Last night I flew in from Kansas City on a completely full Southwest flight. As soon as the wheels touched down I felt a huge weight lift. This has been a tough year, with turmoil at work, travel made difficult, events and coming events on the calendar. So when the bump and the screech of the wheels sounded, I prayed a little prayer of thanksgiving, to finally be home for the holidays.
Thanksgiving is, by far, my favorite holiday. So I decided to simply list reasons it felt so good to walk through the door at home, have my bride give me a huge hug and kiss, and put my travel packs down for a couple of weeks.
1. Breakfasts, I love good unhealthy breakfasts. Bev's homemade biscuits (my grandfather would call them "scratch" biscuits) with homemade gravy, ice-cold orange juice, and coffee. Bacon cooked until it is crumbly, and good preserves.
2. Sleeping in. Covers pulled up, able to sleep until the internal clock goes off, not the annoying thing I listen to the rest of the year. Especially good if my bride is still in bed because it helps me remember good times and anticipate good times to come.
3. Eli (5)and Phoebe (2) jumping into bed with us. The 3 minutes of snuggle before you have to start dodging flying knees and elbows.
4. Having one of my grown daughters still feel comfortable with snuggling in an over sized chair with me and sharing the warmth. I guess daddy's never tire of this.
5. Watching the hurricane of activity in the kitchen Thanksgiving morning. I just wash dishes, trying to keep up, but the flour in the air, the arm-wrestling over utensils and pans, the banter ( our daughter-in law refers to it as "competitive visiting") and the laughter, it is amazing to behold.
6. Catching the Cowboys on TV with my son-in-law and son (future son-in-law is a Colts fan, oh well)
7. The vain attempt to mitigate the calories by taking a walk with all the clan. No way a waddle around the block is even going to dent that caloric intake, but the thought is there.
8. Finally burrowing in at the end of the day with my bride and laughing softly into the night about all the funny things said and done.
Man, it is good to be home.
Godspeed. Happy Thanksgiving.
Don
Friday, November 21, 2008
Monday, November 17, 2008
Random Musings
This is a time of year that lends itself to reflection. But for me, this is a time of year when I am worn out from work and travel. On top of this we are in full wedding plan mode, December 6 is W-day for my youngest. I love her to death, and will do anything for her, and she has gone out of her way to make this simple and easy and inexpensive ( as these things go) but I am ready for the day. I can't wait to see friends and family we don't often see, I am ready to see my little girl have her wish come true, I'm ready to reclaim my house and my wife back to some level of normalcy. Weddings are fun, but man are they something else to plan and execute.
Have you ever listened to the warnings of the drugs they promote on TV? I have been battling some form of chest cold/bronchitis/plague, whatever for a month now, and have only begun to listen to the warnings on TV. They always say it fast, lower tone, right at the end where, if you are not listening, you will surely miss it. If any of these symptoms persist, can't hear, can't see, lower back ache, diarrhea, numbness, chest pains, joint pain, loose teeth, bleeding ears, can't urinate, can't STOP urinating, knees lock up....what was I taking this for?!? Whatever the original condition was, it can't be as bad as this. I don't take prescription drugs anyway, no high blood pressure, no cholesterol, no ED medicine. So anything I take has triple power, I'm afraid to take anything now that I've listened to the warnings. I think I will just clear away the chest clutter in the morning and not deal with all the side affects.
Okay, great story. A dear friend of mine just got his Doctorate in Ministry (D-Min for those who care) he is preacher at one of the few stable large churches, and is really one of the fine ones. He overheard his 10 year old son tell a friend at church, "Yeah, my dad's a doctor, but not the kind that helps anybody." Ouch! I'm still laughing. Fortunately, my friend is the kind who can laugh about it as well.
And finally, I am leaving this next Saturday to go and reclaim the remains of my truck, still in Throckmorton. I'm bringing it home to see if it can make a miraculous recovery or donate it's parts to auto-science. It is what the old Ranger would have wanted. Oh well.
Anyway, Godspeed. Stay away from those drugs, they will kill 'ya.
