Storm Damage

The power of the weather is frighening.

Tonight at a few minutes before 7 pm eastern standard time we had a fierce storm. A hard rain fell and lightening streaked across the sky. I was at work and I received a frantic phone call from Linny, my wife, urging me to come home right away. Our home had been hit by a tornado.

I don't know if was a tornado, but it was an incredible wind as it uprooted a tree in our front yard. In the yard across the street my neighbor had two trees that were shattered. My wife said that our whole house shook from it's foundation

My wife and I are exhausted from the ordeal. I don't know if there is further damage. Time will tell.

My List of The 100 Most Influential People in My Life

Every year Time Magazine comes out with a list of the 100 most influential people of the year. A friend asked readers of his blog to come up with their own list of influential people. I am taking this a step farther and making my own list of the 100 most influential people in my life. Some have been great influences and have affected me very positively. There are others that have had a negative affect on me although I am commenting on those distinctions. I am also not listing names to show favoritism or degree of influence. I am listing people as I think of them. Most of them are people that I know. Some of them I have never met, but their work or skill has impacted my life.

There are actually more than 100 names. But I am counting families as one. It was a great excercise in thinking about this. I challenge you to make your own list.

1. Jesus
2. Linda O’Hara – my wife, my best friend and a street-fighter of the faith. I met her in a swimming pool 38 years ago. I knew we would be together even then. I still see a pretty little red haired girl when I look at her.
3. Julia O’Hara – the world’s greatest mother. Quiet, soft spoken. She would make June Cleaver envious
4. Marc O’Hara Senior – my mentor, my role model, my father. my teacher. I miss him so much.
5. Elizabeth (O’Hara) Franxmann – my daughter, my faithful friend and the mother of the world's cutest grandson.
6. Rachael (O’Hara) Schleper – my daughter, my buddy, my student and the mother of the world's funniest grandson and the world's cutest granddaughter.
7. Lydia Lacock (Dandy) – My maternal grandmother. She was a big lady with a heart of gold. She had an extraordinary and difficult life, but carried on. She was loved and she loved us. She lives in my heart and I will never forget her.
8. Elizabeth Weigand (O’Hara) Theier –My paternal grandmother. I called her Maymee and I can vaguely recall sitting on her lap in her home. Floral prints were on her dress, on the wallpaper, on the couch and on the draperies. She was also a big woman with a big heart and a difficult life. She left us too young and I never got to know her.
9. Colton Schleper – My best buddy and grandson. He was diagnosed with autism, but he is smarter than all of us put together. He taught himself to read at age 4 so he could understand the directions for his video games. He learned to use a computer when he was 2. Colton is his Mom's protector and has a tender heart.
10. Hope Schleper – My Sweet Princess Hope. She is funny and pretty as a picture. She is the spitting image of her mother in beauty and attitude.
11. Glenn Franxmann - My son-in-law. He's a brainbox. He's quiet and reserved. You don't know what he is thinking, although it probably has something to do with computer code. He graduated from Covington Latin School at 14 and went to college. He's mad about my daughter and is a great father and a good provider. I am happy to see my daughter find such a great guy.
12. Benjamin Herman Franxmann - My bouncing baby boy grandson and the cutest Harley rider you would ever come across. He keeps his mamma busy. He is an excellent gymnast at the baby gym and the head of his play group. I wish that I could see him more often.
13. Virginia Bohn – the greatest teacher that I have ever, bar none.
14. Robert Knauf – My vocal music teacher. He taught me so much about music.
15. Mike Wilshire – He and Blaine Shepherd played and sang some of the most beautiful songs. Mike wrote many of them. He married a wonderful girl named Sally and they were filled with God's Holy Spirit. All the initial learning I had about playing finger style guitar came from watching Mike play his 1930 Martin 00-17. Mike and Sally are pastors and founders of Cornerstone Church in Virginia.
16. Doug Abbott – Doug was one of my best childhood friends and was my closest male friend. He lived down the street from me. He bought a bass guitar and I played guitar. We learned together and grew up together. Doug went on to make music his career and was a very respect jazz bass player. We often played together at Christian events. He loved that since he received respect from the audience that he would never have received at a jazz bar. He passed away in 1999. I miss him very much. He was a good father to his children and tried very hard to be a great husband. Doug's family was very important to me when I was growing up. They were good people. I still consider Betsy and David and Doug's sons Ian and David and his stepdaughter Jenny to be family.
17. Kirk Prine – He had a tremendous influence on me when I first became a Christian
18. Kent Odor – He showed me a new way to look at things. Kent always saw life in a positive way. I don't know if that was because he was a preacher's kid or what. No matter what the problem, Kent saw the good side. He is a tall, sweet guy with a booming singing voice. We played music together for a couple of years and had some good times. He married a wonderful girl named Marsha and they have 4 kids. Kent is a pastor in Las Vegas.
19. Terry Fisher – I'm glad that Terry is my friend. I never knew how much he sacrificed to keep a Christian center, The Jesus House, going on. Terry spent every Saturday night of his young adolescent life WORKING there. We were all having a good time. He is still a sweet, gentle guy that loves the Lord and listens. He married Pam and they have 2 kids. Terry is a pastor in the Orlando area.
20. Reverend Frank Philips –the first pastor that I had when I became a Christian one Saturday night in January. He was so encouraging and helpful and his family was so good to me. I will never forget them.
21. Joanne and Whitey Slayback – great friends that took me in and showed me devotion to their family, each other and life in Christ. I cannot say enough about what the lessons in life that the Slaybacks' taught me. These were things I never thought of until I got older and had my own family. They were such wonderful people. I loved them and their daughters Sandy and Kim.
22. Gary and Karen Sweeten – when I was young in Christ they were mentors and helped me appreciate knowledge of the Word of God, devotion to family, how a healthy Christian family functions. I spent hours with the Sweetens and treasure those times. They are good and generous people. God bless them.
23. Paul - Rabbi Shaul - the most misunderstood and most prolific writer of the New Testament. God changed this man's heart and sould totally and in doing so caused history to change.
24. Peter - The man that our Lord entrusted the most important job to.
25. John - One of the disciples that provided us with a compilation of the life of Jesus. John was also a visionary, prophet and martyr.
26. Luke - Another man that provided us with his account of the life of Jesus and the life of the disciples after the Ressurection.
27. Mark - He wrote of the life of Jesus in a very pointed and brief style.
28. Matthew - formerly Levi the tax collector. Jesus changed his life. Matthew provided us with perhaps the most Jewish view of Jesus the Messiah.
29. Joseph - My very favorite personality of the Bible. He believed that God would direct his life. And even when things were bleakest, when he was kidnapped, imprisoned, he held on to that faith. He was also a prophet.
