Tag Archives: pastor

03

May. ’15

Grumpy People And Other Things

There is a saying, “you can please some of the people some of the time but not all the people all the time”. That is a very true statement, especially around Imperial Plaza. Almost daily I talk to people that complain about a vast array of things but most just want to hear themselves speak, I imagine. I try to avoid those I know will complain about everything under the sun and I name them “grumpy”. These people also do not participate in anything but have something to say about everything. A good example is of one woman that always complain about the lousy food served in the restaurant and when asked if she have eaten there lately and the answer is “I’ve been here three years and have eaten there once. I don’t want that garbage.” There are many like her and she and others should keep there mouths shut unless they are involved with whatever they are complaining about.

There is a change that I spoke abut once before. This man ran all of our activities and is back from being repositioned elsewhere. He should never have been situated elsewhere and all I have heard is that it is great he is back. In my opinion, that was a bad move to start with. Why move the best you have and the one that really love the job? I guess the administration had to learn from a bad mistake. I just hope it does not happen again. We did not suffer while he was gone because he still did the job plus his new job. I asked him once if he got double pay since he was doing two jobs. He just smiled and said “no”.

The church is coming along slowly but surely. We still need membership but we have a lady (Evangelist) that comes and is looking for a new home. She sings and have made a CD of which she sang a couple of songs at last Sunday and this Sunday’s services. Her voice reminds me of Mahalia Jackson which put me in awe. I hope she stays. I was praying for a musician and she was sent and I am eternally grateful. The Lord said that if you wanted or needed something, all that was required was to ask. I asked and the result was last Sunday’s service. I am grateful and I am a witness of God’s word and promise. Last Tuesday night’s Prayer Meeting yielded more of what the Pastor and myself have asked for. We must now do what we have to do to finish what God have started.

The weather have finally turned to the better (warm) and, guess what, I came down with a head cold. This is the first one in two or three years. I normally don’t get colds and it normally does not last long but I feel terrible until it’s gone. I’m trying for it to not slow me down because I must keep plowing on and just keep blowing my nose as I do. Keep God in your heart and mind and I’ll holler at you the next time.

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25

Apr. ’15

Communication

There is always something going on at Imperial Plaza. Sometimes it’s good things and then there are the behind the scenes bad things. It’s like the phrase from the Bible book of Revelations. Wars and rumors of war. From what I gather it all started when the person that volunteers to handle the packages for pick-up was asked who she worked for and she replied that she works for no one because she is a volunteer. That may be true, however, everyone work for someone. The question is what department and who is in charge of that department. Also, as far as handing out the packages that come in the mail and is too large for the small mail boxes, what department would that fall under?

Another thing….we now have, on the apartment cable system, channel 970 on which we can see the daily schedule of upcoming events, etc. It is in it’s infancy but should get better soon but I think I have a solution that will greatly improve the system and many other things here at Imperial Plaza. There should be a Communications Department. The department I am thinking of will handle the cctv, fliers, news, ads to radio, tv, and papers. The department should have at least two people (Mass Communication educated) because there will be more than enough work for the two. I know from experience that handling the daily routine of the input into the cctv takes a lot of energy and time to do it right as well as coordinating with the many individuals that have the needed information.

I can see the communications people having a desk with a computer unlike everyone else. This computer will also have graphics and formats that will expedite making the designs needed for the different publications that will go out on the cctv and all other print and video work. I can also see the constant changes that is inevitable in this type of work. There must be constant contact with the executive branch of the administration as well as the other departments in order to put out exactly what is desired to be released. A communications department is a very important arm of any large administration and I wonder if Imperial Plaza have one or is considering one?

Communication is very important for a church also. My Pastor want me to handle this and I am having a hard time getting started because I have a lot of other things that I am doing but, with God’s help, I will get it done. Most people really don’t realize how much work go into doing something like this. I have done this when I was in the military and when I was at the radio station at Virginia State University. The work at VSU wasn’t that hard because there were many people that could be called on and the equipment was at hand. There is no one to call on at the church and the equipment does not exist.

So you see, communications is needed in both places and that is only an example. These are only my thoughts, a couple of things that will hopefully get my mind in gear for a project I must complete. Wish me luck with this communication project and wish Imperial Plaza luck with whatever they are doing. Without a full-time communication department, they’ll need a lot of luck.

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12

Apr. ’15

Not Much To Be Said

Where should I start? I don’t know because not much have happened this week. My wife spent a week, with one of her daughters and two grand-daughters, in Puerto Rico. I stayed home although we talked each day. I enjoyed a nice easy, relaxing week although I missed her dearly. She bugs the hell out of me all the time but when she’s gone I really miss her.

Last Sunday, Easter, was a long and full day. It really started on Saturday when my Pastor, the other Minister at the church and I went to the Bishop’s church for a service that lasted longer than I anticipated. Although it was long, I really didn’t know that time was flying by and the food was excellent. I don’t know what it is about church food but it is always good. Maybe it’s because it’s in the house of God or the cooks are saints. I don’t know except that it’s good food that fills a deep hole in my stomach. Then on Sunday, after my church, we all went to another church. Good food again as well as the service. I finally got home during the late afternoon.