Don
Have you ever listened to the warnings of the drugs they promote on TV? I have been battling some form of chest cold/bronchitis/plague, whatever for a month now, and have only begun to listen to the warnings on TV. They always say it fast, lower tone, right at the end where, if you are not listening, you will surely miss it. If any of these symptoms persist, can't hear, can't see, lower back ache, diarrhea, numbness, chest pains, joint pain, loose teeth, bleeding ears, can't urinate, can't STOP urinating, knees lock up....what was I taking this for?!? Whatever the original condition was, it can't be as bad as this. I don't take prescription drugs anyway, no high blood pressure, no cholesterol, no ED medicine. So anything I take has triple power, I'm afraid to take anything now that I've listened to the warnings. I think I will just clear away the chest clutter in the morning and not deal with all the side affects.
Okay, great story. A dear friend of mine just got his Doctorate in Ministry (D-Min for those who care) he is preacher at one of the few stable large churches, and is really one of the fine ones. He overheard his 10 year old son tell a friend at church, "Yeah, my dad's a doctor, but not the kind that helps anybody." Ouch! I'm still laughing. Fortunately, my friend is the kind who can laugh about it as well.
And finally, I am leaving this next Saturday to go and reclaim the remains of my truck, still in Throckmorton. I'm bringing it home to see if it can make a miraculous recovery or donate it's parts to auto-science. It is what the old Ranger would have wanted. Oh well.
Anyway, Godspeed. Stay away from those drugs, they will kill 'ya.
Don
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
A Different View
Here I sit in Panera Bread with my bagel and coffee, in Los Angeles, trying to develop into words the thought on this journey. My bride tells me I am unnecessarily morbid sometimes, but events and ideas surface that should make us stop and ponder the bigger questions. Life swirls on around us, but that does not mean we should ignore the deeper issues of life. Also, my age and inclination are bent towards these questions, so here goes.
This past Sunday there was a guest speaker at the church where we have camped for the time being. The paid guy had an "issue" with a heart condition and had to have a stint put in (a physical issue, not a religious issue.) The speaker presented his ideas and thoughts in a calm, deliberate manner and, to my delight, did not use a single powerpoint slide or picture. He shared in the heart condition the paid guy did, and with Tim Russert, who recently died tragically and suddenly from this particular asymptomatic disease. A minor point to the sermon was that prayer pulled he and the paid guy through, nothing said about Tim Russert, which made me wonder if the implication was that A. Tim was unfaithful (I don't know) or B. his family didn't pray hard enough, or long enough (also unknown.) C. God was through with Tim Russert (unknown) Dangerous assumptions theologically, but more on that later.
The major point of the sermon was that God spared the speaker and the paid guy because they had a "purpose" specific to them. The following conclusion was that no matter where you are now (spiritually, emotionally, physically) God has a plan for you. Hmmm.
At best this is the sharing of the story with God, at worst it is claiming that the story is about us with God in a supporting role. This mindset is insidious and pervasive. It is, in my opinion, the very reason that American churches are as ineffective as they are. Satan found out long ago that it was better to give God's followers money and entitlement over hardship and persecution.
God has a larger than life and time plan. We are chartered with the task of finding our place in that plan. Guess what? World events will take all of us out of the game at some point. Heart attacks happen, car crashes (yes, even with wildlife) happen, cancer happens, foolish mistakes happen, airplanes fall from the sky...God's plan moves on. We pray to find our part in the story, and it will always be a minor role. We are part of the chorus, not the lead. You see, because of our money and our sense of entitlement we believe the story to be about us, it is God's testament to Don, or whomever. I think God is saddened by our take on his story. He makes it clear through the story of the Messiah that it is about the "plan" and not about us.
So while I appreciate the intent of the message, that God loves me enough to have a plan for me, it occurs to me that I should have enough love for God that I will look for ways to implement his plan in my life, however long or short that might be. This body of mine will weaken and die, as will all those around me that I love. Furthermore, the memory of me will fade over time, like an old photograph poorly saved. But my part in the plan of God will be noted, and the plan will triumph, and in this manner will I gain immortality.
