying to get back onto Social Security Disability since February 2013.  I’ve been denied twice, been in the court room twice…and still I wait for an answer.  Two days ago, I received letters back from Senators Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander.   I called upon them for any help they might be able to provide.  The SSA responded with two completely different answers.  To Mr. Alexander, they told him that SSA is waiting on more information.  An outright lie.  To Mr. Corker, they told him a decision was being rendered and would be delivered in the near future.  My attorneys, well…they told me it can take six months to get a simple written decision in the mail.  Oh, btw, the judge told me it would take her 30 to 60 days to get that written decision to me.

Now here’s where I’m confused.  Heather and I have been praying for an answer in regards to this mess.  What on Earth is God telling me?

Needless to say, the details here are just a small chip off a huge pile of dung.  I can’t type fast enough to lay out all the details.  Do I “deserve” disability?  Maybe not.  Maybe I am still capable of working.  I mean, I only have a few ailments and no immune system.  Nothing big ya know.  In fact, I gave up my disability to try and work again.  I felt like a leech and thought I could still contribute to the workforce.  After being terminated for “absenteeism” due to illnesses at least 8 to 10 times…Heather convinced me I should reapply.  Heather and my friends and family convinced me that’s what SSA is there for…people like me who can’t work anymore due to disabling situations.  I know at this point…my brain is completely disabled.  I simply can’t comprehend why my case is so difficult to define.  Every one of my medical and mental professionals are simply in awe of the fact that I’m “not” receiving disability services.

Me, this entire situation is taking its toll on me.  I’m not the most stable minded person these days and each letter I receive does nothing but drive me deeper into a pit of despair.  Worry is a sin…my faith is supposed to rest upon God.  I’m supposed to have faith that God “will” provide for me.  When I get to Heaven, I want to compare God’s watch and my simple Timex.  It’s quite clear in many of our lives that God’s time is never quite inline with our time.

An admission of old age…I lose my phone and sometimes I can’t hear it ring.  So…I set it up to flash (using the camera’s LED flash) and buzz when someone calls.  Quick note…that doesn’t mean I’m actually going to answer it.  We also have a mount for the phone that lets us use it as our GPS unit when we travel to see friends.  Yes, we know how to get there…it’s just nice to know about upcoming traffic and such.

On the way home from an appointment the other day, the phone was mounted in the dash mount as I made my way home.  I had forgotten that the flash feature was still turned on.  It was quite interesting to watch the cars move away from my white Kia Optima when I received a call from friend.  That’s one seriously bright flash Apple put in those phones…and they reflect quite nicely across the windshield of your car.  If you ever wondered.

So folks, we’ve eaten tons of food, watched all the ball games, and visited with all our family and friends.  Did you (or someone else) say a prayer at the dinner table before you dug in face first into the many magnificent meals served across this nation (and all around the world)?  Did you give thanks for the blessings you’ve received throughout the year that allowed those meals to even exist?

Something I really want to know, if/when you were saying a prayer…in front of all those friends and family…did you do it boldly?  Did you mention the name of the Lord in those prayers of thanksgiving?  Did you feel embarrassed t0 mention God in your prayers or did you do so without hesitation?  If you had reservations, why so?

The day is coming soon…when we all will stand before God with Jesus as our witness.  Will Jesus say, “I know this man and he is mine.”  Or will Jesus say, “I don’t know who this man is…remove him from my presence”?

I gave thanks to my Creator on Thursday…I gave thanks today…and I’ll give thanks for the rest of my days.  Even in my current state…I will give thanks.

What’s your plan?

She would be 72 yrs old today.  She gave birth to four children and did her best to raise them in the little time she had here on earth.

Annie DeLois Noe-Turner
November 22, 1945 - March 4, 1982

An odd bit of trivia, John F. Kennedy was assassinated on her birthday in 1963.
Happy Birthday.  We hope to see you again sometime soon.

So, a few weeks back Heather was driving my Kia and took on a pothole.  Well, the pothole won.  Slow leak and $30 repair bill.

It’s a given that when the weather changes, you can expect your tires to lose a little air, too.  Heather’s Hyundai is making a fuss about its rear driver side tire.  We have one of these all-in-one roadside emergency units.  It has a jump-start feature, air compressor, lights (clear and flashing).  It even has USB ports to charge things like your phone.  Today, I walked around the car first to try and guess which tire the TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system) was complaining about…the rear driver side looked lower than the rest.  Checking the tire for pressure showed it at 27 psi instead of the normal 32 psi.  So, I hook up the air compressor and engage the “wait forever pose” against the side of the car.  Every now and then I’d look down to see where the gauge had moved to…its over 5 minutes and no movement.  Uh, how is that possible?  So, I reseat the hose and go for attempt number two.  Strike a pose…vogue.  No movement…again.  You’ve got to be kidding me…how is this possible?  So, reseat the hose got the third time making sure it’s pressed onto the valve stem as tight and low as possible.  Power up!  After about two minutes the compressor changes tone.  Uh, oh…what’s broke?  Nothing actually…we’re inflating now.  WOO HOO! So, I’ve seated and removed the hose three times now…the compressor gets the tire back up to around 27 psi…and dies.

Yes, it’s rechargeable battery is toast and I’m right back where I started.  Now tell me life isn’t the greatest comedian.