Ink pink you stink!

This is what I usually say at work when thinks don't go my way. When a test I wrote goes awry and won't run right, I imagine it's telling me this. When a co-worker can't figure something out and they turn to me in frustration, and say "what's wrong with this stupid thing?" I tell them the problem is merely telling them Ink pink you stink! I say this enough that I occasionally hear it in the halls between other co-workers when they are discussing something that has gone wrong. Sometimes I even hear it shortened down, just the Ink pink... part because most of the people I work with are familiar with it by now. I know this may sound silly, but it makes me feel good that instead of something more "colorful" in their language that would do a sailor proud at least some of them have picked up on this instead.

I had a lot of run-ins with ink this week. I’ve been printing the new picture directory, and what I have decided about that is to print all the pictures myself on my own printer at home. That wasn't decided lightly. I counted up the cost, and including all the ink and paper and binders and such the price for 50 directories is less than $5.50 each, (plus my time of course which is priceless (grin!) That is because printing on my own printer costs about 6 cents per page in ink and paper. Mr. Mo found a place for 30 cents a page, the best I could find was 49 cents. I wanted the pictures to be perfect, though, and I wasn't sure my printer could handle it. We destroyed 4 cartridges doing it, but that is still way, way cheaper than shopping the job out. There are some streaks here and there, but not too many, and I am satisfied with the results.

I could not have afforded to just keep buying cartridges. So far, this Saturday morning as I write the bulletin, we have used only two black and two color carts to do the whole project and it's almost done. A cartridge will spew ink for about 150 pages and then it croaks. Obviously, I am refilling them with ink as I go along. Robert and the boys came one night while I was doing it and witnessed this craziness, and a few people on Wednesday night commented on my color-coated hands. Yes, the stuff is messy and makes super stains. It doesn't help that the ink is waterproof! Not a drop hit the carpet yet, but he gotten plenty on my hands. If you wash it off right away it will clean up, but give it just a short time and it's not coming off until you wear it off.

The beauty of a picture directory, by the way, is that now we can update just one person/family at any given time. Someone moves away, you can put their page in the back of your binder and write the new address for them right on their page. Someone moves in, I print up 50 more pages and hand them out. Voila, everyone has an updated directory. Someone changes address, or gets married, or whatever and I just have one or two pages to update. In fact, I have several pages not in the current directory because I don't have pictures yet or other important info that I need before printing. I am waiting on a couple people to make decisions about their page. But I can hand them out later, at an "update" time or as we go a1ong, whatever seems to work best. I will still be handing out a regular style paper directory that will get out of whack and have to be updated now and then, too. This can just be photocopied, so for those of you who want one for your purse or glove box you're all set.

There was a bonus benefit of doing the directory. Not only will you all now be able to "see" each other, should you so choose as you pray at home, I have had the pleasure of seeing a LOT of all of you as I printed each of you out, stuffed you in plastic sleeves, and clicked you in a binder 50 times. It's a good membership we have, and I appreciate all of you and the time you have spent encouraging me. I hope this is a great benefit to a11 of us, as was my intention..

So yes, I have had a lot of hands-on work with ink this week. I've had a lot of hands-on work with sin, too. I know that when I am quick to repent that it comes off easily, that I am less likely to fall back into it again. But when I let it sit there, staining my soul, it gets harder to get clean. Not that the blood of Jesus loses power, but I in my weakness become stubborn in turning to him. Like those ink stains, very stubborn! But I'm kidding myself if I think time or wear and tear on me will get rid of them any other way than Jesus, and I turn to him. When I stain my hands black on top of red on top of blue, it just gets that much harder to get off. When I sin on top of sin on top of sin, how much harder is it to seek forgiveness!!! Yet the power of Jesus can get it all off and leave me white as snow, if only I seek Him. And if I won't, well, Ink Pink!

Randy