HIGHLIGHTS AND FEATURES
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INSIDE:
 EYEWITLESS NEWS
 Amigos® ANTICS
THURSDAY is (almost always) AMIGODAY
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 MISSPELLED WURDS
 DANGLING PARTICIPLES
 SPLIT INFINITIVES
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church
JOURNAL
104 South Village Ave. Lionville, PA 19341 610-363 6264
Editor: Email…donmullings@hotmail.com
The Newsletter of St.Paul’s
Property Committee
John Ward Chairman
Don Mullings, Editor
Amigos...whoever shows up
February 7, 2016
Sometimes weekly, often late, but always…full of it.
Volume XXI , Issue 6 Fiscal Week 06
The purpose of this paper is to help folks understand what it takes to keep our Church buildings and grounds in service; to let you
know what’s happening and why, (if we can find out for you, which is sometimes like pulling teeth, or your leg, on occasion). As a
matter of policy, the word "work" is forbidden on these pages, being replaced with "fun" or "joy", which mostly it is.
JOY IN DOING The young women in the photo at right
really are enjoying themselves. Measuring
out meals to be sent to faraway foreign lands,
along with a social hall full of friends having
the same goal, they seem totally engrossed in
the task. There is, in fact, a sort of radiating
joy in the whole scene.**
The Amigos who serve every week get
the same sort of boost from association with
each other and the sense of "I did that"
accomplishment after the tasks are done.
Getting involved in church activity of
any kind returns so much satisfaction that I
often wonder if many folks aren't missing
out on what can be one of the happiest sides
of coming to church… involvement!
Aside from worship services, and
sitting in the pews every Sunday, there is so
much more to church life that can be fun and enjoyable. Find your niche, and participate.
If you don't see your niche, start your own! You'd be surprised at how many folks would share
your interests… Sketching/Painting Club?, Photo Club?, Antique restorers?, Gardeners group? … You
start it… we'll help! Don't wait for "someone else". Set up your first meeting –Tag…you're it!!
** perhaps that’s why the acronym spells SHINE
"Action may not always bring happiness; but there is no happiness without action."
Benjamin Disraeli
VISIT OUR WEB PAGE <http://www.stpaulslionville.org>
PROPERTY JOURNAL 3/8/2016 PAGE 2
AMIGOS! ANTICS…02 04 16
John Ward, Carol Vreim, Jim McIlvaine, Kirk Berger, Linda and Dan Dierksheide,
John Bousum, Chris Frost, Joey Clark, and Don Mullings.
Weather: 39F rising to 48F, some wind, high clouds.
PROJECTS:
Due to weather related reasons, we again
decided to defer some of our more ambitious
projects (a revamp of our landscape machinery
storage room, et al) to a time when weather and
available talent could really do it well.
For now, we really dug in, and hit the small …
STUFF:
Last week’s Congregational meeting revealed
(again) that our round dining tables are aging,
most need some fixin’, and perhaps we should
replace rather than repair at least a few of these
this year.
However, Dan, Chris, Joey, et al un-bent
underpinning braces, replaced rivets with
screws/washers/nuts, and got three tables back
into usable condition.
John B and Kirk cleared many downspouts
and eave gutters that were clogged after last weeks
storm. ….There’s John on the ladder.
Don and Jim M found an elusive 12 ft ladder
and returned it to the ramp storage shed.
Linda decided to clean the parsonage thirdfloor staircase, which was littered with debris from
at least the last three Troupe productions. John B
helped with this.
Linda updated the mail slot names (to
correspond with the new council members) in the
busy corner near the main stairwell.
Chris and Joey discovered that all our light
bulbs were okay again this week.
Carol Swept walks, picked up trash/ leaves
that revealed themselves in recent snow melt.
Jim M and Don re-tooled a tool box with new
screwdrivers, wrenches, utility knife, etc. , then put
it back in the second floor electrical supply closet.
There were several water puddles on our
Amigo shop floor… a result of aforementioned
downspout leaks. We left a pair of fans running
to dry it up.
Everywhere I go I'm asked if I think the university stifles writers.
My opinion is that they don't stifle enough of them. -- Flannery O'Connor, writer
PROPERTY JOURNAL 3/8/2016 PAGE 3
A RETIREE'S LAST TRIP TO COSTCO
Yesterday I was at Costco buying a large bag of
Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Necco, the
Wonder Dog, which weighs 191 lbs. I was in the
check-out line when a woman behind me
asked if I had a dog. (What did she think
I had.. an elephant?)
So, because I'm retired and have little
to do, on impulse I told her that no, I
didn't have a dog, I was starting the
Purina Diet again.
I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended
up in the hospital last time, but that I'd lost 50
pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward
with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs
in both arms.
