LIL' ALLEN Chapter 5

Confusing Emotions
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It was Monday and back to work.  Allen and Emma didn't meet for breakfast or lunch or for dinner.

The date on Saturday had turned their world into a kaleidoscope of thought.

The color, the shape of thinking was constantly changing so fast they couldn't focus on any one thing. 
 

Frustrated
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Emma was experiencing fluctuations in her emotions she had never felt before.  It was like what teenagers experience as they begin to develop in three areas all at once.

Allen decided he wasn't going to occupy his mind with anything pertaining to marriage but the more he resisted it the more it was on his mind.

He tried to close the subject by thinking,  “I'm too young to get married for I'm only twenty five. I should wait until I'm thirty five if ever.  But then I would have to marry someone around twenty for those my age would have been picked over a couple of times.”

He finally got his mind back on his business and then was called into his boss's office.

 

He was told they had to let one of the co-workers go because of..... he didn't finish what he was going to say but continued on saying, “They are considering you for her job and it would mean a raise in pay.”

Her job!  Allen wondered if it was Emma's job they were talking about.

Even though they were only causal friends he didn't want to take her job!

But as he thought about it he concluded if they fired her it wouldn't be her job, at least not any longer and him taking it wouldn't be hurting her.

Someone else will get the job if I don't take it, still I wouldn't want to take the position of my future wife. He then swallowed and said, "What am I talking about, I'm not going to marry her."

In all of his life he had never been so disorganized in his thinking.  It was her fault all about this marriage busines, for he wasn't interested in it.

He had some vacation time coming so he asked his boss if he could take it in the very near future.  His boss looked over the schedule, and said, “That would be alright, for there was only one other person who had also asked for time off.”  

Allen needed to get away from the office for a few days.  He had not been able to visit all of the D.C. sights even though he lived there.  Mostly it was because of the time factor, but now he could go to things like the memorials and Fords Theater and take the White House tour.

He started early the first day, and went to the shop where he usually went for breakfast and there he saw Emma.  He was trapped so he sat down with her.

They didn't talk, just ate their food.

When they were finished she said this was the first day of her two weeks vacation.  

She wanted to see some of the museums, monuments and the White House especially.

She wanted to take in many of the free things to see for she didn't have much money at the present.

Allen felt like some outside force was taking over his life.  He knew she would find out that he also was on vacation, and might see him at some of the places she was visiting.

Since he didn't want her to think he was trying to avoid her, he took a big breath and told her that he was also on vacation, and maybe they could visit some the sights together.  

He thought that being with her might be the best way for him to forget her and marriage.

To be Continued  

 

LIL' ALLEN Chapter 4

Foolish Spending
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Allen mentioned about the cost over rides and exorbitant prices to his superior and again he was told, “That is just the way business is done.”

His boss gave Allen a warning, “Everyone from the top down adds a little for themselves, and the result is what you see.  A word of advice to you is if you want to keep your job then do like the rest of us and keep quiet about it. If you try to push this, the first thing you will hear is that your five years in the army can't be counted on top of your retirement, and then if you don't back off, you will be let go on some pretence.”

Shy Woman
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About this time Allen met a woman in another department who was troubled by the same problem of waste and misuse of funds.

She had pretty much been given the same warning as Allen.  

It seemed these threats and intimidation was the way to keep the troops in the departments quiet and in line.

This woman was around Allen's age, and her personality was introverted and unsociable as was Allen's.

 
They could converse with one another without any expectation of acceptance or rejection.

To most outgoing people this would be unacceptable but Emma and Allen thrived on it.  At last they had found someone with whom they could relax and carry on a one or two syllable conversation with.

After realizing their jobs depended upon just doing what they were told and not to think for themselves they would only discuss those things between each other.

Finding solace with one another they ate lunch together and sometimes met for coffee and a roll for breakfast.

They also enjoyed concerts of classical music on the weekends after going out to dinner.

Then one day it dawned on Allen that for all practical purposes they were dating!  He had never dated a girl before for no one would go out with him.

He wondered how she felt about them being together so much but was afraid to ask her. Even when they were together they both still were very reserved and almost afraid to open up and show what they might be thinking or feeling.

One day, completely out of character for Emma she spoke up and asked Allen; have you ever considered or contemplated getting married?

He wasn't expecting her to say anything like this and he paused for a minute. When he spoke he said; well no, well yes actually, I have thought about it as a subject but not on a personal level.

She wasn't deterred by his answer and in her monotone voice replied, “Do you ever expect to think on it on a personal level?”

He replied, “I don't know, maybe I should someday.”   

She said, "If you ever do I would like to know what your conclusion would be if you came to one."

Allen answered saying, "That is something I would like to know also."

This line of thinking had provoked a broader spectrum of thought than they had ever experienced.

Neither of them was sure it was productive, but they were glad they had pursued it at least for this one time.

To be Continued

LIL' ALLEN Chapter 3

Courtesy Photobucket.com

 After his "Pineapple Special experience" Allen made sure he didn't get talked into that again - - birthday or no birthday.

For two years Allen served at the 38th parallel seeing the opposing foes but without any direct contact with them.