30. Moses - After Egypt had forgotten Joseph, God looked upon Moses, who was born in poverty of an enslaved people. Through circumstances Moses rose to power as the adopted son of Pharoah, fell out of favor and had to flee for his life. He listened to God. Even though he did not have the traits we associate with a leader, God put him in that position. Through Moses, God lead His people out of Egypt and to Israel.
Moses believed and trusted and was blessed beyond measure.
31. David - The King that God appointed to lead Israel. David life was full of tribulation, some of it was self inflicted. But David always sought God for answers and for help He trusted and believed.
32. Jacob - The father of Joseph and 12 other sons. Jacob was one of the Fathers of the Jewish nation.
33. Isaac - The son of Abraham that God asked to be sacrificed. He grew up to be the wise son. He received the blessing of his father through deception.
34. Abraham - The father of the Jewish nation.
35. Julianne O’Hara - My sister. We fought a lot as kids. She grew up to be the World’s greatest aunt. She treats her nieces and nephews way too good. She is very beloved by her entire family and me. She has a great circle of friends and goes out of her way for them. She is a great aunt to my kids and my brother's kids. She is a tireless day care worker and has taken care of many of my friends kids over the years.
36. Monty O’Hara - My little brother. He is named Montgomery because my Mom's aunt named her 4 sons Montgomery. It was a family name as we are distantly related to the actor Robert Montgomery. Monty is the daddy of four ever-lovin' daughters. He has done well for himself.
37. Tim O’Hara - My littlest brother, although he is much taller than me. He is great at fixing things and is an electrician and believes he can play golf. He was my business partner when we ran our Dad's store together.
38. Anne O'Hara - Monty's wife, my sis-in-law. The momma of Maggie, Molly, Annie and Ellie. She is outspoken and stands her ground. She is committed to her church and to Christ and to her family.
39. Mary Jo O'Hara - Tim's wife and my other sis-in-law. Mary Jo is a wonderful girl to have as a sister. She is committed to raising Ryan, my nephew and making sure he does his homework. She is a breast cancer survivor and has had a go of things in life. When life gives you lemons, make whiskey-sours.
40. John Ed Black – he taught me so much about music theory and composition and even how to play piano. He was one of the few teachers in high school saw my skill and took an interest in me. He bailed out to become an accountant. John Ed was cool.
41. Jack Kaiser – My poor high school band teacher. He took so much grief from the students and the parents. He had a great heart and saw my interest in music and helped cultivate it. Jack had played locally in some of the big bands of the 1940's.
42. Rabbi Guenther Plaut – I read the Torah with his commentaries at bedtime. This is a popular version that is used by Reform congregations. I take his commentaries as a Midrash, which is a way to interpret Scripture and Law in an argumentative form. Sometimes I agree with him and at times I do not. However his writings are wonderfully enlightening.
43. Bob Loreaux – He showed me not to put my faith in man, no matter how learned or authoritative they seem. Bob went off the deep end for a portion of his life. I felt bad for him. I hope he has found peace.
44. Charles Sheldon – The author of the first Christian book that I read. In His Steps. He was a minister and a propionate of the Social Gospel during the first part of the 20th Century.
45. Larry Norman – He is the grandfather of Christian Rock music and a man that has stood faithful to the Lord. Larry is very ill now. Pray for him.
46. Randy Stonehill – I met him in 1971 and 72 and 73. Randy is a wonderful Christian and a funny guy. He is one of the co-authors of the beautiful song, Your Love Broke Through.
47. Chet Atkins – The guitar player that I most admire. I listen to his tunes and I attempt to play them. Chet took fingerpicking to a new level. I only got to see him live once. Chet was the best.
48. Ruth German - She was my second grade teacher and a very eccentric lady. My classmates and I were puzzled because she wore a man's wristwatch and never shaved her legs. It was strange to see crops of hair pressed flat against her legs under her stockings. I was compulsively tardy since I was never a morning person. I was cold and would sit on the floor huddled in front of the furnace register and slowly put on my school clothes. So I arrived to school ten minutes after the bell. One morning Miss German became angry and to punish me she went to the class next door and pulled my little sister out of the first grade class so my sister could publically embarrass me in front of all of the second grade by telling them what a revoltingly slow person I was. This was a great excercise for killing any self esteem I may have had, but remember what doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. Much later in life I met Miss German again and she was a lovely old lady. We talked at length about the changes in education. She was so impressed that the old school that she taught at for 30 years was now equipped with computers for the children. She passed away recently. She had been in a nursing home for several years and was confused in her old age. I was told that when the noise level became too loud, she would stand up from her wheelchair and shout, "Children! Children! Hush up and sit down at your desks."
49. Rick Mullins – He was only an acquaintance when he lived in Cincinnati and went to Cincinnati Bible Seminary. Rick was an extraordinary piano player and songwriter. Thankfully his talent was recognized and Rick and his wonderful songs became well known. He left us very young. What a sweet, humble guy. He had such a great attitude about life in Christ.
50. Reverend Tom and Ingrid Turnbull – Tom and Ingrid were members of a group that I was in when I was a young Christian. Tom was an Episcopal pastor and loved the New York folk scene of the late 1950's. His pretty wife Ingrid was from Germany. They helped mentor Linny and I prior to our marriage. They were a great example of a Christian family.
51. Linda (Lenny) Stevens/Meyers - She is a wonderful dedicated Christian woman that I met at Spiritual Revolution Day in Cincinnati back in 1971. She is from Missouri and attended Ozark Bible Seminary before enrolling at Cincinnati Bible Seminary. She joined a group called CIC (Christian Information Committee) that I also joined. We all lived in a small house in Price Hill in an extremely platonic enviroment. Lenny was the best. She was a sweet, beautiful Christian sister that stood firm on her faith. She married Rich Meyers and they have 3 children. I still consider her my sister although I haven't seen her in many years.
52. Myra Baker - Myra had joined the Christian Information Committee and was perhaps the one member that had her head on very straight. She was a dedicated Christian, a nurse and a sweet, sweet lady. She was also my sister.
53. Ruth Ray - She is now Sister Ruth and is a Fransiscan. A very tall and pretty girl. She was searching for a more spiritual life in Christ and moved in with a community of Franciscan Sisters. She eventually joined the order. My sister Ruth.
54. Joe and Cathy Freel - A local couple that joined CIC along with their young daughter Jenny.I think Joe and Cathy eventually divorced. I understand that Joe recently rededicated his life to Christ and was baptized again in his daughter Jenny's backyard swimming pool.
55. Tom and Patty Barger - The cousin of Joe Freel, Tom lived across the street from the
CIC house in Price Hill. He and his wife started coming to the meetings and became Christians. I saw Tom years later. He had divorced and remarried. He started coming back to church with his new wife. A few years ago I read his death notice in the paper.
56. Marsha and Hal Erdmann - Marsha Lucas was a dear friend who had attended the Jesus House and CIC. Hal was a big part of CIC and they married. They became great friends to Linny and I. They married and started a family and raised four great children. We used to visit them at their home on occasions. I felt so bad for them when their son Jeremy was killed in a freak automobile accident. They both love the Lord.