This perspective changes the way I pray, the way I treat people, the way I view my own mortality and the mortality of those I love. It makes me less susceptible to disappointment when things don't go according to my plan, when the journey is too hard to continue. It puts me in my place and God in his.
Anyway, Godspeed until later.
Don
This past Sunday there was a guest speaker at the church where we have camped for the time being. The paid guy had an "issue" with a heart condition and had to have a stint put in (a physical issue, not a religious issue.) The speaker presented his ideas and thoughts in a calm, deliberate manner and, to my delight, did not use a single powerpoint slide or picture. He shared in the heart condition the paid guy did, and with Tim Russert, who recently died tragically and suddenly from this particular asymptomatic disease. A minor point to the sermon was that prayer pulled he and the paid guy through, nothing said about Tim Russert, which made me wonder if the implication was that A. Tim was unfaithful (I don't know) or B. his family didn't pray hard enough, or long enough (also unknown.) C. God was through with Tim Russert (unknown) Dangerous assumptions theologically, but more on that later.
The major point of the sermon was that God spared the speaker and the paid guy because they had a "purpose" specific to them. The following conclusion was that no matter where you are now (spiritually, emotionally, physically) God has a plan for you. Hmmm.
At best this is the sharing of the story with God, at worst it is claiming that the story is about us with God in a supporting role. This mindset is insidious and pervasive. It is, in my opinion, the very reason that American churches are as ineffective as they are. Satan found out long ago that it was better to give God's followers money and entitlement over hardship and persecution.
God has a larger than life and time plan. We are chartered with the task of finding our place in that plan. Guess what? World events will take all of us out of the game at some point. Heart attacks happen, car crashes (yes, even with wildlife) happen, cancer happens, foolish mistakes happen, airplanes fall from the sky...God's plan moves on. We pray to find our part in the story, and it will always be a minor role. We are part of the chorus, not the lead. You see, because of our money and our sense of entitlement we believe the story to be about us, it is God's testament to Don, or whomever. I think God is saddened by our take on his story. He makes it clear through the story of the Messiah that it is about the "plan" and not about us.
So while I appreciate the intent of the message, that God loves me enough to have a plan for me, it occurs to me that I should have enough love for God that I will look for ways to implement his plan in my life, however long or short that might be. This body of mine will weaken and die, as will all those around me that I love. Furthermore, the memory of me will fade over time, like an old photograph poorly saved. But my part in the plan of God will be noted, and the plan will triumph, and in this manner will I gain immortality.
This perspective changes the way I pray, the way I treat people, the way I view my own mortality and the mortality of those I love. It makes me less susceptible to disappointment when things don't go according to my plan, when the journey is too hard to continue. It puts me in my place and God in his.
Anyway, Godspeed until later.
Don
Friday, November 7, 2008
Oh, Canadaaa
We had an election on Tuesday in the USA, so I left early Wednesday morning for Canada, eh?. I had hoped to run into some of my buddies from the early 70's, eh?, who did the same, but for different reasons, eh?. Didn't see a single one, though, eh?.
Two things struck me about BC (that British Columbia for you lower 48ers, eh?)
1. The mountains are stunning, eh? We slogged through snow, fog, sheer drop-offs, all in a little Toyota Yaris (Japan's final revenge, eh?) I tried to take pictures, but they just turned out grey, fog and all, eh?
2. Canadians could care less who we elected, eh?. In fact, other than hockey, I couldn't figure out what they are passionate about, eh?. These are really laid-back folks, eh? I come across as a type A, but you have to slowww downnn, eh?
Oh, and they talk funny, eh?
Godspeed, although the word speed is little used up here, don't you know (oh, wait, that's Minnesota, eh?)
Don
Two things struck me about BC (that British Columbia for you lower 48ers, eh?)
1. The mountains are stunning, eh? We slogged through snow, fog, sheer drop-offs, all in a little Toyota Yaris (Japan's final revenge, eh?) I tried to take pictures, but they just turned out grey, fog and all, eh?
2. Canadians could care less who we elected, eh?. In fact, other than hockey, I couldn't figure out what they are passionate about, eh?. These are really laid-back folks, eh? I come across as a type A, but you have to slowww downnn, eh?