I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and
that the way that it works is, to load your jacket
pockets with Purina Nuggets and simply eat one or
two every time you feel hungry. The food is
nutritionally complete, so it works well and I was
going to try it again. (Now I have to mention
here that practically everyone in line was now
enthralled with my story.)
Horrified, she asked if I ended up in
intensive care because the dog food poisoned
me.
I told her no, that I’d stopped to Pee on a Fire
Hydrant and a car hit me.
I thought the guy behind her was laughing so hard
going to have a heart attack.
Costco won't let me shop there anymore.
Better be careful what you ask retired people.
They have all the time in the world to think of crazy
things to say.
Sent in by John Bennett
HE ALWAYS SEES HIS SHADOW
Three Lutherans died and found themselves
standing before St. Peter. He told them that before
they could enter the Kingdom, they had to tell him
what Easter was. The first said, "Easter is a holiday
where they have a big feast and we give thanks and
eat turkey." St. Peter said, "Noooooo," and he
banished him to hell.
The second said, "Easter is when we
celebrate Jesus' birth and exchange gifts."
St. Peter said, "Nooo," and he banished him
to hell.
The third said he knew what Easter is,
and St. Peter said, "So…tell me."
He said," Easter is a Christian holiday that
coincides with the Jewish festival of Passover.
Jesus was having Passover feast with His disciples
when he was betrayed by Judas, and the Romans
arrested him. The Romans hung Him on the cross
and eventually He died. Then they buried Him in
a tomb behind a very large boulder.....
St. Peter said, "Verrry good."
But then the guy continued, "Now every year
they roll away the boulder and Jesus comes out.
If He sees his shadow, He goes back in, and we
have six more weeks of basketball."
…..St. Peter fainted.
Sent in by Tom Hartman
RED AND ROVER by Brian Bassett
PROPERTY JOURNAL 3/8/2016 PAGE 4
ALL USED UP
A well-known surgeon was attending a
dinner party and watched the host adroitly
carve and slice the large turkey for his guests.
When he finished slicing, the host asked,
“How did I do, Doc? I think I’d make a pretty
good surgeon, don’t you?”
“Perhaps,” said the physician. “But anyone
can take them apart. Now let’s see if you can put
it back together again….live”
Like surgery, some tasks require special
talent, skill or training. There are those who
have what it takes to work in an operating room.
Others have the kind of aptitude needed to
teach a class or repair an automobile, and still
others can cook a delicious meal, play a musical
instrument well enough that folks want to listen
or solve difficult mathematical problems. Some
people have a natural ability to relate to others,
some people are imaginative problem-solvers,
some people can organize almost anything and
others possess the gift of empathy. I have yet to
meet anyone who does not exhibit a unique
talent or ability.
But Spanish cellist Pablo Casals said it well:
“Don’t be vain because you happen to have
talent. You are not responsible for that; it was
not of your doing. What you do with your talent
is what matters.”
And what's the best thing to do with talent
and ability? Use it. Use it generously – even
extravagantly. And use it for good.
Erma Bombeck was known for her
humorous journalism. But she frequently
seasoned her writing with pinches of wisdom.
At the end of a newspaper column on March 10,
1987, Bombeck wrote these words:
“I always had a dream that when I am
asked to give an accounting of my life to a
higher court, it will go like this: ‘So, empty
your pockets. What have you got left of your
life? … any dreams that were unfulfilled?
…any unused talent that we gave you when
you were born that you still have left?… any
unsaid compliments or bits of love that you
haven’t spread around?
“And I will answer, ‘I’ve nothing to return. I
spent everything you gave me. I’m as naked as
the day I was born.’”
She would agree that what we do with what
we're given is what matters.
My question is this: what would you find if
you emptied your pockets today?… Any unused
talent? Is there anything inside that should be
spent, shared or given away? When it comes to
your time and resources are you living a life of
extravagant generosity?
I'm going to mentally empty my pockets
tonight at bedtime and see if I've been holding
back. I think that's important. I want to make
sure there is nothing left at the end of the day
that could have been used. And then tomorrow
I'll see what I can use up.
I can hardly think of a more worthwhile and
joyous way to live.

Steve Goodier
In Memoriam:
This past week, one of my oldest and best friends passed. John W. Irwin shared a birthday with me,
(exactly a year older) and more than 25 years as a co-worker in Engineering at GE Trenton.
John was a frequent contributor of items to the “Journal”. We will miss John’s great sense of
humor, and his forever lasting friendship. Don.
The Lord bless thee and keep thee…
The Lord make His face to shine upon thee and be gracious unto thee,
The Lord lift up his countenance upon thee and… give… thee… Peace.