Birthday Letter to my dear sister Verla Louise Erb Hochstetler:
Dear Sis!
On the day of, available only for your reading by email, I was stricken by seeing Dec 17 in print as if I were Rip Van Winkle awakening from a 20 year nap when I opened the devotional Utmost upon arising this morning, after I had read your email from cousin Linda describing Arlene’s condition amidst the severity of your MN weather conditions.
Surely not again this year, I thought to myself, after forgetting your birthday last year! What’s the deal with me anyway? That indeed is simply the malfunctioning of my mind and its inability to distinguish timely facts from trivial personal self centered fiction, a sad commentary indeed. But definitely a more frequently observed reality as is continually documented by my loving but frustrated wife of soon 49 years, who is still waiting for me to really wake up and smell her roses, some in full bloom, others still budding.
I’ll not deny it. I am consumed. By much that are trivial pursuits, even for the guy with 3-4 3×5 cards stapled together clipped to a pen in my shirt pocket. I tried getting organized on my phone but it just never took for this old-schooler that hunts and pecks his messages likely infuriating my three sons who deftly type so swiftly and accurately with their thumbs. Not likely to happen with me anymore! Actually my techie adventure went on life support or hospice care when my eldest son Ben became my “techie advisor” as a young teen replacing both me and Bob Geiser, my Lotus programmer. Fleetingly and addictively during those simpler times, I never once realizing the magnitude of the all encompassing facets of the “descending (not necessarily an ascending) revolution that in 4 decades would devolve into today’s globalist narrative and agenda where by “2030 we would indeed own nothing and be happy,” presumably as we all are rehabbed into mindless robots while being “matrix-ingly pilled.”
In summary Sis, Alexander Graham Bell’s 1844 quote “What hath God wrought?” comes to mind after being the first message sent via his newly invented telegraph, and may I add, is still yet illuminating for us slow learners, the “wrought” part! For example, a few years later on the night of August 28, 1859 after two successive solar storms struck, numerous telegraph operators were able to operate without batteries for two hours. Fires even started in telegraph offices because of the Carrington Event (solar flare) caused by a major electro magnetic pulse (EMF). Google Carrington Event for details.
Understand the uniqueness of this telegraph message from the perspective as this, was I believe the first time in history man was able to communicate from two locations in real time. That was the humble beginning of the digital age which has now progressed with AI ( Artificial Intelligence) to unimaginable levels, one rather insignificant example being producing political and entertainment clones digitally that we viewers are unable to determine which is the real deal. Actually, such “science” launches a whole new dimension for Pilate’s question when pondering the fate of Jesus – “What is truth?” Regrettably, most earthlings, even some Christ-Follower’s, are still dodging that bullet having never recognized the question was even asked of them.
This media ignored extreme vulnerability from EMF’s today for our culture’s global electronic connectedness from today’s observable and either anticipated “maturing” of our solar system or by such as the globalist’s manipulations or intentional war, indeed elevates the above mentioned AG Bell’s quote and his prolific file of quotes, and especially so with what is now known in 2022 about EMF’s, to be a very interesting read for truth oriented inquiring minds in both “rubber on the road theological circles” or even the largely ignored, at least unguarded scientific reviews.
So Sis, what a bunny trail your birthday did elicit from your warped brother’s mind today! I do hope you’ll be spared many similar onslaughts from other friends and family today. Hopefully they’ll all be the more traditional encouragements and congratulations.
Happy 71st Birthday Sis! You are an amazing woman. Indeed a tribute to your mother’s perspective of life. God Bless.
Your brother merlin