Amtrak Bling Bling

Yesterday morning I rode Amtrak home from Baltimore. One of the staff on the train, a woman, was showing her pride in her employer with an impressive collection of Amtrak accessories. She was wearing a jewel (rhinestone?) encrusted Amtrak choker, a jewel encrusted Amtrak bracelet, a big Amtrak belt buckle, and jewel encrusted letter A earrings.

International Food Festival

If you've been reading my blog than you know that I like to eat. I've been making the rounds of church bazaars and festivals this fall to try out different ethnic foods. This Sunday, Oct. 30, Foundry United Methodist Church is holding it's International Food Festival to benefit the child development center. The festival runs from 12:30 to 2:00 in the Fellowship Hall. The cost is $12.00 for all you can eat. Food is prepared by the parents of the children enrolled in the child development center who come several different cultures.

Foundry United Methodist Church is located on the corner of 16th and P streets in Northwest Washington, D.C.

She would make an excellent chair of the Stewardship Committee

Today was pledge Sunday at church. While Rev. Snyder was preaching on the "Principles of Spiritual Giving" the woman sitting next to me, picked-up a pew bible and shared the following chapter and verse, saying "I don't know why they don't just read this during pledge drives":

Acts 4
32 Now the company of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common. 33 And with great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34 There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the proceeds of what was sold 35 and laid it at the apostles' feet; and distribution was made to each as any had need. 36 Thus Joseph who was surnamed by the apostles Barnabas (which means, Son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, 37 sold a field which belonged to him, and brought the money and laid it at the apostles' feet.

Acts 5
1 But a man named Anani'as with his wife Sapphi'ra sold a piece of property, 2 and with his wife's knowledge he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles' feet. 3 But Peter said, "Anani'as, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God." 5 When Anani'as heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. 6 The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him. 7 After an interval of about three hours his wife came in, not knowing what had happened. 8 And Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you sold the land for so much." And she said, "Yes, for so much." 9 But Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? Hark, the feet of those that have buried your husband are at the door, and they will carry you out." 10 Immediately she fell down at his feet and died.

P.S. 7/8/07 For the last year she's also been making an excellent girlfriend.

They Always Believed Me

Among the jobs I've held in my checkered past is interviewer conducting phone surveys for a political and market research firm. Occasionally as I was reading the introduction over the phone to a randomly dialed subject, the person would ask me, "is this a recording?"

I always answered yes.