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Chip Shots from the Ruff of Life
by Tom Kelley
Wednesday was a difficult day for me in trying to get my column out to you good folks. Unbeknownst to me the local cable TV company began early to do a job and accidentally cut into the phone lines that service our neighborhood. I did not realize it that morning as I just credited it to another of many malfunctions with the ISP I have. It was not until later that day that I tried to get online that I noticed we had a little problem. The software was telling me that it was dialing the number but nothing was happening.
I felt a little Buck Owens and Roy Clark on Hee Haw, except they were pickin' but I wasn't grinnin'. That was when I hit "cancel" and tried my phone. I pressed the "Talk" button and got nothing. I truly felt Like Simon and Garfunkle all wrapped up in the "Sounds of Silence." I grabbed my cell phone and called my next door neighbors, Brad and Rene Callahan, whom I knew had an answering machine. The phone just kept right on ringing. I thought that they may have the answering machine off. So I switched to plan B.
I went two doors down and asked the neighbors there if they had phone service. They said they did, but the only phones they have are cell phones. That was no help. I spotted a couple of other neighbors and asked them about their phone service as well. Again, I was talking to exclusive cell phone users; no land line. About that time another neighbor had heard my questions and he told me about the cable company accidentally cutting the phone lines.
Later in the afternoon a Lexington minister called me to apologize for not answering an email sooner and to express concern that his response that day came back as undeliverable. I explained to him about eh problems we were having due to a cut line. I found it rather ironic that a company that specializes in communications (cable TV) could miss the location of a phone line that affected that many customers. While several hundred households were without phone/internet service, some lucky household got to see their afternoon soap operas.
So, how are the lines of communication between you and God? You know, your prayer life? How is it? Do you wonder if the line is open? "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." 1 John 5:14 God listens, but He longs to hear those who place trust in His will and desire to see it accomplished. That doesn't mean that you have to be a Christian for God to hear you, but be sure that your requests are His desires for you or He may turn a deaf ear your way.
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...He was the Minister of the Minorsville Christian Church located near Stamping Ground, KY.
...Becky and Tom have three children; John, single and in worship ministry in Nicholasville, Kentucky; Sean, married (Jennifer, elementary school teacher) with twins (Grace and Patrick, b.d. 10/31/04) and regional director of Papa John's Pizza in Central KY; Kara, married (Vince Taylor, prison guard) and working with Hospice East in Winchester, KY.
...Tom went to be with the Lord on November 13, 2009 after a lengthy battle with cancer. If you have been touched by Tom's writings please send an email to Tom's son at jkelley@catalystchristian.net
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