F.R.O.G. (Fully Rely On God) is an outreach mission of our church, Central Freeborn Lutheran Church. Genie and I are co-chairs of F.R.O.G. We have a box (as does everybody) with our name on it in church. In our box, in April, was an unopened jar of jam with the label F.R.O.G. The jam is very good, but the problem is, the jar is almost empty. To whomever left the jar – we are ready for another.

Following is the powerful message from the funeral of Jennetta Ann Knudson held at First Baptist Church in Albert Lea: “If the song is to continue, we must all do the singing.” (What a neat way of saying “United we stand, divided we fall.”)

A fancy sign on the front door of a Lutheran church in Garner, Iowa reads: “Please wipe thy feet first before entering.” Just below the fancy sign is a scruffy looking hand-printed sign reading, “Please send thy rain first.” (The rain sign has been removed after the recent rains.)

I let it be known in my neighborhood about my free give-away. The following were the enticing requirements:

1. Could shimmy up a greased clothesline pole.

2. Could jump three feet from a standstill.

3. Could jump five feet from a run.

4. Could walk a tight wire.

5. Could get into any closed container.

6. Could chatter continuously.

(The hawk family sent me a thank you note for the free gray squirrel meal.)

A bit of traveling advice from Genie: fill your room ice bucket with ice the night before. In the morning you will have good tasting cool water.

This will please all you drivers of the green. Crossing over I-74 in Illinois is a well-maintained blacktop road. What is the name of the road? “John Deere Road,” of course! (I wonder if the color of the local water tower is John Deere green?)

Billboard as seen on I-80: “Stop the text and stop the wreck.”

As of this writing there has not been one summer day 90 degrees or warmer in Albert Lea. Starting in mid-July the water temperature on the Gulf side in Florida is 90 degrees!

On Iowa 380 at Cedar Rapids is a big sign: “Photo Enforcement Zone.” So far, I haven’t received a picture of our car license plate. Do you suppose it’s because I was driving Genie’s car when we went through?

Genie is ready for another week-long birthday celebration – next year. This year she received 22 birthday cards, went shopping in two different towns, ate a birthday celebration meal in four different towns at six different restaurants in two states. After 53 birthday celebrations with Genie, I think I will be ready for another one with a great lady – next year!

A reminder: Don’t forget the Soup and Pie Supper at Central Freeborn Lutheran Church from 4-7 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 22.

This will be my last regular column this year. I plan on writing columns on a sporadic basis until back to weekly in April of 2015. Thanks for your faithful readership.

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Bob is a retired AAL (Aid Association for Lutherans) agent, currently working on his master’s degree in Volunteering. His wife, Genie, is a retired RN, currently working on her doctor’s degree in Volunteering. They have two children, Deb in North Carolina, and Dan in Vermont. Bob says if you enjoy his column, let him know. If you don’t enjoy it, keep on reading, it can get worse. Words of wisdom: There is always room for God.