Oh, and they talk funny, eh?
Godspeed, although the word speed is little used up here, don't you know (oh, wait, that's Minnesota, eh?)
Don
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
If Wishes Were Horses...
Last night I flew home from a quick trip to St. Louis, and am leaving this morning for Vancouver. In the midst of all this, apparently we changed presidents. I think that is fine, W has looked for the last several months that he just wants out. The peace and quiet of west Texas probably sounds pretty good to him right now.
For those of you that feel that the world has come to an end with the influx of Dem pres, senate, and house, well it ain't all that bad. And for those who are on top of the world because now, by gum, we can change the world! Just tap the brakes a little bit. America has this wonderful system where we get to play a mulligan every 4 or 8 years, kick the old guys out and start new.
Guess what? We still have to get up in the morning and go to work, deal with the ornery people we had to deal with on Monday, taxes (perhaps more) will be due April 15, the yard will still have to be mowed, prayers are still needed, God is in heaven, life goes on.
Only about half of us got our wish.
My wife says, "if wishes were horses, even beggars would ride."
You know what I wish?
I wish the billion or so that was spent on the campaign by and for rich folks had been doled out to those who most need it, and will be least affected by this election.
I wish believers got as fired up about God's mission as they do political parties platforms.
I wish we had a viable, thoughtful third party.
I wish I could get into the electoral college, then major in theology.
I wish the pundits were wrong enough that we could stop calling them pundits.
I wish I was taller, or thinner, or a combination.
I wish I was smarter (math would be nice so I could win an argument with my D-in-law, or politics/history to win one with my s-in-law)
I wish I could go back and fix some of my worst decisions.
I wish they hadn't "fixed" Excell 4 or 5 years ago.
I wish, I wish, I wish....sigh.
But hey, we got change.
Godspeed to us, one and all.
Don
For those of you that feel that the world has come to an end with the influx of Dem pres, senate, and house, well it ain't all that bad. And for those who are on top of the world because now, by gum, we can change the world! Just tap the brakes a little bit. America has this wonderful system where we get to play a mulligan every 4 or 8 years, kick the old guys out and start new.
Guess what? We still have to get up in the morning and go to work, deal with the ornery people we had to deal with on Monday, taxes (perhaps more) will be due April 15, the yard will still have to be mowed, prayers are still needed, God is in heaven, life goes on.
Only about half of us got our wish.
My wife says, "if wishes were horses, even beggars would ride."
You know what I wish?
I wish the billion or so that was spent on the campaign by and for rich folks had been doled out to those who most need it, and will be least affected by this election.
I wish believers got as fired up about God's mission as they do political parties platforms.
I wish we had a viable, thoughtful third party.
I wish I could get into the electoral college, then major in theology.
I wish the pundits were wrong enough that we could stop calling them pundits.
I wish I was taller, or thinner, or a combination.
I wish I was smarter (math would be nice so I could win an argument with my D-in-law, or politics/history to win one with my s-in-law)
I wish I could go back and fix some of my worst decisions.
I wish they hadn't "fixed" Excell 4 or 5 years ago.
I wish, I wish, I wish....sigh.
But hey, we got change.
Godspeed to us, one and all.
Don
Monday, November 3, 2008
The Deer Slayer
I have not been deer hunting in several years. My formative years were spent outdoors, on the farm, all over the countryside around Abilene, in later years on deer leases with my good friend John. He still hunts, but over the years it has been become too much of a hassle to drive to west Texas and shoot some unsuspecting deer. I tell people that when you shoot deer you've ruined your entire day, having to field-dress it, haul to a processor, pay the fee, clean up, and on and on. My observation is that it is not a great day for the deer either. So in the intervening years I have tried to shoot birdies with my golf clubs and leave the big game hunting to those who have the time and money and inclination.
However, every year I buy a hunting license, and like an old bird dog, sniff the breeze as the wind turns chilly and the leaves begins to fall. There is still something there that I love, and it brings back only good memories. Time spent with my friends, time spent with my son, time spent in the natural beauty created by a supernatural God.
