An Introduction to the Work of Alastar Packer & Bishop Spencer K. and Joyce McCool

Hey Gang!  Happy Thanksgiving!!

I'm so excited ... TWO REASONS!!!

One, Nee & her family arrive tomorrow night.  I'll be at work, but I'll go pounce on her and Greg's bed as soon as I get home in the morning a little after day break.  I know they'll just love that.  Not much can wake you up quite as fast as a blonde-Tigger jumping up and down on the bed yelling, "Get up!  Coffee's ready and I've MISSED you!!"  (No wonder I had such a hard time staying married ... )

After they wake up, we'll visit until I pass out, because sadly, I have to work the entire time they're here.  Howeverrrr, Nee (Alicia) is bringing along her new Schwinn, and she'll finally get to ride it in some Texas dirt.  Our point-rider, Jared Hall has exactly two days left to get his rim fixed.  Hint!  Hint! (Jared, please get your rim repaired - your pack needs you for a meeting in the woods!)  I'll have a post with pics on Pack Rides not long after we finish up.

Since Greg, Nee and The Cueball (my nephew Ray) will be travelling on the holiday, we'll have our Thanksgiving get-together on Friday instead.  It'll be great because Torres and El Jefe will be able to join us at Risky's in the Fort Worth Stockyards, which is the only place I will consent to eat read meat four times a year.  We can wave beef ribs at the touristas while they stare wide-eyed, ooohing and aaaahing over the long-horns making their way down Exchange street, and make small talk with the cowhands. 

Saturday morning we'll load up our cycles and head to Gateway, and hopefully find dry dirt to ride on.  Otherwise, we'll be stuck with black-top by the Trinity and dodging skinny-tire riders.  But, black-top ride time is better than no ride time at all.  I'll just keep praying for no more rain until after we get our ride in.

There's PART of the reason for my excitement ... feeling overwhelmed yet?  Hang on, please.  I'm not through yet! :)

Alastar Packer

The OTHER reason ... is .... drum roll .... ALASTAR PACKER!!

Yes, he gets a drum roll because he writes the COOLEST stuff!  No kidding, he really does.

Alastar's one of the writer's on Hubpages who's content I realllllly love to read.  He keeps it blonde-friendly and somehow manages to maintain the attention of even those of us who are, at times, overwhelmingly stricken with A.D.D.

His work on Hubpages is non-fiction, and I'm encouraging you to please click the links and read his articles.  He's written some outstanding content of varying genres including historical accounts of the inexplicable, supernatural, hooky-spooky, as well as some excellent pieces on Americans who's acts of valor will make you want to climb onto your desk chair and cheer for them.

Can you tell I love to read his stuff?

He's my personal favorite Master Historian on the Hub, and he has a unique angle in his presentations.  All of them are worth reading, and they're short enough to fit in with a coffee break.  So those of you who run out of steam in a read early on, no worries.  Alastar's got you covered with just the right amount of content.  You can't possibly get bored with it, so limited time is of no consequence.  Another wonderful thing about Alastar is he is exceptional in his commentary support and feedback for other writers on the Hub.  I'll tell you, I know from experience, doing the reads of other writers and leaving sincere comments takes some time, yet Alastar manages to pull it off and is consistent about it.  It's one of the reasons he's so admired by many, many other writers there.  He also takes time to serve as a competition judge when internal events are taking place and ... well, he's a busy man with a lot on his plate and he still manages time to read and encourage his colleagues there.

Hang in there, I'm close to the end of this, but I have a question.  Have you hugged and thanked a Veteran today?  Tomorrow's Thanksgiving 2011, and a whole lot of families are going to have someone(s) missing at the dinner table.  That's 'cause they're away from their own loved ones providing protection so the rest of us can spend time together. 

Many thanks and much gratitude to our Veterans (yes, I capitalized on purpose).  For those of you who pray, please remember to say one, or even several, for them and their loved ones.  Other families will be missing someone because they've stepped from this life to the next, and it'd be pretty good if you remembered to put in some prayer time for them as well.

And, last  ... yes, you've finally made it to the end .... I have a special thank you to some very dear friends.  Last winter I had the privilege of getting acquainted with the good Bishop Spencer K. McCool and his wife Joyce.  I can't say how much they've inspired me in doing what I'm doing.  Their ensuing friendship, encouragement and support has been priceless and came at a time when it was oh-so needed.

I have never met them in person, although we have many, many mutal friends that we both DO know in person, yet for now, our paths haven't crossed other than online and via text. 

Bishop Spencer and Joyce McCool
in earlier years.

Bishop McCool is the on-staff Bishop of Greater Life Ministries in Utica, Michigan.  He posts daily on facebook, and he's accumulated thousands of friends and fans who read what he puts there.  Every single morning, it's the first thing I look for, and look forward to.  He doesn't write "off the cuff", what he writes comes from the heart, and it's been a broken heart at that.  He and Joyce are elite as role models.  Therefore, he's another one who's work I would encourage you to have a look at, especially if you find yourself in need of encouragement during those times that life seems very dark and hope is hard to come by.  

They're not judgemental, they won't give you grief over what faith you are, or even if you have none, however, they WILL extend a hand of friendship and offer kindness and prayers if you're in need of it.

Bishop Spencer and Joyce McCool, current.
They've still got sparkle!!

They are two of the most wonderful people I have yet to meet.  But when we DO get to meet ... I surely hope they've got a lot of coffee.  We may be chatting for a long, long while.

That's all of it.

Be safe through the holiday and easy on the dessert.  Your waistline will thank you later.

And, don't forget to ask a blessing over the food!  No telling WHERE that turkey's been before it made its way to your table!  ;)