Interesting Sabbath Day

I rolled out early this morning but as it turns out, not early enough.  Once I was up and showered I came down and began to practice the hymns I was to play at the Yountville SDA Church.  But I failed to keep an eye on the clock and when I checked it was already late to get on the road.  The trip was about 1 and 1/2 hours.  In my mind I had to arrive by 9:30 so I hit the road, was told by GPS that I needed to use a different route so I could arrive at 9:18.

So when I arrived and walked in I heard song service already happening and someone was doing a pretty good job of playing the piano.  So I sheepishly walked up to the front and sat down, Dolly smiled as she was leading the music.  Once she was through she sat down and asked what happened.  I told her in my mind I needed to arrive at 9:30, I had blown it.

I did end up playing for the worship hour and that went well.  The service was very interesting but in a way so sad.  The speaker, who was a guest today, preached a sermon about getting ready for the Lords return but unfortunately it was that old and very tired theology about "being ready", being perfect like Jesus was, Jesus was our example and He was perfect so we must be perfect as well before the Lord can come again.  Frankly I was amazed that anyone still was hanging on to this work your way into heaven gospel, where is the good news in that, since entrance into heaven requires perfect obedience from womb to tomb none of us will make it, that is unless we allow the good works, the perfect works of Jesus to cover us, that is the only way in, not what we do because it is always a mixed bag of best attempts and our own selfish desires, there is nothing we can do or say that will ever earn our entrance into Heaven, NOTHING.

It was sad to hear such debunked reasoning being preached with such fervor.  Sorry folks, that is a version of old time Adventism that we need to move on from.  Jesus is not waiting for a group of us to become perfect so He can come a second time.  He is patiently waiting for the Gospel, the good news about what He has done to reach the whole world and then He can come. 

It really was all I could do to sit still as tired old bromides were marched out over and over.  He was obviously a very dedicated guy and his wife did a great job of special music singing two songs but no one left with any hope at all, it was the type of sermon where you feel beat up afterwards, that you gotta try harder and you might just slip through the gates of heaven if you happened to look good that day.  I think of the clarity of John and Karen Cress when they weekly preached the real Gospel and warmed of spiritual malpractice by those who preach works and perfectionism.  Well it is alive and we heard it today.

Unfortunately the speaker read the entire sermon, I'm not even sure he wrote it and that would be even sadder if true.  When you preach tell me what you personally know about Jesus and His love, His forgiveness, His compassion.  Then I'll listen as its your personal testimony, it has life and power.
OK, off the soap box for now.
We had a lovely lunch at Olive Garden today, Dolly, Ken and I enjoyed soup, salad and for me some very good eggplant parm.  That rascal Ken grabbed the check and I could not wrestle it away from him, that dude is strong!  He is recovering from the broken hip so well and moves about very well now.

After lunch we drove to Benicia where Dolly knows just the right place to take a nice walk.  So we drove through the downtown district, found parking next to the water and walked and walked.  There were dozens of sail boats on the wide expanse of water and we heard a train in the distance on a track just above the water line but on the western side near Crockett.  It was a lovely day with wind and lots of sunshine.

So I send love to all,

Tim

Good evening

Finally home after a 6:30 inspection in the Oakland hills.  It was the only time the homeowner could see me, really nice townhome in an old Quarry along Freeway 580.  Before that I shot a couple photos in Alamo and before that I inspected a home in Brentwood, it was big and the weather was HOT.

Before that I went by the place where my bug is parked to pick up the key and the injector pump, could be worth $500 or so on craigs list or ebay.

Earlier today Marilyn left for Sac to spend time with her best friend Diane after we went to breakfast at the new Byron Inn.  Good food and not that expensive.

I'm heading to bed soon.  Tomorrow morning I have to leave about 7:30 to drive to Yountville SDA church.  I'll make every attempt to play for Song Service with Dolly leading out and then for church service as well.  I will be very relieved when it is over.  My right hand does not work that well anymore and it shows in the missed notes.  My prayer is that what I do will not detract from the music and the worship experience.

So wishing all of you a good weekend and a good holiday.

Love


Tim

Just working at it

Good evening,

After a great rest I rose to meet the day.  Had my first bottle of water before I left the bedroom and then came down.  Went right to work and later had a peach and multi grain bagel, so good.

