a sumary

I call myself a Teaching Learner.

I am retired at 67 years old. 

I invest most of my time online researching, writing, and sharing.

For years I have been researching, planning, and preparing for an online ministry named Let's Pray Better.

I have been an agnostic, Then came alcohol, drugs, and rehab.

I have moved around much and I have been a member of all kinds of churches of about a dozen denominations. 

I have been the only white member of a black church in Houston and in a small town south of Dallas.

I feel deeply disappointed that local churches, Bible Colleges, and seminaries do not teach even the basics of prayer. Yet in reality that is what people need every day.

I have prayed hundreds of times Lord teach me to pray. He has and I have a long way to go.

Pray for me to help others get biblical messages and pray better about racial reconciliation

I have had trouble sleeping lately. This is rare for me. The matters in the news have disturbed me far more than ever before.

My consumption of ice cream had been a few times a week. And it is up to daily as my go-to comfort food.

I seek to find ways to be a part of the solution instead of worrying about all the complex problems. 

I cannot control other people but I can use my time to serve others.

I have been doing hours of online research about racial reconciliation. I have located some books, podcasts, articles, and sermons. 

Besides links to resources, I want to share simple guidelines for intercessors during this critical season. Some examples include meaningful police department policy reforms, powerful sermons on repentance, and lasting friendships between Christian leaders of all races. 

I will put these into a document that I will share with some of my contacts soon.

When I am asked if I have a prayer request I instantly say that I want wisdom. The book of Proverbs says that wisdom is the best thing to want. And James 1:5 says that God will gladly give wisdom when asked. I notice that the context of that promise is during times of difficulty. 

So I request prayers for wisdom from God in how I can gracefully respond to the news so that I am guided by God to be part of the solution instead of stewing on the problems. 

Shalom

John S. Oliver

Some things do not change

We find ourselves in this ongoing shutdown. Much has changed in recent months and much will change in the future. 

There is far more uncertainty than ever before. 

But we can know that God does not change and the Word of God does not change.

Then providentially I came across a 1-page document in my files that is 26 years old. 

MANY things have changed in my life and in the world around me since 1994.

BUT the simple message of this attached document has not changed.

That is a helpful reminder for me during these turbulent times. 

Here is some context to appreciate why I feel that this document is so important. 

Most of the people I know are married with children and some with grandchildren and a few with great-grandchildren. Therefore their time, attention, and affection have been focused on the family. 

However, I am single and I was never married. 

Back on January 16, 1977, I was born again. God had delivered me from alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and promiscuity. 

During 1977 I felt the call of God on my life and I responded positively. I have wanted to serve the Lord with all my heart, soul, and life. 

I have been earnestly seeking the Lord Jesus Christ for guidance during these decades. Is guidance for me has pointed to adult education with an emphasis on equipping and empowering leaders. I have wanted to harness the latest communication technologies using synergistic systems. 

Over the years the name in my heart, mind, and files changed as indicated at the end of the attached document. The current name in my files is Our Stewardship Communities. 

I believe that what is tragically missing in our consumer society is a need to look beyond our selfish needs and wants. We all need to live for a higher purpose. There is a simple universal purpose for all humans that I can advocate and educate. The core concept is stewardship. So the names of the ministry often had the term stewardship.

If we consistently improve the stewardship of our time, talents, and treasures (meaning things and money) then we will not be stuck on the treadmill of the Rat Race. That stuckness leads to boredom, laziness, depression, numbness, binge-watching, excessive entertainment, eating disorders, alcoholism, drug addiction, and more. 

God has graciously given each of us the gifts of several talents to be discovered and developed over the course of a lifetime. For these talents to grow and bear fruit then each person needs to find ways to benefit others. Thus we are all enriched. 

Along the journey of discovering and developing talents at each season of life the individual is challenged, stretched, and grows. This leads to a more meaningful and satisfying life. Talents can be used for career, family life, and Christian service.

We live in an age where there are continual advancements of technologies that result in innovations of products and services. So in order to keep up as a parent, employee, and online participant it is essential to be continually learning. 

There are various books, websites and online courses to help. But those are scattered and costly. I seek to invest the next ten years of my life to work with volunteers and paid staff to summarize, simplify, and synergize the basic practical lessons. These include Christian and secular subjects. Plus to offer mutually supportive and interactive online communities. I want the leadership to be collaborative and cooperative so that those who use the services are self-governing. Thus the name is Our Stewardship Communities.  

Before today I had shared this document with only 3 of my closest friends. But I feel that this is the time to share with more and request your best prayers.

Shalom

John

MARKER - My Current Conditions June 1 2020

Bob

The weather is mild considering the calendar. It has been 86 to 68.

I use this weather app to notice weather predictions for the next 10 days.