Then after two years he was summoned to headquarters where a review showed that Allen had experience in inventory and maintaining supplies. He further had knowledge of accounting. Then they gave him orders to report to ordinance and be assigned to his duty. Allen thought this is almost like a vacation after being up on the border for two years.

While he knew how many lives were lost in order to establish the division between the two Koreas and the importance of defending it he was glad to be away from there.

Accountant
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His first experience in his new assignment was little more than a "Hey you" position but it wasn't long before he was given charge over supplying the troops with the important things they needed.

Having personally been on the front lines gave him a different perspective than some office clerk who had never been a foot soldier.

He kept reminding himself of what it was like not having a decent place to sleep and warm food. When you are far away from danger in warm accommodations it is easy to become careless in doing your job.

Allen never heard from his mother and home except when they wanted him to increase the monthly allotment he had sent to them from his salary. His dad had been sick and was not working and they could use it.

Each time his enlistment time was up they would wave the flag and he would extend for another year until he came to the end of the fifth year.

By then he said, “That is enough I'm going to return to the U.S.A. and get a government job.”

He had hoped to be hired on as an accountant at the Government Accountability Office for he had studied and practiced accounting during his time in Korea as well as in college for two years.

He also anticipated the five years in the service would increase his retirement benefits when he retired from civil service if he got the job he wanted.

As expected he was hired, but was started out as a junior accountant and was told what he could and could not do.

It was as if he didn't know anything when in fact his practical experience gave him a greater understanding of purchasing and distribution than most of the others who worked there.

He wasn't allowed to see much of the paperwork involved in the purchasing   but from what little he saw he could tell that there was something drastically wrong with the system.

When he off handedly asked about a small purchase that was obviously several times the cost of what it should have been the answer was, "It's just the cost of doing business."

This smelled of graft and kickbacks to Allen for he had seen similar patterns like this while he was stationed in South Korea.

To be Continued.

LIL' ALLEN Chapter 2

Ready to Ship Out
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Allen thought for sure he would be sent home for good but after his two weeks leave from basic training, he was told to report to the base for assignment.

He had filled out all of the papers about his education and job skills, and felt surely he would be assigned to ordinance and be stationed stateside.

No sooner he had arrived at base when he was billeted with those going overseas.

He tried to speak to the lieutenant in charge but he wasn't allowed to and instead he was told to talk to the sergeant. After the dressing down by the sergeant and being threaten with great violence, he decided not to do that again.

The company was issued heavy winter clothing, and was told they were leaving in two days. They were restricted to quarters and told not to try to contact anyone outside of barracks.

The next day they were shipped out to replace some of the battle worn troops already in Korea.  After their arrival in Korea, Allen's platoon was given two days rest and then ordered to the 38th parallel.

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Allen's first look across the divide of North and South Korea left him with an empty feeling. It looked to him a force could easily cross it, and quickly over power the few troops on the South's side.

There was a mish mash of soldiers from several nations there including many South Koreans who Allen figured must look like the Northern Koreans.  He was close enough to see what the North Koreans looked like and the only difference he could tell about them was the clothes they wore.

As the winter months set in nobody was concerned about the war, only in regards of trying to keep from freezing to death.

The truck with the motor running and the heater turned on, was a good place to keep warm; until the fuel ran out, and then it was time to look for another truck.

Usually they were to stay at the line for a month, and then they would get a week off in Seoul which was a relief.

Allen had attended church most of his life, and had adopted the Ten Commandments as a guide for living, and he didn't associate with those who habitually broke them.  Now he found himself living in close quarters with men who were the opposite of his morals and beliefs.

There wasn't much these men wouldn't do, and then they would try to tell him about their exploits. This was something he had never been exposed to before. He knew most of it was lies, but being up there at the artificial border those stories broke up the monotony.

Allen tried to remain somewhat aloof and private as he had always been and it caused the rest of the platoon to try to bring him out of his shell.

On the next trip to Seoul they found out it was his birthday. There were five of them that insisted on a party for him. He tried to resist but they all but dragged him into a place where drinks were served. They ordered drinks all around and when he asked what they ordered for him they assured him it was only pineapple juice for they knew he didn't imbibe alcoholic drinks.

After a couple of "pineapple specials" they were off and Allen noticed he had a bit of trouble walking straight. They stopped at another place and had two more drinks and Allen had to be supported as he walked along.

His friends saw a couple of MPs coming so they ducked into an establishment where it just so happened to be where girls were available.

Allen found himself being attended to by someone he didn't know.  He was dizzy, and began to think he could see through people's clothing for the woman attendant looked as if she didn't have her clothes on. After that he couldn't remember much else, but in the morning he had to look for his clothes and shoes in order to get dressed.

When things began to come into focus he vowed never to drink pineapple juice again, and then he discovered his money was all gone.

To be Continued.

LIL' ALLEN Chapter 1

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Slim Shy Boy
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Allen Johnson was a slight boy with a slender frame. He wasn't the kind of person you wanted to back you up if you got into trouble.

For his first few years in school he didn't get very good grades.  For some reason he just didn't seem to "get it" or figure out what he was supposed to be learning. 
 