I worked on setting up orders and writing up an appraisal.  Then at 12 I left for the Oakland Hills to do an appraisal.  What I found was nothing short of amazing.  As I started to measure the home I looked past the side and it seemed I was flying.  Spread out before me was the entire Bay area, three bridges, fog out over the ocean, the Bay Bridge clearly visible in the foreground.  What a view this property had. 

Turns out this home was one burned in the Oakland fire a few years ago.  It along with 3,000 other homes was destroyed.  Insurance rebuilt the home and its very nice and well kept.  Once I finished the inspection then I drove for the next hour over narrow single lane roads to locate the comparable sales.  Eventually I found them all. 

Ray texted me a request to pick up some auto parts at a place in San Leandro and using the GPS I found the warehouse, got the parts and headed home.  Finding I was hungry I had a burger (vegi) at Fuddruckers and then fought traffic the rest of the way home.  I filled with diesel and the result was just 35.4 mpg, very disappointing, seems the automatic transmission takes it toll on mileage but at this point its so nice to not have to shift.

Once I got home I was sitting in the recliner enjoying Hannity, suddenly there was a crash, the cats had somehow knocked their food and water onto the floor breaking the food dish in pieces and making a huge mess.  So that took a while and then Marilyn had some wonderful veges ready to eat.  It was a feast.

So thankful for very limited work and I'm praying hard that God can find work for Steve, some orders would sure help him out a lot.

Sending love to all,


Tim

Life has its surprise moments of joy

So I've arrived at a property in Alamo, located on a quiet court, level with guide Oak trees, colored concrete driveway, perfect landscaping, cute house and I start a conversation with the owner who walks around the perimeter with me as I measure and shoot exterior photos, as we arrive on the new back deck he mentions that he and his wife are relatively newly married having both lost spouses in the past years.  Further it comes out that his wife is Seventh-day Adventist and he is Roman Catholic. 

Once we chat a bit more we find out we have common friends in the Campbell SDA church.  What a shock, a nice surprise and it just made a pleasant experience even nicer.  That's what I mean, total surprising moments of joy.

I had a great nights sleep last night knowing I had orders, work to do and less pain in my right arm.

Pooka wanted to see the park and that was fun, today we met many different people enjoying the park.

Then it was breakfast with a biscuit like Rusketts from my childhood and some Wheaties over it with soy milk.  Great bowl of food and a single slice of bread with thin peanut butter and slices of tomatoes.  Polished off with a fresh peach from our neighborhood vendor.

Then it was time to start working and I waded through various tasks.  Soon it was 1:15 and time to pick up the girls.  They were on their best behavior this afternoon, Keanna worked hard to complete her homework and Kallie watched something on the ipad.

At 4 we went to McDonalds where they bought dinner and then I delivered them to their parents and I drove on to see a house in Alamo and then one in Pleasanton.  I finished the evening by stopping Tracy, picking up a hymnal from Sylvia so I can practice the hymns ahead of time before I get to Yountville church on Sabbath.

Now I'm home, tired and heading to bed.  There is plenty of work to do in the morning and I'm very thankful for the orders that have come in.  Sylvia was not at all surprised that I had work, she has this great belief system that just knows God will watch over His children.

Love to all,

Tim

Looking up

Well today has proved to be worthwhile but involved a lot of time behind the wheel.

When I woke this morning I had one request for an appraisal which is being seen at 5:30 tomorrow afternoon.  I also knew of a follow up final inspection in Morgan Hill which was over a hour away and paid a whopping $75.  I had also received a request to reinspect a property in Rio Vista where a new CO detector was installed.  Before I left this morning for Morgan Hill an agent called to ask if I would do an appraisal for a hard money lender, the home was in Antioch and of course I jumped at the chance.

So when I left with Marilyn riding along I first headed to the bank to make a deposit, then we drove to Morgan Hill and found the new home completed and very nice.  Then we drove from Morgan Hill to Rio Vista which proved to be a very long ride as traffic started to get bad along the way.  It all worked out and we made that inspection, an inspection that will pay $115.  Then we drove back to Antioch and inspected a beautiful single story home, one of the nicest I have ever seen, had dinner at UNO's which was very nearby and am now home.  While I was driving this afternoon a lady called who needed a historical appraisal for a home her mom owned before she died.  So I'll do that one tomorrow.  That was a referral from Dwight, a local accountant who frequently sends me work.

I have to say that I feel the two phoned appraisals came directly from our Lord.  How I appreciate the work, I just cannot fully say.