57. Tom and Deb Smith – My pastor in the mid 1970’s and his sweet wife. They both had good hearts and great intentions and are still standing firm for the Lord. Tom is a pastor in Indiana
58. Stew Williams – A great friend from my youth. A big guy with a big heart. I loved going to Stew's house. He lived on the third floor of a big tudor style home in a very private room. His two aunts and mother lived on the second floor. His aunts would spend their days endlessly sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee. They never went shopping. They ordered everything over the telephone and had it delivered. They either talked or listened to the table radio on the kitchen table. Stew's mom was so nice to everyone. She was a sweet lady, kind and generous to a fault. She passed away at a very early age. Stew was an excellent drummer, he still is. He had to give it up because of health problems. We had great times in our garage band. Stew went in the radio biz and had a career as an on-air personality in stations around the country. I believe he currently is the program director for a group of stations in Charleston South Carolina. Stay away from Clearchannel Stew! They eat babies for breakfast.
59. Richard Schleper - Richard is my former son-in-law and the father of my grandchildren Colton and Hope. I pray for Richard every day and my hope is that God's Will be done in his life. It will happen!
60. Brian Wilson – The Beach Boys A musical savant. I learned about musical arranging by listening to his songs and vocal arrangements. The arrangements of his tunes put together unusual instrumental groupings of instruments to get the sounds that he heard in his head onto a recording.
61. Dr. Elmer Thomas – He is a choral master and professor at the University of Cincinnati. When I was young I spent a summer studying under him and learned the basics of vocal music.
62. Dr. A. Gigi Tcheng – My favorite doctor, my friend and perhaps the smartest woman that I have ever known. She is a dedicated Christian.
63. Dr. Chuck Caldwell – My old doctor. A wonderful man. By following his gentle demeanor I have learned how to get my point across to people in a non-threatening manner.
64. Andy Bracke – The best manager that I have worked under in my present job. He is a great “people” motivator. He taught me how to listen.
65. Aunt Betty Hedger – She never had much. She never held a great job. She was never unhappy. She was never without. She was loved by her daughter and remembered and loved by her family. She grew up in a religious home and kept the faith. Aunt Betty was a remarkable and hard working woman.
66. Serena and Dan Rawe - Aunt Serena, my Dad’s younger sister. Betty was his big sister. Serena grew up, like the rest of the family, in the depression years. Life was difficult growing up in the 1930's and 40's. Serena married Dan, who was in the army and raised a family of two boys and one girl. When their daughter, Sue was 18 she was stricken with a cerebral aneurism that caused some damage to her brain. Sue bounced back, but still has some issues with her speech
67. Don and Kaye Weigand - Don, who we all knew as Uncle Johnny (I never knew why) was
my father’s younger brother. When their family was very young, my grandfather John O’Hara abandon his family, leaving the older kids sitting on the front seat of an Ice delivery truck. My great Grandpa Weigand owned the ice company and was taking care of my Grandmother and her kids. I do not know the whole story, but Don went to live with the Weigands. He took their surname.
68. Georgie and Ralph Chalk - My Grandma O’Hara remarried a man named George Theier. George
had two daughters from a first marriage and Georgie was the second child that my Grandmother had with George. The first child was stillborn and weighed over 15 pounds. My grandmother was diabetic. Georgie grew up and married Ralph Chalk who was also a soldier. They had a remarkable life in their home in Bellevue. Ralph and Georgie were very active in their church and the community. They have 4 children.
Ralph passed away in 2000. He was still a young man. Georgie loved him dearly.
69. Auntie and Eddie Kuhr - My mom’s older sister was a big part of my life when I was young. It was always nice to have a visit from Auntie (Aunt Annette) and Cousin Eddie. Eddie was a couple of years older than me. He was an only child and he seemed to have every wonderful toy that I could only dream about. Auntie’s husband George was much older than she and he was a grumpy old son of German immigrants that was used to having things his way. I guess it was my early lesson about “to whom much is given, much is required.” Eddie was one of my favorite cousins and I loved to have him come over and spend the day or go swimming at Tacoma Pool.
70. Cathy and Bill Silbersack - My aunt Cathy was my Dad’s youngest stepsister and the last child of my grandmother. I know a few things about the family history at this time and it wasn’t a pleasant place. My Dad and Uncle Johnny had joined the Army and were off in Europe and Grandpa Theier was apparently not too nice. Eventually Cathy, Betty and Georgie and Betty’s daughter Beth moved to their own place.
71. Terry Weigand - Terry was one of my favorite cousins. She was the same age as me and we grew up with similar interests. It didn’t hurt that she was pretty. Her sister Gail was Julianne’s age and was her pal. Terry married and moved to the Louisville area. We had some good times as kids. I miss all that great fun.
72. Beth Hedger - Beth was Betty’s daughter and another favorite cousin. I loved hangin’ with Cousin Beth. Beth was cool. She was smart and fun to be with. Beth grew up in Parochial School, like most of my cousins. When she was of age, she joined a commune and met Dwight Cummins. They were official hippies! They married in a Unitarian Church, but eventually rejoined society and stepped right into the middle class.
73. Walt Kelly – The artist and creator of the comic strip Pogo. I started reading the newspaper on a regular basis when I was about 11 years old and I loved reading the “funny pages.” Walt’s style and lettering were superior. When I became older I learned to appreciate the biting social commentary that went into his comic strip.
74. Dave Berry – I like his humor
75. Bob Brumfield – He was a funny man that wrote for the Post and Time Star many years ago. I was probably about 10 years old when I started reading his column. I loved his humor and view of life in Cincinnati.
76. Uncle Al and Captain Windy – I belong to the first generation that grew up with television. I was seated every childhood morning at 9 am in front of the old Westinghouse black and white TV watching Uncle Al the kiddies pal play his accordian so we could all dance while Captain Windy magically flew through the air and drew pictures for us.
77. Skipper Ryle - Uncle Al and Captain Windy were on Channel 9 and Skipper Ryle was on Channel 12. I met Skipper Ryle three times when I was on his show and asked to do a commercial for Duncan yo-yos. Two times were as a member in the peanut gallery and one time was as a performer in the Boy Scout Band.
78. The Beatles – I was never very athletic, I always liked music and had taken piano lessons. The Beatles played guitar and the guitar had fascinated me since I saw Roy Rogers play. Girls liked guitar players, guys admired guitar players. I was there.
79. Berke Breathed – The cartoonist and creator of Bloom County and Outland. He had a great sense of humor and insight to life in the 1980 and 90’s. before he burnt out.
80. Jimmy Dodd – The leader of the Mouseketeers in the original Micky Mouse Club. What a stupid premise. A club for children organized around our common devotion to a rodent. Hey, we were young. What did we know. Jimmy played guitar. Specifically it was a tenor guitar. And his was specially made by Candelaria Delgado the founder of East LA’s Candelas Music. Dodd was a Christian and didn’t have to say anything because it shined through. He wrote many of the shows songs. He also wrote a popular song called The Bible Tells Me So.
