“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin doing.” — Walt Disney

Hello and welcome. It is Tuesday, October 20, 2020. We should have a really great day here with all the knock, knock, knocking that will be going on. The roofing contractor folks will get started removing the old roof and replacing it with a new roof around 7 a.m. Mr. Bentley already has issues when he hears someone knocking on a television program. He typically gets himself all stirred up and runs to the back door doing his best impression of a big dog barking. I may have to get him some earplugs for the roofing project. They promise they will be done and out of here by early evening. One day turnaround. We will see how it goes. This may be the 4th roof we've installed since moving into this ole house back in the summer of 1984. Or, maybe the 3rd. Not really sure. We do know the hail damaged one being replaced now was installed after Hurricane Ike which hit in September of 2008. I think the insurance guy calculated it to be 11 years old. The Stuart Hamblen classic song, 'This Ole House' says, "Ain't got time to fix the shingles" along with most of the other things in need of repair. The song depicts the ole house as a metaphor for the human body when the soul of the believer goes to "meet the saints". Rosemary Clooney put it at number one in 1954 on both the US and the UK charts. Does anyone believe a song like that could ever be at the top of the popular music charts in the days we are living in? 

The story behind the song goes like this. In 1949, Hamblen was supposedly out on a hunting expedition when he and his fellow hunter, actor John Wayne, came across a hut in the mountains. Inside was the body of a man, and the man's dog was still there, guarding the building. This inspired Hamblen to write "This Ole House". It typically is presented with a robust bass lead that fits the song so well. Just in case you haven't thought of it in a while, here are the lyrics:

This Ole House

This ole house once knew his children

This ole house once knew his wife

This ole house was home and comfort

As they fought the storms of life

This old house once rang with laughter

This old house heard many shouts

Now he trembles in the darkness

When the lightnin' walks about

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer)

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no more)

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the windowpane

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer

He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is a-gettin' shaky

This ole house is a-gettin' old

This ole house lets in the rain

This ole house lets in the cold

On his knees are a-gettin' chilly

But he feel no fear nor pain

'Cause he see an angel peekin'

Through a broken windowpane

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer)

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no more)

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the windowpane

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer

He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

This ole house is afraid of thunder

This ole house is afraid of storms

This ole house just groans and trembles

When the night wind flings its arms

This ole house is gettin' feeble

This old house is needin' paint

Just like him it's tuckered out

But he's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer)

(Ain't a-gonna need this house no more)

Ain't got time to fix the shingles

Ain't got time to fix the floor

Ain't got time to oil the hinges

Nor to mend the windowpane

Ain't a-gonna need this house no longer

He's a-gettin' ready to meet the saints

Probably one of the most vivid depictions of the body degrading over time is found in the writing of Solomon, Ecclesiastes Chapter 12 as rendered in The Living Bible version:

~ 1) Don’t let the excitement of being young cause you to forget about your Creator. Honor him in your youth before the evil years come—when you’ll no longer enjoy living. 2) It will be too late then to try to remember him when the sun and light and moon and stars are dim to your old eyes, and there is no silver lining left among your clouds. 3) For there will come a time when your limbs will tremble with age, your strong legs will become weak, and your teeth will be too few to do their work, and there will be blindness too. 4) Then let your lips be tightly closed while eating when your teeth are gone! And you will waken at dawn with the first note of the birds; but you yourself will be deaf and tuneless, with quavering voice. 5) You will be afraid of heights and of falling—a white-haired, withered old man, dragging himself along: without sexual desire, standing at death’s door, and nearing his everlasting home as the mourners go along the streets.

6) Yes, remember your Creator now while you are young—before the silver cord of life snaps and the gold bowl is broken; before the pitcher is broken at the fountain and the wheel is broken at the cistern; 7) then the dust returns to the earth as it was, and the spirit returns to God who gave it. 8) All is futile, says the Preacher; utterly futile.

9) But then, because the Preacher was wise, he went on teaching the people all he knew; and he collected proverbs and classified them. 10) For the Preacher was not only a wise man but a good teacher; he not only taught what he knew to the people, but taught them in an interesting manner. 11) The wise man’s words are like goads that spur to action. They nail down important truths. Students are wise who master what their teachers tell them.

12) But, my son, be warned: there is no end of opinions ready to be expressed. Studying them can go on forever and become very exhausting!

13) Here is my final conclusion: fear God and obey his commandments, for this is the entire duty of man. 14) For God will judge us for everything we do, including every hidden thing, good or bad. ~

Many of us can identify with the ole house we are living in. May God bless each one is my prayer. Amen. More later.