I am going ahead with playing the piano for Sabbath School and Church in the Yountville church this Sabbath.  Dolly has asked me to play since most of the musicians will be at the church campout over in Albion on the coast.  While I'm very nervous about playing I still see it as an opportunity to help out.  Dolly has even promised an Olive Garden lunch afterwards.

As you might imagine I am very tired this evening.  I had something wrong last night, had a fever and felt awful but this morning it had passed so I felt fine today, just tired.  The newer green beetle is running very nicely, I enjoyed not fighting the clutch today as I fought my way through traffic, the 6 speed automatic is a real joy but the mileage is not as good as the black beetle, oh well.

Sending love to all tonight,


Tim

Need work

Good evening,

Well the one order I had to inspect this evening at 7:30 got cancelled today, not sure why but not put on hold, just outright cancelled.  That was a hard blow.

This morning I took Pooka to the park, she loved it, then came back, had some breakfast and went out to cut up branches and stuff them into the green garbage can.  Got lots done and amazingly the arm that hurt so much last evening was rested and allowed me to work for about an hour, got about 1/3 of the branches broken up and stuffed into the can.  Accomplished something at least.

This afternoon after noting that the funds had arrived from my retirement account I drove to Livermore, gave them a new check written on the personal account and the car is now paid for.  Terrible timing as I'm facing no income shortly.  Today there was nearly $1000 in the mail which helps but the large reserves are nearly gone.  I'm praying every morning and during the day that God will help with orders for Steve and myself.  My contacts in the industry say everyone is in the same boat, no work and quiet desperation is setting in for many of us.

Last night the arm hurt so badly that I took a chance and went to the spa and allowed the warm water, about 94 to 96 degrees wash around it.  Then I went to bed early and enjoyed a new sleep by number setting that Donna had dialed in, 50 instead of the 35 I've used for years.  Well I had a super night, slept from 10 to nearly 7:45 and woke feeling rested and good.

So in a few minutes I'm heading back to the spa again and hope the warm water will once again do its thing for the arm.  Its not been too bad today but it does not like to be used like I'm using it now.

Can I ask that you join me in praying for work, How good it would be to pick up a few orders to keep the cash flowing this way.

This afternoon we went to Costco for cat food and then Ace for a new handle for the upstairs toilet.  It finally broke after all these years, they have the perfect replacement and they also filled my propane tank, ready for the next BBQ.  We had a $5 dollar off coupon that Marilyn had found so that helped.

This morning I heard a buzzing sound and it was Lois, she had borrowed a little electric boat with a remote control and was having a blast running it all over the lake, she loves toys and it was great fun to watch.

Sending love to all,

Tim

Not a good day

Hi
Well this has not been a barn burner.  I've developed a very painful right arm above the elbow, so bad that I'm pushing pain killers and I don't usually do that at all.

Its also been tough emotionally, it was tough to watch Jerry and Donna drive away to as they traveled to their home in Weed.  What an excellent time it has been to have them here, family times together are so special and they are both great human beings.

This morning we tried the Byron Inn located along the Byron Highway that leads to Tracy.  It has been closed for some time due to fire damage but is now open again.  The food was really good and the owner came by afterwards to chat, nice guy on a mission to do it right.

I've been very low emotionally most of the day, the car fiasco is tough to deal with.  In a couple days it will be paid for but I've had to self finance it with retirement funds, funds that become income as soon as they are pulled out of the account, sure I have 60 days to return them but right now with no work its unlikely I can find the money to return them and that's a bummer.  I'm still in shock that I've been unable to get credit for this relatively small amount but I've not tried to get credit for anything since well before Nan died and things have changed both in my attempt to get back on my feet after almost losing the house.  My credit was dinged pretty bad.

I've go to admit the feeling of being all alone with no one to turn to is pretty hard to take and I'm not feeling well either, add in no work or at least very little work and things have turned dismal, very dismal.  It is really hard to see how I come out of this without more bitterness toward life.

I try to help everyone I can, both clients and friends but perhaps this way of life is ill advised, maybe I just need to think about myself more and others less.  That goes against everything I believe it but at this point I have very little left to give.

Just sat in the spa and noticed it has sprung a leak again but oh the warm water did feel so good on my arm and the rest of me.  The stars were out bright and airplanes criss crossed the sky.

To love to all

Good night

Tim