This past weekend our daughter and her husband were moving into their new house, so we set aside a peaceful weekend from wedding planning for our other daughter, loaded up a couple of pieces of furniture in my old Ford Ranger and headed for Amarillo. The Texas Motor Speedway was having one of their big events and we learned several years ago to avoid that area north of Ft. Worth and drive around it. A person can spend a large portion of that Friday night trying to wade through a sea of NASCAR fans and their RVs just trying to get to Decatur, we decided to go around.
So we struck out west through Weatherford, then to Mineral Wells, Bev was navigator, I was in the pilot seat. We talked for a while, through each town, commenting on events from the past, just visiting, and missing our turnoff to head north instead of west. Fortunately there are several ways to get where we are going, so we went on into Brechenridge, where we decided to grab a quick bite at Sonic and keep moving. By the way, I'm guessing the big new event in these towns is a "fall" carnival, with blow up slides, bounce houses, "trunk or treat" anyway, they all had them.
It got dark on us as we drove toward Throckmorton and we talked about a news article that had been mentioned in the paper about how many people were killed each year by hitting wildlife on the highway. I have always driven looking for deer and turkey and wild pigs, it still excites me to see them. I have no desire to shoot them, but it keeps the senses sharp and is simply a trait I picked up years ago. We drove through Throckmorton (which, by the way, is where Bob Lilly of the Dallas Cowboys grew up) and decided to fill up with gas and stretch our legs in Seymore, only 30 miles up the road. 3.2 miles north of Throckmorton we climbed a small hill, just getting back up to 65 mph, topped the hill with a slight bend to the right (golfers would call it a fade, not a slice) when sprinting left to right was a young 4-point deer.
I have no idea how many feet per second one is traveling at 65 mph (my Daughter-in-law I'm sure will let me know) but the reaction time is down to milli-seconds. My reflexes while driving have always been pretty good, but in this case the options were not how to avoid, but how to minimize what is about to happen. I "saw" all this in the moment before impact. To turn to the left would send me into the other lane of this little country road, to twist sharply right would roll the truck. So the deer impacted, dead solid center in the middle of my grill, crouched or running full speed, which lowers the body mass. WHAM! Keep the tires straight, edge to the right, quick glance towards Bev to make sure she was okay; followed by the question as soon as the truck slowed. She was fine, I was fine, the deer had rolled under the truck and I was pretty sure was not fine.
After wrestling the truck to the grass on the side, got out to inspect the damage. Lot's of leaking, hissing, metal ticking, burning smell. My little truck, the one who had served us so well, had survived my youngest daughter's college years with dependable service, was not fine at all. My Ranger had made the ultimate sacrifice and protected me and the one I love. It had done its best and that was good enough.
80 yards back up the road I found parts of my truck on the shoulder and after a lot of looking found the deer, I left it, it was probably dead before it came to rest in the ditch. I gathered the scattered pieces of the truck, threw them in the back of the truck as I walked back and Bev and I started to plan a new approach. My brother, David ended up letting us borrow his Excursion for the rest of the trip. Everything worked out okay, we got to Amarillo around 2:30AM. We were rousted by our 5 year old grandson at 6:30AM for the move. The rest is just moving stories.
But here is at least one good thing that came out of this. Bev and I got to spend 3 hours or so sitting in the cool West Texas night, talking or sitting in silence and listening to the coyotes singing to each other. Hearing the rustling across the road, eating Kettle corn that Bev had brought, and I guess being thankful that we were both unharmed, able to get help via cell phone, able to enjoy another remarkable experience that 30+ years of living and loving together brings us.
Anyway, this deer hunt will turn out to be a lot more expensive than the ones in the past, but at least the deer have a chance with this method to exact a little damage of their own.
For all you who went this past weekend to shoot deer and didn't get one, there is one in the ditch 3.2 miles north of Throckmorton on Hwy 283, right hand side, already tenderized.
Godspeed to all Orion's children.
