If you are reading this post, you have come to join me on the patio of my oikos. My network informing yours and the reciprical is my hope. With that said, I am struck by an interesting disconnect in the social media world.

http://www.webguild.org/20110610/twitter’s-problem-despite-massive-awareness-usage-is-tiny

It is clear that Twitter has the name recognition, but in reality folks just don’t Tweat as much as they talk about Tweats. It strikes me that is a familiar hymn at most churches.

Folks will know about the church, about the bible and have great ideas about the figure and history of Jesus and theological images of God. Yet only a fraction of the time are folks connecting and using the relation of thier wordy faith.

The best of the self absorbed can tell you about faith, but seldom do we tell one another about the comfort and assurance we find in hearing God speak to us through scripture, finding our belonging in our worship or small group study.

My response is to revive my blogging. Starting with my oikos, and hoping it reaches your doorstep that we might connect.

“Jesus is all the world to me..” we sing, in an old-school hymn of assurance. Its a delivery truck of joy to sing these words fo assurance for me. It is a reminder of the connection Jesus hopes for me and that I hope for us all.

So from my house to yours, dont just talk or think about something that brings you joy. Step out and claim the joy that is waiting. j

We found ourselves at yet another crossroad of transition and trust God continues with us.  More to come..

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Olivetti’s Take Manhattan: Oliver, Olive and Little Pimento return to New York City have ten years visiting in their homeland Italy. Now they are returning to the American way of life with a renewed commitment to keep their family ties and traditions alive. Uncle Olinetti and Auntie Pasta are the traditional voices of reason and tension that balance the equation of he Olivetti’s crazy and outragious neighbors Reggie and Parma. Meet the whole gang and some wonderful food, fun and daily antics.
Co-Captains of Co-Dependency:  Does your family seem normal and well adjusted. When life become predictably comfortable and peace, and you need some fuel from the past, you can count on those super hero’s: the whimpy Captain Victim, easy going Captain Enabler, and angry Captain Abuser to make your family the most dysfunctional on the block.
Jokes:
Did you hear the one about…
Knock, knock.  Who’s there? Butter. Butter who? Butter you than me.
After driving back around to the main floor of the house from seeing the basement remodel, N says, “It is nice and so close to home.”
Knock, knock. Who’s there?   Boo.   Boo Who?  Oh I’m sorry I didn’t mean to make you cry.
Frances says on behalf of Winnie the Pooh: “Talk to the paw”
What do you call the Mysterious Mouse from the Outback? knock, knock. Who’s there? Kanga. Kango-Who?
What did the window say to the glass? You’re nothing but a pane.
2006 Joke.  Knock, knock. Who’s there? Obama. Obama who? Obama who might be our new president? 2008 joke. Who is our new president?
2009    
2008 (in reverse)
• December – Buy Christmas gifts that build relationships and witness the love and gift of Christ, not just meet a price point.
• November – Check your expense account now and make certain your use-it-or-loose-it dollars have a plan for the rest of the year. 
• October -  Register 10 people to vote and make certain you get them to do the same.
• September -   If the hurricane is coming to your town for the  third time,  find a new place to live and work.
• August – If you don’t want to work here, just quit. If you are going to quit, go ahead and leave.
• July – Don’t let granny loose with the body paints on Bourbon St.
• June – Don’t schedule his and her’s back-to-back surgeries