81. Harold and Geneva Vanlandingham – my wife’s parents
82. Mary Lou Schmidt – From 12-14 years old, she was my good buddy. She lived around the corner from me and we spent every day hangin’ in the neighborhood, especially in the summer time. She was a great pal. She married when she was very young.
83. Tennie Komar – She moved across the street from my family when I was a little guy. She was a year older than me and a tomboy. She was a great friend in my youth and my buddy. Her parents were very nice. Her father built a great treehouse that the neighborhood boys used more than Tennie. Her mother was
a southern belle from Mississippi and was not afraid to speak her mind. Tennie and I had great times growing up together. The summers were awesome.  As we grew older Tennie went her way and I went mine.
I found out that she moved to Massachusetts and became a rock singer and gained some local notoriety. Tennie and I sure had a great childhood together.
84. Mike and Cathy Pelzer – When I was a little guy, Mike and Cathy lived in the house behind
mine. They were good, good friends. Their family moved to Minnesota. I recently learned that Cathy married and moved back to this area.
85. Rosalie Reilly – Rosalie worked for my father and me for many years and we spent our hours at work sharing stories about our family life and our lives in general. She remarried a few years ago. I still write to her. Work was always fun with Rosalie. She recently got married and moved away from Delhi.
86. George Olinger – My first and only guitar teacher. George was a country guy that had worked at WLW radio in it’s live music days as a staff guitarist. He gave guitar lessons at Dodd’s Music in Covington Kentucky.
87. Pastor Clyde Miller - I met Pastor Miller through CIC. We would show up at his church wearing blue jeans and looking like a bunch of Jesus Freaks and he welcomed us with open arms. He was so dedicated to the Lord. Bless Him!
88. Gary Burbank - Gary entertained me on a daily basis for many years while I was working at the grocery store. He is an incredibly funny man and the alter ego of Earl Pitts, Gilbert Gnarley, Eunice and Bernice and a bunch of other personalities.
89. Bob and Nola Clarke - When Linny and I were going to Fellowship Christian Church, Bob and Nola were our best buddies. We would go out together and visit each others homes. They are sweet people.
90. Sharon Wilson - Sharon was a good friend to Linny and she sang frequently at The Jesus House, that Terry Fisher ran. Sharon sang with Kent and I on a recording of some songs that Jim Bankowski had written. Sharon was and still is so sweet, quiet and humble.
91. Jim Bankowski - I recall picking up Jim with Joanne Slayback and her kids. Jim’s overalls were covered with patches, so they were more patches than overalls. He had a beat up guitar case with a beat up Martin D-18 inside that was tuned to an odd tuning. He sang in a deep baritone voice these moving songs about his love for the Lord. He was raised in a Catholic home and his folks did not understand their son becoming a long-haired Jesus Freak. Jim eventually went to Oral Roberts University and graduated as a minister and became a missionary for a while.
92. Rising Hope - Michael Goldberg, Susan Goldberg, Ross and Lindel Johnson and Mikal Keifer I’m counting them as on since that is how this group influenced me. They made some great Christian music and were well know around here. They also made the rounds of summer camps and Churches not only singing, but staging visual productions about life in the Lord. Michael and Susan divorced and both have remarried and still love the Lord. Things happen. Michael is the radio voice on a non-profit station, a stain glass artist and choral director for a couple of churches. Mikal Keifer moved to Colorado. Ross and Lindel live around the area and have some kids. Ross occasionally makes guitars and occasionally Lindel and the family return to Oz which is Lindel’s birthplace.
93. Rick and Jenny Mapes - They moved to the Jesus House when Jenny was very, very pregnant with her daughter Jenny. They were such nice people and loved the Lord. I do not know all that happened, but they divorced. Both have remarried and Rick is still very active in his church.
94. Barbie Lind - Barbie was the Jesus House cheerleader. She was always there with sisterly hugs and kisses to lift your self esteem. I don’t know if I ever told her how much I appreciated her since I have always had a problem with self esteem.
95. Isabell Ricketts - Izzy ran a bookstore in downtown Cincinnati called Christian's Church Supplies. She was a middle aged woman that had at one time been fairly wealthy. She had two grown sons and grandchildren. She had been divorced and started her own career as the owner of a bookstore. Her store became the focal point of book purchases for the Jesus Movement and the Charismatic Movement in the Cincinnati area. You could always meet someone who was a friend at Isabell's store. I even went over to visit with her and we would attend a noon Bible study at Covenant Presbyterian and a lunch either at the Church or at Izzy Kadetz'. What a sweet lady and a good friend.
96. Bob and Joyce Bowen Bob could have been Lurch of the Addam’s family. He was big, tall and had a deep voice. You could imagine hearing him say, “You Rang?” Bob hailed from Ironton Ohio and he had been in trouble. Tom Turnbull had been his pastor at one time and sent him to live a CIC. Bob was a huge guy with a mop of strawberry blond hair. He thrived at CIC, gave up his old habits and became a fixture at the Norwood group with the Slayback family. He married a New Yorker named Joyce that moved to Cincinnati to take a job as a teacher. Bob and Joyce later migrated to Florida and Bob and had a son named Philip. Both are good, sweet people.
97.Joanne Mechem – I worked at Jewish Hospital and I had an opportunity to take a 6 month course to become an operating room technician for which I would become certified for after the course completion. Joanne Mechem was a nurse and was the instructor for the course. Although she was a registered nurse, she had never worked in an operating room and was unfamiliar with any of the procedures or protocol. The 6 month course turned into almost a year. It was a hard time in my life. Despite of my predicament, I passed the certification test, but did not work at the job too much longer since I was offered more money by working for my father. Joanne takes the prize for being the worst boss I ever had. From her I learned what not to do, how to spot poor management and try to avoid it. She was never really a friend, but she certainly influenced me.
98. Rick Marksberry became my friend back when I was going to Fellowship Christian Church. We didn’t live very far from each other. We both played guitar. So we got together with Andy Danzl and formed a band. Rick played guitar, banjo, mandolin, violin, pedal steel guitar and piano. Rick knows just about every musician in the Cincinnati area. He played with John Denver when he was in town back in the 1970’s. It was a good time for me to play music again with a group of fellow musicians. Rick played on Jim Bankowski’s record and on the last Rising Hope record.
99. Hank Neer – Hank was a middle aged fellow that had grown up as a cradle Catholic. He was an ironworker from back-in-the-day. He thought nothing of being hundreds of feet above ground walking on steel girders with no harness. He had been a longshoreman in NYC and according to him, he was muscle for hire. Hank had a past right out of a black and white movie. He had become a Christian and changed his life. Despite his gruff exterior, he was solid gold inside.
100. Dave Mastin – Dave was my former manager. My job involves consultation. I have been given a lot of training to master my skills, however it Dave taught me the right words to use. I am forever grateful.