Don
However, every year I buy a hunting license, and like an old bird dog, sniff the breeze as the wind turns chilly and the leaves begins to fall. There is still something there that I love, and it brings back only good memories. Time spent with my friends, time spent with my son, time spent in the natural beauty created by a supernatural God.
This past weekend our daughter and her husband were moving into their new house, so we set aside a peaceful weekend from wedding planning for our other daughter, loaded up a couple of pieces of furniture in my old Ford Ranger and headed for Amarillo. The Texas Motor Speedway was having one of their big events and we learned several years ago to avoid that area north of Ft. Worth and drive around it. A person can spend a large portion of that Friday night trying to wade through a sea of NASCAR fans and their RVs just trying to get to Decatur, we decided to go around.
So we struck out west through Weatherford, then to Mineral Wells, Bev was navigator, I was in the pilot seat. We talked for a while, through each town, commenting on events from the past, just visiting, and missing our turnoff to head north instead of west. Fortunately there are several ways to get where we are going, so we went on into Brechenridge, where we decided to grab a quick bite at Sonic and keep moving. By the way, I'm guessing the big new event in these towns is a "fall" carnival, with blow up slides, bounce houses, "trunk or treat" anyway, they all had them.
It got dark on us as we drove toward Throckmorton and we talked about a news article that had been mentioned in the paper about how many people were killed each year by hitting wildlife on the highway. I have always driven looking for deer and turkey and wild pigs, it still excites me to see them. I have no desire to shoot them, but it keeps the senses sharp and is simply a trait I picked up years ago. We drove through Throckmorton (which, by the way, is where Bob Lilly of the Dallas Cowboys grew up) and decided to fill up with gas and stretch our legs in Seymore, only 30 miles up the road. 3.2 miles north of Throckmorton we climbed a small hill, just getting back up to 65 mph, topped the hill with a slight bend to the right (golfers would call it a fade, not a slice) when sprinting left to right was a young 4-point deer.
I have no idea how many feet per second one is traveling at 65 mph (my Daughter-in-law I'm sure will let me know) but the reaction time is down to milli-seconds. My reflexes while driving have always been pretty good, but in this case the options were not how to avoid, but how to minimize what is about to happen. I "saw" all this in the moment before impact. To turn to the left would send me into the other lane of this little country road, to twist sharply right would roll the truck. So the deer impacted, dead solid center in the middle of my grill, crouched or running full speed, which lowers the body mass. WHAM! Keep the tires straight, edge to the right, quick glance towards Bev to make sure she was okay; followed by the question as soon as the truck slowed. She was fine, I was fine, the deer had rolled under the truck and I was pretty sure was not fine.
After wrestling the truck to the grass on the side, got out to inspect the damage. Lot's of leaking, hissing, metal ticking, burning smell. My little truck, the one who had served us so well, had survived my youngest daughter's college years with dependable service, was not fine at all. My Ranger had made the ultimate sacrifice and protected me and the one I love. It had done its best and that was good enough.
80 yards back up the road I found parts of my truck on the shoulder and after a lot of looking found the deer, I left it, it was probably dead before it came to rest in the ditch. I gathered the scattered pieces of the truck, threw them in the back of the truck as I walked back and Bev and I started to plan a new approach. My brother, David ended up letting us borrow his Excursion for the rest of the trip. Everything worked out okay, we got to Amarillo around 2:30AM. We were rousted by our 5 year old grandson at 6:30AM for the move. The rest is just moving stories.
But here is at least one good thing that came out of this. Bev and I got to spend 3 hours or so sitting in the cool West Texas night, talking or sitting in silence and listening to the coyotes singing to each other. Hearing the rustling across the road, eating Kettle corn that Bev had brought, and I guess being thankful that we were both unharmed, able to get help via cell phone, able to enjoy another remarkable experience that 30+ years of living and loving together brings us.
Anyway, this deer hunt will turn out to be a lot more expensive than the ones in the past, but at least the deer have a chance with this method to exact a little damage of their own.
For all you who went this past weekend to shoot deer and didn't get one, there is one in the ditch 3.2 miles north of Throckmorton on Hwy 283, right hand side, already tenderized.
Godspeed to all Orion's children.
Don
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