• May 1st, 2008 – Coining of the phrase for the brantley / oikos bumper stickers “Obama Nation” / “Let’s be an Obama Nation” / “We’re an Obama Nation”
• April – Don’t piss off the editor of the local paper
• March -
• February -
• January – If they want to buy and you want their money, sell, sell, sell!
2007 (in reverse)
• December – Just because you have money this month does not mean you have to spend it on Christmas presents. Feedthepig.com
• November – If you make an ass of your self, you only have yourself to blame.
• October – If it is time for your wedding anniversary but you have not bought a gift.  Suggest that we save up for a big trip next year and do the laundry and take out the trash often.
• September – If you must shovel coals of hell, wear a fire fighters coat.
• August – It maybe back to school but summer is not over until September. 
• July – Never assume others have heard what you think they heard, check it out.
• June – If you much live in a neighborhood with an association make sure you are in charge of the association.
• May – Don’t plant flowers until have the cold weather has gone unless you can get a refund from your nursery. How do you know the cold is gone? You don’t, that’s the fun.
• April – The best way to make the holiday special for someone is to surprize them with any entire holiday meal, right down to the disposible service and dinner ware so that entire event can focus on the fellowship and conversation instead of the meal preparation. Thanks a million Mom!
• March – When pulling together a children’s party let the parents of the guest help. If you try to do it all yourself, not only will you miss the fun, so will the guests. Remember it’s the jumpy-jump that they will all remember.
• February – Roses are wonderful expressions of love. If you share them Valentines you are likely to be lost in the crowd. Go for the extra dozen and show the extra measure.
• January – Ask long time resident before purchasing your sledding equipment. Just because it looks fun in the store or is even sold locally doesn’t mean it is the best device for sledding in your area. Sometime the classic materials work the best.
2006 (in reverse)
• December – If you buy a Christmas gift for someone, select on that they will enjoy because they like the gift, not because you think they need it, will learn to like it, or need to make them who you want them to become. Gifts are gifts when they are free and unburdoned with expectations, of even a thank you note. (Did Emily Post ever receive a gift and just accept it without one-uping it with a thank you note?)
• November – Don’t buy a turkey too big for Thanksgiving Day so you don’t have to figure out what to do with the left-overs.
• October – Pray out load when you are home alone. Hear the words and feel them as the not only dance in your heart, but linger in your hearing.
• September – Be nice to someone who does not treat you nicely, even if they don’t return the favor at least you have peaceful dreams.
• August – When 8 out of 9 suffer with in digestion, does that mean the 9th on enjoys it? Don’t eat so much. Watch you BP and Colesterol
• July – When a resturant says would famous might just mean an out of town visitor liked their meal some time in the past.
• June – Year-round Grilling. Use charcoal with ‘built-in” lighter fluid. It’s worth the $.
• May – Share your favorite BBQ joint with us and we’ll post it.
• April – Easter Bunny Options: Carvel’s Frozen bunny is pricey yet cooool.
• March – Cry when you need to cry. Talk when you need to talk. Shut up when you need to be quiet.
• February – When it’s time for hospice, get a personal reference and not the hospital’s suggestion. Don’t be surprised by such “CROSSROADS”.
• January – Juice! Drink it for fun and for life! In a big glass! Whoever though juice should be sold in tiny glasses and softdrinks in a two liter bottle have the world backwards.