He received good grades on written assignments but did poorly on oral tests.

From the eighth grade on - - he received high marks except for athletic endeavors.  All boys in the gym class were supposed to climb up a rope about twenty feet long, but try as he would he never made it up more than ten feet.

At first all his classmates made fun of him, but toward the end of the term, different ones tried to help him get to the top by cheering him on but in the end he just couldn't climb that rope.

The coach finally gave up on him, and gave him a “C” grade for effort and let it go at that.  

In baseball he was the bat boy. In football he was the water boy and in basket ball he sat in the bleachers.

He was the only guy who never talked to a girl the whole time he was in school except when he was in the library one might on occasion ask him a question about an assignment.  

For some reason he was the runt of the family. His dad would get upset when Allen couldn't do as much work as his other brothers. 

At times his dad would ask his wife, "Are you sure that boy is mine?"

 
Of course Allen's mother didn't take kindly to dad’s allegations.  

He would continually say that to her when frustration sat in. 

The wife was finally fed up with his accusations until one day she answered and said, “You know I'm not sure whose boy he is. It could be one of several guys.” That was the last time his dad he ever made those suggestions to her again.

His mother wasn't skinny but she was small boned and she accepted the fact Allen took after her.

When Allen graduated from High school his prospects were not very good so his folks decided he should go on to college.  After two years of math and accounting, two things happened all on the same day.

He was offered a job at an accounting firm, and he received a draft notice to report to the army doctors for a physical.
 

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The doctors agreed that he was a poor specimen of manhood but since there was a need for men they passed him, and he was sent to boot camp.

The first few days Allen would pass out when made to do something he didn't have strength to accomplish. They would sit him up and put his head between his legs until he came to.  After a week or so he began to last a little longer before he gave out.

Four weeks later he made it through the whole day and all the other guys taking basic gave him a big cheer.  He could scarcely hold his rifle steady when firing from a sitting position, and was always the last one coming in from a march to and from nowhere.  

In any case much to everyone’s surprise Allen was still standing when basic training was finished.

To be Continued

Come back tomorrow for the next chapter.

 

THE OLD TIME RELIGION

Old Time Religion
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When we speak of the old time religion we usually have in mind going back a few years, maybe a hundred or so.

A closer look reveals they were dealing with the same issues that we are today and simply stated it is rebellion against the known will of GOD. It isn't as if we don't know what HIS will is but it is a case of hardness of heart and being egocentric.

Egocentrism is the problem that withholds a right relationship with Almighty GOD.

As usual we can trace the issue all the way back to the Garden of Eden where they knowingly violated the will of GOD.

The suggestion that they could be as wise as GOD so appealed to Adam and Eve that they took the forbidden fruit and enjoyed it. So often that is the cause of sinning; we enjoy it. That is until the price must be paid.

Dare I ask myself what do I have on my plate that is forbidden? What is that which starts my saliva glands to water when thinking about it?

An issue that has been and still is today, people manifest what is in their hearts but in order to do that with a measure of comfort they must unseat Christ from the throne of their heart.

Judges 21:25 There was no king in Israel at that time, everyone did whatever they pleased.

Where there is no King there is no restraint from doing what you want to do.

Matthew 24:37 When the Son of Man appears, things will be just as they were when Noah lived.  (And how was that)

Genesis 6:5 The LORD saw that human evil was growing more and more throughout the earth, with every inclination of people's thoughts becoming only evil on a continuous basis.

Matthew 24:39 They didn't know anything was happening until the flood came and swept them all away. That is how it will be when the Son of Man appears.

The strength of any nation is the family unit. Today the family unit is under attack like never before.

Redefining marriage and family does not change the definition of it in heaven; it only diminishes its value in the eyes of those who are deceived by the great deceiver himself.

Question for today! How much would my conduct need to change if "Vetted" by the Word of GOD?

Enough of that! Check out Robert Blair

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJE2Xe2EfYw

 

GRANDFATHERS CLOCK

Grandfather's Wall Clock
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A song I heard as a kid was My Grandfathers Clock. I always enjoyed hearing it again because it sounded different depending on who was singing and playing it.

My grandpa had a grandpa clock of sorts; since we were poor he could only afford a Seth Thomas Regulator wall clock. He kept it above the mantle and only he was allowed to wind it.

 

Even though it was only half as big as the floor models it did some of the same stuff like tic tocking and donging out the hours. He was quite proud of his clock and in the stillness of the country you could hear the ticking throughout the house.

The words to the grandfathers Clock song were in part were;

My grandfather said that of those he could hire,

Not a servant so faithful he found;

For it wasted no time, and had but one desire,

At the close of each week to be wound.

And it kept in its place,

Not a frown upon its face,

And its hand never hung by its side.

But it stopped short, Never to go again,

When the old man died.

Some year's later grandpa died but his clock kept on ticking and was sold along with the rest of his things by his widow for she had to move.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=msfPpHrwYfY

 

Shared with Laura at The Wellspring

And at Hazel’s Tell Me a True Story at:

http://letmetelluastory.blogspot.com/

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