Too Busy to Blog - Too Sore to sing

It's been over a month since my last post. There has been lots going on in my life. My career changed paths and I had to undergo some intense study , my wife has been ill and the various issues that life presents us on a daily basis have limited my online time. I'll get back to the Genesis study soon. Here is an interesting fact that I uncovered yesterday.

On May 2nd, in 1611 that the first edition of the King James Bible was published in England. It was produced during a particularly chaotic period for England. An epidemic of the black plague had struck London so severely that the year before work began on the King James Bible, 30,000 Londoners had died of the plague. At the same time, Puritans in the country were beginning to agitate against the monarchy as a form of government. And a group of underground Catholics were plotting to assassinate the king.

King James I thought that a new translation of the Bible might help hold the country together. There had been several English translations of the Bible already, and each English version of the Bible had different proponents. King James wanted a Bible that would become the definitive version, a Bible that all English people could read together.

King James assembled a committee of fifty-four of the best linguists in the country. They believed that the most important quality of the translation would be that it sound right, since it would be read aloud in churches. So when the committee would gather, each man read his verses aloud to be judged and revised by the other men.

The translators also deliberately used old-fashioned language. At the time they were working on the Bible, words like "thou" and "sayeth" had already gone out of fashion. Some scholars believe that the translators wanted to give the sense that the language in the Bible came from long ago and far away.

The first edition came out on this day in 1611, but for decades, most people preferred the Puritan Geneva Bible, because of its plainer language. It was only after England went through a civil war that the King James Bible came into fashion

Genesis Part Ten

Under the Terebinths of Mamre - The Three Visitors

Genesis Chapter 18:1-15

The Lord once again appears to Abraham. Abraham is encamped under the terebinths of Mamre. This is near Hebron where Abraham had once built an altar. A terebinth is a grove of large trees that grow in this desert region. This makes it clear to us that the visitors in this story are indeed God or God and His representatives.

Recently there was a PBS TV special that dealt with a traveler that was making a pilgrimage to Mt. Sinai to follow the steps of Moses. In his travels he spent a few days with some Arab nomads. (In nomad culture, to be hospitable you are welcomed as an honored guest for 3 days. After that you are treated like a pariah.) While watching this show I thought back to this chapter in Genesis and imagined how much this resembled Abraham sitting on pillows and rugs in the front windflap of his tent that was tethered under the grove of trees.

The name Mamre, we may recall was a landowner.

God appeared to him as the day grew hot. Abraham looked up and saw three men approaching. He ran from the entrance of his tent to greet them. This tells us that Abraham was not expecting anyone and was startled by the forthcoming visitors.

He bowed low to the ground in reverence and begged them to come to his tent for water to drink and bathe their feet and a morsel of bread that they may refresh themselves.

As a gracious host Abraham makes an understatement as he intends to serve much more. He makes haste into the tent and instructs Sarah on what to prepare and tells her to be quick about her business. Additionally he runs to the herds and instructs his servant boy to prepare a tender calf. Also instructing him to prepare curds and milk. The laws of Kashrut were not yet observed. We know that the amount of food prepared was far beyond what 4 people could eat. We do not know if the feast was meant as a celebration for the visitors and Abraham’s family or as extra provisions for the visitor’s journey.

There are also Midrash arguments on whether or not the Divine visitors actually ate or merely pretended to eat. I don’t think this is important and would not begin to determine what or what not God could do.

The visitors ask of Abraham, "Where is your wife Sarah?" (Did he ask himself, how do they know her name?)

Abraham replies, "She is there in the tent."

One of the visitors says, "I will return to you when life is due and your wife Sarah shall have a son!"


Sarah was listening at the entrance of the tent which was behind the visitor that just spoke. I reiterate that both Sarah and Abraham were old. Sarah had not menstruated for many years.

Sarah laughed to herself saying, "Now that I am withered am I to have enjoyment with my husband who is so old?" Contrary to the Puritans and those religious who say that sex is merely for procreation, Sarah states here that it is for enjoyment.

The Lord said to Abraham, "Why did Sarah laugh saying, ‘Shall I bear a child as old as I am?’ Is anything too wondrous for the Lord? I will return to you at the time that life is due and Sarah shall have a son."

Sarah lied saying, "I did not laugh." For she was frightened.

But He replied, "You did laugh."

Laughed in Hebrew is va-titzchak. Sarah’s behavior explains the name Isaac Yitchak.

We are not told the identity of two of the three men. Were they angels? Were they aspects of the One God? We do not know. From prior verses we know that God talks to Himself. Moving to the next study we find angels coming to visit Lot, Abraham’s nephew. The belief in angels is widespread in Near Eastern literature and angels are frequently sited in the Scriptures as messengers or couriers of God’s message. Here we see "The Annunciation" of Isaac’s birth. Later on we are privy to another "Annunciation of Jesus." We also see a reecho of Isaac’s sacrifice with the sacrifice of Jesus. But let us not get ahead of ourselves.

In post-Biblical Judaism, in Islam and also in Christianity there developed an elaborate structure of "angelology." I am not going to comment or judge this since I have nothing on which to base it’s foundation. Lately we have been deluged with folks claiming that they can talk with angels that write books and give lectures on the subject. Since I have nothing to use as exegesis on this subject I once again will rely and concentrate on Scripture.

This is a rather unusual story to be included. It brings up some topics that were discussed in the prior chapter. Some scholars believe that this follows Abraham’s circumcision to show us how much importance God places on visiting the sick. Hence the mitzvah of visiting the sick.

Hospitality is of great importance in Judaism then and now.

Some scholars say that this was all a vision of Abraham. Others say it was an event.
What is important? God speaks, Abraham listens, trusts God and shows hospitality to passing strangers. That is the importance of this chapter.

Genesis Part Nine

The Covenant of the Circumcision

Genesis 17:1-27

Before now God has made no demands on Abraham in return for His Promise. A fundamental change is to take place in this one-sided obligation. As a sign of the completion of the Covenant, God gives Abraham and his wife new names. The descendants of Abraham will bear the Mark of the Covenant on their flesh. Now Abraham and his progeny will be partners in the obligation of covenant.

From the onset of verse one we learn that Abram is now 99 years old. It has been 13 years since Hagar gave birth to Ishmael. I have to stop and think how often we expect instant response to our prayers. God once again appears to Abram and announces, "I am El Shaddai. Walk in My Ways and be blameless. I will establish My Covenant between Me and you and I will make you exceedingly numerous."

In modern Christian culture we have been told that El Shaddai translates to God Almighty. This is probably the most frequent translation, but scholars actually do not know what this phrase means. Some feel that Shaddai comes from the Akkadian phrase for "Mountain" or from the root "To send rain." The famous Rebbe Rashi explained that the name means "I Am He Whose Divinity is sufficient to all creation."

God asks of Abram to Walk in His Ways and be blameless. He used the same phrase with Noah.

Abram prostrates himself on the ground as is the custom in front of kings.
Once again God promises Abram that he will be the father of nations and he will be exceedingly fertile. He seals the covenant by giving Abram a new name. He will know be known as Abraham. Abram may have been a contraction of Abi-ram which means my father is exulted. The additional syllable Ha adds a part of God’s name to his.

Not only does God once again state that Abraham will be the father of a nation through his offspring, but God promises to him the land of Canaan in which he sojourns. He goes on to say that Abraham and his offspring shall bear a sign as a reminder of the Covenant. Abraham and every male offspring among his people will be circumcised. God states that this should be done on the eighth day after birth. This would not only include all of Abraham's family and progeny, but any slave whether they be home-born or purchased. If any man does not become circumcised they shall be cut off from their kin.

God also shares His covenant with Sarai and changes her name to Sarah. He blesses her and states that rulers will issue from her. (The name Sarah can be translated to "princess.")

We are told that Abraham threw himself on his face and laughed at the Almighty and said, "Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old and to a woman who is ninety? Oh that Ishmael might live by Your favor."