Charlie H. was the best farmer in Johnson County
Ruby made pants at the Wrightsville Pants Factory
   Jewel worked in retail and real estate
   Shirley worked on uncle Nick, who was on the ball.
   McArthur was a minister, finest in the Jurisdiction
    Vicky taught school and investigated educators
       John is a methodical minister
            Susanna is looking at the economy
            Luke is looking through fifteen yr old filters
            Frances is a great student
      Wendy is a queen of advertising
       Drew is a newspaper man and more
   Lowery is a minister in the South Georgia Conference
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Looking Ahead: 2009 the year of Mediterainian conquest, a search for greek roots in the islands.

Nawlins (a.k.a New Orleans) 2008
Why not play the family vacation at the last minute every year! The French Quarter was attacked by the Brantley Quintet. Luke was amazed at grannies wearing pain on Bourbon Street. Susanna my quick pass of Auburn, Tulane, FSU, and and Lolyola. Wendy found a fellow-Mr. Bingle’s jingle caroler and was astonished to stay in the former location of Mason Blanch department store. Frances loved the experience of catching beaded necklaces from a street party early on a Tuesday afternoon. John enjoyed the food and the music in the streets.
The return trip included a stint to St. Simons Island at Epwoth-by-the-Sea for pastor’s school. The speakers were a memorable as in previous years, but it was good to get to ocean and make a few sand castles. The pool was nice at the King and Prince, as always.  This summer with gas at $3.95/gallon we only drove one half the distance of last year when a gallon cost $2.??
States Traveled: Alabama, (don’t tell anyone), Mississippi (please don’t tell anyone), Louisiana, and Florida
Wildlife: Alligators, very close
Modes of Transportation: Battle Ship, Submarine, Car, Bus, Trolley, Air Boat, Pontoon Boat, and Taxi.
Thoughts to Remember: We only thought we were crowded in the car last year.
Music Listened to along the way: Individual ipod selections.
Pins collected: USS Alabama, Bourbon St. Simons,
Sedona 2007
Who says you can’t plan a big trip out west in 24 hours! Thanks to Mikey’s generous sharing of RCI and Marriott points it’s just a matter of time and gas and we are off on another great adventure. This time our destination was Sedona, AZ. The beautiful red rock formations and proximity to the Grand Canyon made it a great place to visit.
States Traveled: Nashville, TN; Fort Smith, AK; Amorilla, TX; Albuquerque, NM; Sedona, Grand Canyon, Four Corners, UT; Devner, CO; Kansas City, KS; St. Louis, MO; Louisville and Lexington, KY; Knoxville, TN.
Wildlife: Moose, Mountain Lion, Elk, Deer, Buffalo/Bison, Rabbits, Lizards, Silver Fox, Crow, Finch, Dogs,
Thoughts to Remember: Arkansas, “
Music Listened to along the way: Umbrella, Hannah Montanna
License Plates Seen: AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DC DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY
Cow Counting Game: Luke, Campian thanks to a cattle processing ranch with several thousand head of black angus units.
May 2006

We had a terrible phote event. The computer and the backup drive both went down.
My advice, back up to CDs too and/or off site services.
November 2006 New York
January 2005 Venezuella
November 2005 New York
October 2004 Disney World
July 2004 Brazil

November 2002 Cancun
October 2001 Bermuda
November 2001 Cancun
October 2000 Bermuda
Disney 2000
January 2000 Paris
October 1998 Mikey’s Playground
Number of Sundays missed between 1985 and 1998, count them, (4).
Number of passport stamps 1980 – 1999: (2)  Number from 1999 – 2008 (7), I like the new trend.
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Thanks to the Ya Ya Sisterhood we have a “Pooty-Pootwell” page
Past Champions
Raymond: The grand high master of all things pooty. Played tunes at the dinner table.
Charlie: I never once heard him poot, but he was a quiet man with many talents.
McArthur: We the silent type that made a big impression with us
Ruby and Tommye: Can’t say we noted the event from either one, but know they must have.
Current Contenders
Vicky: is tricky but she can do her part, but never, never say she has no art.
John: Can compete with many but is not the pootiest, that passes to his brother.
Drew: If there were a grand slam of pooting, he would be the next Tiger
WOW: Modesty says she never would do such a thing, but careful when you say good morning or good night or see the door shut with the bathroom light. or “it’s the medicine I’m taking, that’s what is making it so unbearable”
Sus: Where’s the mask, its all to late, she slipped one out, now it is our fate.
Luk: He can smell a room or play the shortest tune, a pootwell in the making.
Fab: She can do it, sometimes on-command, certainly she takes after her old man.
Mikey: You can tell by the smell, his system is not doing so well.
Noni: If she could hear she would be mortified. If she visited this page she would be mad.

site contents by oikos, “Oikos:Itsahouseholdword”(TM) Copyright 1995-2009

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A Trail of Witnesses
MAC                                   VICKY                                             JOHN
Wesley Chapel UMC     
                                           East Point First UMC (now EP-Melilue)
Savannah
GA Southern
Garfield UMC, Metter, GA
Evanston UMC, Chicago, IL
Byron UMC
Douglasville UMC
Forest Park UMC
Eatonton UMC
Breman UMC                                                                             Emerson, Oak Grove, Cassville UMC Charge
Elberton UMC                                                                            Trinity UMC, Covington
Jonesboro UMC               Wendy/Bill&Nancy                       Gainesville UMC
                                            Peachtree Road UMC                  St Paul UMC, Grant Park/ATL, GA
                                                                                                      Winterville UMC
                                                                                                      Powers Ferry UMC, Marietta
                                                                                                      Fairburn UMC
                                                                                                      Blue Ridge UMC