Hi, Sean! Jay Urban here! Hows the weather in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania? I'm down in Charleston, South Carolina, and the weather here is gorgeous, but its been gettin' kinda nippy at night, though. I've been through your part of the country in the last 2 years, but probably a little north of Blue Mountain. I'm with an Architectural/Engineering firm and we were doing a lot of design for the concrete plants in the Allentown area. Beautiful countryside, for sure!
Well, today's the 3rd. 28 more days to go, and then we will see what we will see, as the island locals say down here!

I appreciate your straightforwardness and sincerity on the forum. I started lurking here about 3 or 4 months ago, and finally dove in with a few humorous type posts, just to test the waters. The responses were acceptable; a few flamed the newbie (just for good measure) but the more down to earth, sensible ones (whom I like to think of as the "older" ones) were very warm and gracious in their responses, so I decided to pitch my tent there. Periodically I throw a firecracker in the camp fire just to see who will jump. It aggravates some of them, but what the heck, I got pounded on in school by their types years ago, and I'm still alive!
I'm 48, married to my highschool sweet heart, got one 25 year old daughter who has a 5 year old son, and I have twin boys, just turned 21; one is in the marines, temporarily on a "float" in the Med somewhere, and the other one recently moved out of the house to Key West, where he works in construction. I don't know what the future will bring any more than you do, but my life's lessons to date have taught me prudence and conservatism, and I have watched this country slide over the last 40 years into a pit that only God can rescue us from. I tell friends my age, "This just isn't the America I grew up in!"
I feel like I'm whistling in the dark, trying to be optimistic about the future when I see the way things are going, but I may be, as one of my less-than-ardent admirers said a few weeks ago, a dinosaur who just can't make the changes necessary to hang in there. Could be. I am a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, which has different connotations to different readers, and my making that known on the forum usually elicits either a withering flame from non believers who feel it has no relevance or that I am a dunderhead troll trying to start an argument, or I get a hearty amen from like-minded believers. But hey, this is still America, where freedom of speech used to be a cherished right, so I exercise that right. If and when I get dragged off and incarcerated for some politically incorrect infraction, then I will truly be ready to leave. Well, as the gabby egocentric finally said when he notice everybody leaving, "But, enough about me, already!" Sean, I enjoy your your candor, and I appreciate your anxiety about the coming days. Believe me--you are NOT alone!! I would recommend you spend the remaining time before rollover in earnest preparation (within your resources), just as I would normally recommend everyone to have auto insurance. Remember: it will be better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it. Peace, brother, and stay in touch! By the way, my email address, as always posted here, is for real! Jay Urban in South Carolina

-- Jay Urban (Jayho99@aol.com), December 03, 1999

Answers

Hello, Jay!

I am amazed at the number of Christians here.

My husband is a retired architect. I've really liked your postings - - the few I've seen.

Please check out: www.tip.org.

I try to point this out to as many people as possible, because it has very important information for everyone. It may seem OT to many, but is very relevent to things you've just said. Don't forget: "Things will wax worse and worse..."

In Him,

Connie

-- Constance A. Iversen (hive@gte.net), December 03, 1999.