God replies to Abraham, "Never the less you will have a son and you will name him Isaac; and I will maintain My Covenant with him as an everlasting Covenant for his offspring to come."

"As for Ishmael," God states, "I have heeded you and I will bless him. He will be fertile and exceedingly numerous and will be the father of twelve chieftain. But My Covenant I will maintain through Isaac whom Sarah will bear to you next season."

When God was done speaking, He was gone.

Isaac or Yitzak is a Hebrew name that means to laugh. Be careful what you say in God's presence. Additionally the name Ishmael you may recall means God will heed.

Like his predecesor Noah, Abraham spares no time in following God's command. He walked in His ways and was blameless. Abraham went on to circumcise himself and his son Ishmael and the flesh of all the men of his household. The flesh of the home-born slaves and any that were purchased were circumcised as well.

Let me interrupt here. When I was a very young man I was trained and became certified as an operating room technician. In this capacity I passed surgeons their instruments and was able to do some surgical assisting. I was familiar with many of the procedures including adult circumcision. Infant circumcision is a much simpler procedure in the hospital. It is up to the doctor regarding anesthesia since the injection site may cause swelling. However topical anesthesia is the norm. As for adult circumcision, depending on the surgeon, it can be a procedure that can involve one to one and a half hours of actual surgery and can involve extensive cutting. Advances in surgical tools, since the 1970's have made adult circumcision a much easier process. something that was unknown to Abraham and his peers. Instead of razor sharp scalpels, the tool of choice for Abraham was a flint knife.

Jews have a wonderful and significant ceremony that can be held at their home or synagogue called a Brit Milah, the covenant of circumcision. For a healthy male child this is held on the eighth day from their birth and all the babies relatives attend. The rite is performed by a specially trained rabbi called a Mohel. This rite of passage confirms the infants special relationship in the community, but does not make him a Jew.

When Jews did not practice the rite of circumcision, they neglected God's Covenant. Perhaps they wilfully rejected God's Covenant and at times this seemed like a prelude to divine punishment.

During the Roman reign of Antiochus lV circumcision was prohibited by royal decree, although Jews practiced it even upon risk of death. One hundred years later, upper class Jews neglected this rite in order to assimilate into Roman society. During the reign of Hadrian not only was circumcision banned, so was reading of Torah. Once again observant Jews undertook the chance of death and kept the rite. Even during the Nazi reign of terror, circumcision was one way of determining the Jewishness of a male victim by their persecutors. However Jews continued to circumcise their male children in accordance with God's commandment. In Russia, during the communist era, the practice nearly disappeared. In the United States most males are routinely circumcised as a hygienic measure although this is not the same as Brit Milah.

Circumcision was not just practiced by the Jews. The prophet Jeremiah indicates that the Egyptians, Moabites and Ammonites all underwent circumcision. Among the nations bordering Israel only the Philistines did not practice it. In modern times it is also a Moslem practice.

Why was it so widespread? Ancient scholars sited the hygienic reasons and also stated that it reduced sexual activity to a manageable level. It also was due to popularity of fertility rites and in some instances it was an initiation to puberty or manhood prior to marriage. This holds true today with some African tribes.

In the Torah God gave woman no such sign.

Abram's name is changed to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah. We see name changes throughout the Bible. Jacob to Israel, Hoshea to Joshua, Mattaniah to Zedekiah, Simon to Peter, Levi to Matthew, Saul to Paul. In each instance the name change symbolizes a change in personality or status of the bearer.

Kings and Popes take on new names to reflect their new status. In marriage the wife may take on the husband's surname to reflect her married status. The same with adoptions. Names may say something about a civilizations culture. For instance Ibn Ezra or Ibn Chayim (Ibn is Arabic for son) expressed the joining together of Israeli and Arabic cultures. Names given not only in Puritan times, but to Amish, Jewish and even Christian peoples expressed commitment to religious tradition in using names from the Bible. Jesus, Mary, Joseph even Angel and Archangel are common Hispanic names.

At the Brit Milah, the child is officially named. It may be the name of a deceased relative. One way of providing tribute to someone that has passed is to use the initials of their name. To honor a name is not only to be true to one's self but also to that tradition for which the name stands.

I Interrupt This Bible Study for an Important Story

We were walking through lower Price Hill; however the street layout looked more like Northside. There was a maze of dead end streets that ran into dilapidated abandon factories and warehouses. I knew it was Price Hill because it was near the Ohio River and I could see the street over pass. 

So there we were walking and trying to find an open street that led to the highway. I think that I was with my wife, but I cannot be certain. I just remember walking and wishing that there was a way out of here. 

I then remembered why we had come this way and what we needed to accomplish. We walked into one of the factories. There were two of us, but now we were three.

We were inside this large, musty room. The cinder block walls were damp. The cement floor was covered with a thin sheet of water that was leaking from a pipe. Hundreds of eyeballs were squirming around the floor. They were rolling about on their own power. Suddenly they all looked at us and scurried to our feet. 

We were frightened and began to run towards the back of the room. In the process we stepped on many of the eyes and they crushed beneath our feet. It was horrible, but we did not care. We did not stop to examine the damage. We just wanted out of that room.

Before us in the adjoining room was a rusted steel door with huge hinges that had been welded to its mass. It was heavy, rusted and hard to pry open. We tore our finger open clawing at it, but finally it swung towards us. As it did we jumped into the next room and slammed that door behind us.

The room was full of neatly made up beds with yellow flannel blankets that had animal designs on them. In each bed were two or three little girls. Each frightened child was about nine or ten years old. One of them looked exactly like my niece when she was that age. This one told me that they were all taken from their homes and they were very, very frightened.

I couldn’t believe they had not attempted to leave, since there was a door leading to the street and the interior was visible, though barely, through some filthy windows. My friend threw something heavy at the plate glass and the window shattered in a thousand pieces. Carefully we climbed through the shards out to the street. We then began kicking on the locked door until we broke it wide open.

We did not notice the old car outside. It was an ancient Ford Pinto. It was dirty and had at one time been yellow. Now there was flaking blue paint that was trying to cover up the dirty yellow original finish. A greasy looking young fellow jumped out of the drivers side with a long barreled revolver that he pointed at us. We didn't pay any attention to him. Our concern was only for the children safety. We did not realize that he was their captor.

He too wasn't paying attention. Immediately a Cincinnati police officer held a gun to his head and said, "I think you ought to put that thing down mister."

The blackheart lowered the gun's barrel and without a word surrendered it to the cop.

I looked around and said, "My Lord, look at all the guns in this car!"

On the car seat was another revolver. It was newer and was made of blackened steel. There was also a 45 caliber automatic pistol and a huge black automatic assault rifle. There was an assortment of other pistols and knives on the floor of the car. By then dozens of cars with sirens blaring surrounded the street. The police arrested the bad man and confiscated the arsenal and the car.

We talked with them for a long time as they whisked the little girls to awaiting squad cars to be reunited with their families. The lady that was one of the three vanished. I was now left alone with the young man that was with me. I told the police that we were walking over to Good Samaritan Hospital. They thought that was a good idea and wished us well.