What do you think of the police shooting in South Carolina? What about the police assaulting a suspect in California Friday? This has been going on for more years than I can count. I’m a Black man that grew up knowing to be careful around the police. It was instilled in me when I was very young and I have, over the years, heard many, many tales about what happens if you are stopped by the police for any reason. I became a policeman and I have heard the derogatory comments made by my so-called brothers in uniform. I’ve seen the unnecessary rough treatment meted out by my so-called brothers in blue. I was written up once because I used caution and kindness instead of man-handling a suspect. It was said I was a danger to whomever was my partner. The way I saw it the suspect was compliant and was not creating any problems.

I agree that some people deserve rough treatment but not the overall majority. On the other hand, kids and older people today are rather arrogant and show no respect to the police officer or anyone else that have authority. I’m talking about when they are sober and it gets worst when they are intoxicated in any way. Look at that woman that left her car in the middle of the busy highway and started walking down the middle of the busy road. Sure she was drunk but, after she sobers, I bet she will get a lawyer and try to sue for some outlandish reason. There are lawyers that would sue their own mother if they could make a dollar or two. Don’t get me wrong, there are many more good lawyers than bad ones but the bad always float to the top and be seen by everyone, just like the bad cops. Keep watching the news. It’s not over yet and won’t be for a very long while.

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28

Mar. ’15

I’m A Deacon

It’s been a short time coming and I am both excited and humbled by it. The new Non-Denominational church that my son-in-law started in January has Ordained me as the Deacon. We only have eleven steady members, at this time, which mean the Pastor and I have some hard work to do but I am happy to be chosen for the job and will put everything I have into it. I don’t want to stifle my home life but incorporate it into the big picture. Unlike a well established church, that have been around for a while, that have it’s business well in hand and in an easy flowing mode, this is building from the ground up which means nothing is smoothly flowing or it is not flowing yet. With time and patience, things will come together as long as the Pastor and I keep everything in it’s proper order. With a membership increase, qualified people can be picked to handle duties that is taking the Pastor’s and my time in which we need to concentrate on some other important duties.

That is why I haven’t been writing in the past two weeks but I will try to write more. In that time I had a meeting with the head of Imperial Plaza. A lunch, to be precise, and I think it went well between us. I had nothing to report to her and, as I have said, I am in a wait and see mode. Most of the things I talked about earlier have either been cleared or cloaked in secrecy. I was just informed that there still are employees leaving. One or two, every now and then, but they are leaving. I am surprised, every time I go into the dining room, and only recognize one or two people out of the many that are there. There was a time I knew everyone there. I even see new faces as I walk along the hallways and grounds. The assistant activities director have been moved to another position but he is still doing the job because, I think, no one can do it and get it right like he does. To me, that was the dumbest move of all and the young man that took the job doesn’t know the job from a hole in the ground. I am still in a holding pattern, waiting to see what will happen, to see and hear the other shoe drop.

Warmer weather is almost here and I can then get back to my bike riding. I am too old and it’s too cool for me to get out there when I can just wait three or four more weeks for better weather. I know that most people was thinking I had given up bike riding but I am a fair weather biker, I am not like I used to be in my younger days and I am not a professional. However, I must first get myself tuned up and also, the first few rides, take it easy on short routes. If I don’t, I’ll be seeing a doctor and my wife and church don’t want that (should I say I don’t want to hear what they have to say?).

There are other things that have happened but I will get to that in another article. So much have happened and there is much, much more to do which mean I will change all of my on-line profiles from ‘retired’ back to ‘working’. Until the next time….’be kind to your neighbors because you’ll never know when you’ll need them’….also ‘ensure your words are soft and sweet because you’ll never know when you’ll have to eat them’. For years I used to say those words at the end of all of my radio programs and, if you think about it, the words are true. Bye-bye

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14

Jun. ’14

Longtime Friendship

I revel in the knowledge of knowing that this retirement is great and, so far I have led a wonderful and full life.  There is nothing to be ashamed of or, to put it another way, hang my head in shame and ask for forgiveness.  All of this was bought into the forefront when a person I have not seen nor heard from in the past thirty five years contacted me and we met Saturday.

We renewed our friendship and I met his wife.  Ricky worked for me in the Air Force, both in Germany and in North Dakota, and although I outranked him and he worked for me, we partied hard together.  I was surprised to learn he was a pastor now and is walking the straight and narrow but stranger things have happened.  Just to think I don’t drink anywhere close to what I used to drink, or cuss as much (it is almost non-existent now), or even go out like I used to.  Chalk it up to growing softly older or maturing enough to finally know that that was not the way to go or somehow live to a sweet old age.

I looked at Ricky and remembered the many good times we had together and, like I told his wife, I was the First Sergeant while in North Dakota and he spent more time at my house than I did (I was joking, of course, but he did spend a lot of time at my house).  Ricky was crazy enough to have been part of my K-9 outfit in Germany but he was security.  I was sent from K-9 to take over a portion of the security force and that is how we met and started partying together (in fact, I partied with most of my men).  The rest is HISTORY, a little alcohol clouded but a blast anyway.

We sat and talked, ate supper and talked, sat and talked again.  We reminisced a lot and still did not hit but the tip of the iceberg.  I will go to Charlottesville and have lunch with him very soon (just a short drive).  This just goes to show us that true friendship last forever.  Ricky Clatterbuck and I have proven that point.

Take care and, with school being out soon, be very, very careful.  FISHING this week (rain, rain go away) and I will write about it.

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