Here is the link for Ennis Texas.

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/tx/ennis/75119?cm_ven=localwx_10day 

Here is the link for Plamer Alaska 

https://www.wunderground.com/forecast/us/ak/palmer

You can use this site for up to the minute reports with details of weather from amateur stations. 

I met the man that started and maintains that site. He lives near here.

When there is a major weather activity in the area I go to the National Weather Service site for DFW and then put it on composite loop https://radar.weather.gov/radar.php?rid=FWS&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes

I think this is the link for your area.

 https://radar.weather.gov/ridge/radar.php?rid=AHG&product=NCR&overlay=11101111&loop=yes 

Before the Internet, I spent as many waking hours in public or collegiate libraries as my small cash flow could afford. 

I moved near DTS because that was my favorite place to go to study. The atmosphere was the best. Then I wandered down to the Media Center where I met you. That stairwell by the magazines was not labeled and it held a mystery. 

My curiosity paid off. Working for you and Michelle was the best job of my life.

Have you heard from Michelle?

I always wanted to work the late shift. Before working there I was often one of the last people out of a library. 

Before working at DTS I worked at a Chevron gas station third shift from 10 PM to 630 AM for 5 years.

Currently, I go to bed between 3 to 7 AM depending on when I feel sleepy. Then I sleep until I want to wake up. Plus I take a nap each day.

Also, I eat as much as I want when I want. It is healthy food. I do not eat much.

Before the shutdown when I went out to eat I almost always brought home half the food that had been served to me. 

I easily keep to intermittent fasting by doing almost all my eating between 1 and 9 PM.

Here is a great video on intermittent fasting.

Intermittent Fasting Basics for Beginners

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dHcT1-K-tw  

 I walk around the property twice a day in the early and late afternoons for 20 to 40 minutes. I stop when I feel tired each time. 

Even when I went to the libraries from 1980 to 2000 often I would check out MANY books. And NONE of those were fiction. I rarely read the whole book. I read the key parts that interested me.

I was given a glider, that is like a rocking chair, when I first noted here. It has been my reading chair. It faces the courtyard with 2 bird feeders. I keep my blank journals there and a notebook to write my prayers. Also, there are 7 books there to be read SOMEDAY. Mostly they collect dust. 

It takes an effort for me to read these days.

I am on a Zoom meeting with a few men from our church weekly. Every other week we discuss a chapter from The Divine Conspiracy by Dallas Willard. We have only done chapter 1. I found that to be a very difficult reading. It was tough to keep up with his train of thought. I marked up this book like I do all books I own. Going forward I will get the audio version so that I can read along as the audio version speaks. 

These days when I get to a long PDF or online article I use the Natural Reader app in Chrome https://www.naturalreaders.com/chrome_ext.html to read it to me.

I also use this app to proofread my articles and long emails like this one. I catch and correct tiny errors. 

Twice a week I join a Zoom call of church members at noon for lunch and talk for an hour. I mentioned that I like the Harry Potter movies and asked how they were different from the books. I got my answer. And shortly after that, a person gave me the first book. I have difficulty reading one chapter per week. The last fiction book I read was decades ago. And there were few in my whole life. The ones I recall fondly are Hinds Feet on High Places and Pilgrims Progress. 

Mostly what fills my hours are educational videos on Youtube and videos on Netflix, Prime and Equus Film Channel https://filmfestivalflix.com/festival/equus/

Lately, I have gotten sick and tired of excessive violence in movies. I am OK with a little violence that is needed for the plot or characters. But often the fight scenes are excessive. 

The appealing alternatives for me include Nature, Biography, and Documentary, 

Lately, I have taken a deep fascination for Equine Therapy. Horses are used in the recovery of veterans with PTSD, at-risk teens, and children with special needs. 

I will write more about that soon.

To round out my week I am on a Zoom call most weekday evenings that is part of 12 step recovery for Workaholics Anonymous http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/ 

I Chair the group on Thursdays and Fridays. 

The Thursday call revolves around the application of the Serenity Prayer and the classic slogans. Those have helped me for 30 years. 

The Friday call revolves around the application of the Tools and Principles of Workaholics Anonymous http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/pdf_files/toolsandprinciples.pdf 

The Serenity Prayer has been used by God thousands of times to keep me from being anxious about things I cannot change and focus on what I can change. 

God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

The courage to change the things I can

And the wisdom to know the difference.

These are the classic slogans in my opinion

Keep It Simple

First Things First

Live and Let Live

Let Go and Let God

Easy Does It

One Day At a Time

Progress, not perfection

HALT = don't get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, Tired 

(monitor and address to prevent acting out)

Principles before personalities

This too will pass

We are only as sick as our secrets

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude 

I was sick and tired of being sick and tired

G.O.D. = Good Orderly Direction

These are the Tools and Principles

Tools - 

Listening, Prioritizing, Substituting, Underscheduling, Playing, Concentrating, Pacing, Relaxing, Accepting, Asking, Meetings. Telephoning, Balancing, Serving, and Living in the Now.