Let me point out that this all took place on State Avenue in Lower Price Hill. I recognized the broken down storefronts and tenements. If you are not familiar with the area, the inhabitants are mostly poor Appalachians whose families migrated here from the coal mines and farms of the rural Kentucky, Tennessee and West Virginia. They probably would have been better off staying there, since the work wasn’t all that good here. And now the third or fourth generation is still here and still down on their luck, existing by the skin of their teeth and government assistance.

My friend and I walked across the street to Burnet Avenue to Good Sam. If you live around here you would realize that these two streets are separated by probably a good ten or fifteen miles and that Good Samaritan Hospital is in a section of Cincinnati called Clifton. It is not at the foot of Price Hill. In fact Good Samaritan isn't even close to Burnet Avenue. At one time there were five hospitals on or near Burnet. We used to refer to it as Pill Hill. But Good Sam was on the other side of Clifton. However we found ourselves walking up Burnet to Good Sam Hospital.

We had to walk through the construction that was going on at the Hospital. They were doing a total remodel, which is something that never ends at non-profit hospitals. We walked into the new entrance which lead us to the hospital's newest feature which was called The Mosaic Museum.

The Mosaic Museum was about six or seven dimly lit rooms that featured walls made of small tiles that had skillfully been applied to make designs that celebrated the marvels of the healing arts. The floors were all polished hardwood. 

There were also sculptures made of even tinier mosaic tiles. The works were encased in glass boxes. Small spot lights were strategically placed to give highlight the pieces of art. Two of the rooms were unique since the floors moved. In one room the floor moved very slowly in a back and forth rocking motion. The other room had a similar floor only the motion was circular. It sounds like it would make one nauseous, but it really was rather comforting.

My friend and I had no intention of visiting this museum. We didn't even know about of it’s existence. We were merely trying to make our way to the other side of the hospital since he told me that there was some sort of station on that side. I wasn’t clear if it was a bus or train station. Perhaps it was a small airport.

It became difficult to make our way out of the museum because all of the Ladies Aide were there for the Grand Opening. We had to dodge over-dressed, over-perfumed wives of executives, bankers and doctors to make our way to the museum entrance. It seems we had made our way in through the back door and we were taking the reverse tour.

When we were finally at the other side, we walked out the door and back to Burnet Avenue. Instead of heading up the street we were now heading downward to the station.
My friend said that he was going back home to his family in New Mexico and bid me farewell. I thanked him and said good-by. I was alone, but not for long.


I next found myself in some sort of a airplane, flying saucer or jetplane. I’m not sure what it was or how I got there. From the interior it may have been a car, but we were not in traffic. We were way above the traffic. And once again I was with two different unknown people. The older man told the younger boy that was driving to pull up above the Big Mac bridge.

A nearby helicopter pilot watched in amazement as we flew above the Ohio River and passed the cities below. The young boy driving swung the ship around and down towards the traffic on Fourth Street, buzzing atop the cars and frightened drivers. We were spotted by another helicopter and a few jet airplanes.

Inside the craft I watched from what I guess was the back seat at the boy in the front seat. The steering wheel he gripped reminded me of an old classic car. It was big and made of light colored polished wood. I couldn't see the dashboard. The older man was saying, "Be careful Johnny, your going to cause us to crash." But Johnny wasn't listening.

One more time we went up in the sky, up above the bridges that span the Ohio. We came down and perched on the flat portion of a hill on the side of Mount Adams, in the yard of an A-frame building. This was the same flower shop that is in Bellevue Kentucky on Donnemeyer Road. Somehow it had now transported to Mount Adams. Two women came out of the flower shop. One was somewhat older than the other. The ship opened it's hatch like a giant clam. I could now see what I had been riding in.

It was indeed some sort of space craft. It appearance was similar to one of the old three man space capsules of the 1960's. It was bronze in color. Although the capsule was enclosed in some sort of burnished metal, you could see through it's walls from the craft’s interior. Behind the capsule was some sort of engine and rudder. I suppose it was an engine, however it made no noise.

As the top of the capsule slowly swung back I could see why we could all fit into this small craft. We had been shrunken down to our essence. Each of us looked like a sort of squiggly piece of chewing gum. We were red, blue, dark green, and yellow. I don't know who yellow was. 

He never said anything to me while we were flying. I was blue. The older guy was green and the younger fellow was red. We all sat...uh were laid out on this big lime green vinyl cushion. It probably wasn't actually vinyl, but that's the best way I can describe it. I don’t think that they still use vinyl in more advanced civilizations. The older guy and I got out and suddenly were normal sized again. We talked with the ladies.

The older one said that she was in pain. She laid prostate on the grass and her clothing disappeared. I massaged her back and back side for a long time and she said it felt good. Eventually she said that she felt much better. We told them we had to leave. The older lady stood up and her clothing reappeared. She said that she was not letting us go anywhere without taking her. You know I say she was older, but she was actually about my same age. It’s just that I’m not a kid anymore. This lady looked very much like my wife, but somewhat different. As we all approached the craft we again became gum sized. Away we went, rising slowly at first and then we got up to speed and headed skyward.

Once again the older man, who was the captain was shouting, "Slow down son and take it easy!"

And once again Johnny wasn't listening. We followed the route up I-75 high above the traffic below. By now it was twilight, that time between night and day when the sky looks like it can't make up it's mind.

"Pull up Johnny! Pull up!" But it was too late. Apparently we crashed. I guess being the size of a stick of Wrigley's gum softened the blow as I didn't feel anything. We found ourselves on another hillside similar to the one we had just left.

My lady friend and I got out and walked into the small house on this hill. No one was there, but the door to the cottage was opened. The living room was small and the walls were covered in old fashioned flowered wallpaper that was huge prints of wildflowers. 

The chairs were old high backs covered also in flowered print fabric. They all had doilies on the armrests and the chair backs. The wooden floor had a big woven rug. We walked into the old kitchen. It was spotless, but the fixtures were very old. The stove stood on huge legs, as did the tiny refrigerator. The floor was flowery linoleum. The sink had a wooden back board and side board and was painted with white enamel. We walked out the back door and saw a small grove of walnut trees that were planted very close together. Our ship was underneath the trees.

The hatch opened slightly and out came two sticks of gum. The captain and the young boy, Johnny. The chewing gum adventurers took on shapes more like malleable soda straws. They wiggled off the side and burrowed into the ground. The space craft also slowly sunk into the ground and vanished from sight. The grass above it immediately grew back..

All at once a thin green vine started springing from the ground and it grew rapidly. Not only did it grow in length, but in width as well. It took the form of another walnut tree, but instead of it's trunk reaching toward the sky, it grew horizontally and parallel to the ground before it's branches started to sprout upwards.

From the house we heard voices and people came out into the garden that was enclosed by the trees.

"However did you get this tree to grow like this? It's amazing. It's like having a natural backyard seat" one of the ladies said to the hostess. People gathered in the backyard under the lights that were strung from the trees and sipped wine from plastic goblets and made idle talk.

They were totally oblivious to the fact that right under their feet was a spacecraft from...who-knows-where.