Principles - 

Abstinence, Sponsorship, Writing, Action Plan, Humor, Time Out, Nurturing, Literature, Anonymity, the Twelve Steps, and Meditation.

Abstinence in Workaholics Anonymous is done using bottom lines and top lines that I am just starting to apply.

http://www.workaholics-anonymous.org/pdf_files/ABSTINENCE.pdf

It seems to me that almost all Americans have a measure of workaholism due to the shared culture. This gets magnified during college and seminary. 

Lastly, as a stretch goal, I am going from 1 to 3 times a week at my art table. I need to get away from the computer. I need to use my hands to create for fun. I need to find play in my life. 

Shalom

John

Pray for my senior citizen neighbors

I live in an apartment complex with 64 units. Some have 2 bedrooms. So the total number of neighbors here is about 72,

Before the shutdown, we enjoyed gatherings in the clubhouse. This included each month 2 Bible studies, a pot luck lunch, and weekly BINGO games.

Those were suspended for 2 months and will restart in June.

At 67 years old I am one of the youngest persons here. Most are in their 70s, and 80s, with a few in their 90s. Most take medicine daily for their blood pressure, heart, kidneys, feet, etc.

Due to their age and medical conditions, they are vulnerable to covid-19. They know this because nearly all of them watch TV all day and all night. 

At the beginning of the shutdown, many neighbors wore facemasks. Then that decreased in recent weeks. We kept the social distance and there was no gathering in the clubhouse. 

What prompted me to write this is that a few days ago we had a pot luck lunch in the clubhouse. All neighbors were invited and 16 attended. t\These were the same ones that normally attended potluck lunches. There ware 3 men and 13 women. 

One person wore a facemask when she arrived and then took it off when noticing that no one else had one on.

Some but not all the seats were 6 feet apart.

All during the shutdown the family and friends of my neighbors have come to visit. Many of my neighbors have cars and have gone shopping. 

By contrast, my stepmother is in her late 80s. At the senior center where she lives, none of her neighbors were allowed to leave the property nor allowed to have any visitors. 

On the one hand, I am glad that millions of people are emerging from quarantine. This is needed for our shared economy. There are social and emotional benefits. 

On the other hand, while there has been controversy about the virus it is generally understood that senior citizens in general and especially those with medical challenges are the most vulnerable. 

Personally I am careful to wear a facemask when I go shopping. Each day I take the nutritional supplements that have been widely recommended to boost my immune system. That includes Zinc, vitamin D3, and vitamin C, 

I am not aware of any of my neighbors having had covid-19. Yet the indirect exposures increases as things open up more, people move around more, and people get laxer about preventative measures. 

I request your very best prayers for senior citizens in general and especially for my neighbors here in Ennis Texas at Oak Timbers apartments.

Only God can keep us safe from such an invisible threat.

Shalom

John

Fun learning for your children and you

Summer is here.

School is over for a while.

Children seek activities.

As a parent, you might point them to this Lumosity https://www.lumosity.com/en/

Then they can have fun as they learn.

As an adult, you might enjoy this too.

Most children like to play video games and here the games are designed to 

Lumoisity's  brain games

https://www.lumosity.com/en/brain-games/  

Science used at Lumosntiy

https://www.lumosity.com/en/science/  

Lumosity's short Youtube videos

https://www.youtube.com/user/lumosity/videos?view=0&sort=p&flow=grid  

Lumosity offers a family plan.

Lumosity offers a team plan so adults can compete.

.Here is a wonderful way to redeem the time during the shutdown.

If you know of other options like this for me to recommend to others then let me know.

Shalom

John

How I use questions

I have been part of a Zoom lunch gathering on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The same 5 people show up. Not much changes due to the shutdown. So conversations can get dull.

But this is where I have found that my natural ability to ask questions helps stimulate lively conversations.

Instead of just focusing on the recent personal stuff, I have asked about memories of favorite travels, books read, movies seen, languages learned, etc .

I feel genuinely curious about the experiences and insights of others. I like to hear their stories. As the group is sparking off one another I keep at the ready other related questions to keep up the momentum as needed.

These days the best ice breaker question for a stranger is just to say, Tell me about yourself. Some people instantly start sharing and others need more specific questions about hometown, childhood, education, profession, hobbies, etc. Again as they are talking I am getting ready with more questions to guide their sharing into directions that interest me. I also share about myself in ways that they can relate with when they have paused.