Neither did they know that they were sitting on my friends who had taken the shape of a tree. Nor were they able to hear the high pitched beacon crying out from the uppermost branches and beaming a signal homeward. You see my friends figured that they would be here for sometime and thought it better to lay down and be comfortable instead of stand up for a few centuries.

As for the lady that I was with, well she looked much more like my wife when she was younger and I looked like myself only I was older. No one paid us any mind since we apparently could not be seen, although I think we were no longer looking like chewing gum. I didn't mind not being seen since I feel invisible in that sort of crowd anyway.

I looked at my friend and said, "What do you think?" She just smiled. I said, "I like it here. It's so peaceful do you mind if we stay? She just smiled.

It's Tuesday morning now. I am awake. I am making a promise never to eat a steak hoagie, a piece of pepperoni and sausage pizza and two dill pickles before going to bed ever again.

Genesis - Part Eight

Genesis 15:1 - 16:16

A Covenant and the Birth of Ishmael

In these chapters God cuts a berit with Abram or makes a Covenant. We see a new part of the covenant process. In Chapter 12 the Lord spoke to Abram and told him that He would make him a great nation. Abram went on to build an altar unto the Lord at Bethel. Now we are told that again the Word of the Lord came to Abram, "Fear not, I AM a shield to you. Your reward shall be very great."

(Prophetic visions and pronouncements frequently begin with..The Word of The Lord Came to...)

From Abrams response we are to understand that the Lord is reminding Abram of His Promise from Chapter 12 as Abram replies, "O Lord God, what can You give me seeing that I shall die childless and the one in charge of my household is Dammesek Eliezer?"

Abram further says, "Since You have granted me no offspring, my steward will be my heir." Most likely Dammesek refers to Eliezer the Damascan. Under Hurrian law, Abram could of adopted Eliezer as a son. Eliezer would then be Abram’s beneficiary.
However Eliezer was native born of the land of Damascus and not of Abram’s lineage.

The Word of the Lord came to him in reply, "That one shall not be your heir; none but your very own issue shall be your heir."

All this must have taken place in the tent of Abram during the night, because we are next told, He took him outside and said, "Look toward heaven and count the stars, if you are able to count them." And The Lord said, "So shall your offspring be."
It notes that because Abram put his trust in The Lord, He reckoned it to his merit.

Then The Lord said to him, "I AM The Lord Who brought you out from Ur of the Chaldeans to give you this land as a possession."

Abram says, "Oh Lord God, how shall I know that I am to possess it?"

(We now see a new part of the Covenant ceremony)
The Lord answered, "Bring Me a three year-old heifer, a three-year-old she-goat, a three year-old ram, a turtledove and a young bird."

Abram did as he was told, slaughtered them and cut them in to two parts, placing each half opposite the other. He did not cut up the bird. He laid the pieces on the ground. We are told that birds of prey came down upon the carcasses and Abram drove them away.

As the sun was about to set, a deep sleep fell upon Abram and a dark dread descended upon him. The Lord said to Abram, "Know that your offspring shall be strangers in a land not theirs and they shall be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. But I will execute judgement on the nation they shall serve and in the end they shall go free with great wealth. As for you. You shall go to your fathers in peace, you shall be buried at a ripe old age. And they shall return here in the fourth generation, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete."

When the sun set and it was very dark, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between the pieces. On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram saying, "To your offspring I give this land from the river of Egypt to the great river Euphrates; the Kenites, the Kenizzites, the Kadmonites, the Hittites, the Perizzites, the Rephaim, the Amorites, the Canaanites, the Girgashites and the Jebusites."

Birds of prey most likely were forces that try to prevent the covenant from being concluded.

Four hundred years is the time that the Hebrews were enslaved in Egypt after the death of Joseph.

The term fourth generation is figurative and could mean much later. Israel’s sons are four generations from Abraham.

The iniquity of the Amorites. Once it reaches its full measure, it will cause them to lose the land that they now possess. The relationship of morality and possession is part of the Holy Land’s special nature. The boundaries that are described are far greater than those of the present State of Israel or even those after the Six Day War in 1967.

The names of the tribes described denote the direction wherein they lived. The Kenites and the Kenizzites dwelt in the Negev which was south. The Kadmonites means easterners or also ancients. The other tribes are mentioned in Chapter 10 as descendants of Canaan.

We can see that the events must have taken place over at least two days if not more. During the first verses, Abram is in his tent and goes outside to count the stars. During further verses, Abram slaughters the sacrifice animals and we are told that he falls into a deep sleep as the sun was setting.

This Covenant has one outstanding feature that is the same as the Covenant that God made with Noah. It obligates God but demands nothing of man. This differs from the Covenant later made with Israel. Here God’s commitment is unconditional. God has made a universe, a world with immutable laws and conditions for an unchanging spiritual world as well. Unlike pagan deities of that time, whose universes were capricious and unpredictable, The Lord God shows Himself to be El-Ne-eman, a God who is faithful, dependable and trustworthy.

We see remnants of Covenant in the marriage ceremony. i.e the cutting of the cake or cutting of a ribbon to commemorate an opening of a new highway, bridge or business. The cutting of the pieces in the ancient ceremony of Covenant may have symbolized that the contracting parties were now the guarantors of wholeness who have finalized the pact.

Abram tells his wife of the prophecy. Sarai blames God for her problems. Instead of calling upon The Lord to give her wisdom, she comes up with her own solution. She tells Abram to consort with her maidservant Hagar. "Perhaps I will have a son by her?" This was part of the ancient laws and is confirmed in the Cod of Hammurabi. The Nuzi laws also provided for such an agreement for concubines.

So Abram heeds Sarai’s request. Sarai becomes angry with Abram. Sarai’s anger is not that he lay with Hagar, it is because Hagar displays an attitude of superiority over Sarai, her mistress. Sarai lays it out for Abram when she says, "The Lord decide between you and me!" Abram puts it back to Sarai saying, "Your maid is in your hands. Deal with her as you think is right."

The Hebrew word for wife, ishah, is also the term used for Hagar, although Hagar remained Sarai’s servant. Because of Hagar’s position as a servant and concubine she could not be sold or expelled therefore Sarai was aware that her harsh treatment would have the desired effect. Sarai treats Hagar harshly and Hagar runs away.

The next verses are very interesting. An angel of The Lord found Hagar by a spring of water in the wilderness and said to her, "Hagar slave of Sarai, where have you come from and where are you going?" Hagar says that she is running away. The angel of The Lord said to her, "Go back to your mistress and submit to her harsh treatment. I Will greatly increase your offspring. And they shall be too many to count. Behold you are with child and shall bear a son. You shall call him Ishmael, for The Lord has paid heed to your suffering. He shall be a wild ass of a man. His hand against everyone and everyone’s hand against him. He shall dwell alongside of all his kinsmen."

And Hagar called The Lord Who spoke to her, "Your Are El-Roi" by which she meant, "Have I not gone on seeing after He saw me!" Therefore the well at Shur, where the spring was, is called Beer-lahi-roi.

We are told that Hagar bore a son to Abram and that Abram was 86 years old.
The name Ishmael means God Heeds.

The term wild ass of a man had a different connotation to the nomadic tribes of the region. It referred to the wild ass of the desert or living in highly mobile groups.