Those who know me understand I have had a rather interesting life to this point. I believe in living life to its fullest and have often told Ree to inscribe “He had fun” on my tombstone should I leave this world. I have been blessed in that I have seen a lot of places and met a lot of people. I had the privilege of being brought up by two of the most interesting people that I have ever known, and I have the honor of becoming Daddy to two of the absolute best people I have ever known…”my girls” as I call them.
It matters not that our surnames don’t match. It matters not that our DNA doesn’t match. Oddly, our blood types do match; along with our hair color and eye color. When I was dating their mother, I knew they were part of the package. I was ok with that. It saddens me that the person who is biologically obligated to fill this role shows no interest. At the same time I am just fine with that. I was brought up in a household of “steps” and never realized it until I was older. We were all “JW’s kids” and that’s the way it was.
I was once asked by an acquaintance how I could raise kids who were not my own. The question offended me. I once heard of a couple who have conflict because the husband says he cannot love a child he did not father. How sad! How very sad! The very God of the universe chose a step-parent to be daddy to His only begotten Son. He thought enough of Joseph to ensure young Jesus would have the upbringing He needed to shape his human form into the Man that God would need. If you choose to call me a “step” parent, then I am in good company. Personally I do not use the term on a regular basis. I know two little blondes who are just fine with that.
I love serving in the role of Daddy and I take it very seriously. I want them to be brought up like their mom and I were, with old fashioned values and work-ethics. I also want them to know who we are…to understand us…to appreciate the legacy that they will claim someday…and most importantly to know about our Heavenly “Daddy”. I thoroughly enjoy parenting. It is without a doubt the toughest but most rewarding task I have ever undertaken.
You would think there would be no paternal bond but I beg to differ. We get each other. We know each other. Once our mutual trust and understanding was built, we have continued to positively reinforce it. I am tough I’ll admit. They would tell you that too. They would also tell you I am fair and that I dote on them. They would most likely tell you they would have it no other way.
My girls don’t worry about where the next meal is coming from. They don’t have to worry about clothing or shelter. All they need be concerned with is studying and making good grades, obeying their parents, being respectful, doing their chores, and serving the Lord. We don’t allow answers that do not contain the words “sir” or “maam”. We don’t allow text messaging during family time or church fellowship. We do not allow the current Hannah Montana dress code or the current language patterns of the popular kid’s TV shows.
As parents we fully understand that God will hold us accountable for how we reared these kids. As the priest of my household, I know that I will have to answer to Almighty God and I do not take that lightly. We take full charge and responsibility for our kids and when I observe them in interaction with other kids, I will admit being very proud even if a bit biased. One day I may have a rude awakening as they say…or perhaps not. (Proverbs 22:6)
One evening not too long ago, my little one wanted to ask me a question. I sat down next to her wondering what was coming and hoping it wasn’t something I would have trouble explaining. She looked up at me with those innocent eyes and asked if she could call me “Daddy”. Thank goodness the tissues were close by the bed because I soon needed them. At that moment, I wouldn’t have wanted to be anywhere else or anyone else. I feel as if God felt that same way the night I knelt and asked for forgiveness of my sins…the night I asked to join His family and call HIM my Father. The night I asked if I could identify myself as one of His own.
As a Christian of Gentile heritage, having not been born into the Hebrew line, I am by Biblical definition adopted. I don’t consider myself an adopted child, a step child, or anything less than a child of the Most High God. (Romans 8:15, Galatians 4:6) Just as my girls are now part of my family heritage, I am a part of God’s. Just as my girls receive from me to meet their needs, I receive from Him. Through that spirit of adoption, I can cry “Abba Father” just as Jesus did! Can you get your carnal mind to fully process that? I can’t.
I know that I don’t worry about where my next meal is coming from or fret about clothing and shelter. I know that if He cares enough to put my tears in a bottle, then He will take good care of me. (Psalm 56:8, Luke 12:22-32). I know that I am grafted into His royal lineage and the devil cannot change that. I know that He is coming back for me someday if I don’t go to see Him first. I know that even if my physical carnal world falls around me like a house of cards, He has it all under control. I am thankful that my earthly Daddy was a man larger than life to me…and that my Heavenly Daddy IS life to me.
As Christmas nears and we place our focus on the Christ child, I cannot help but think also of Joseph. Here was a man who found out his fiancée was pregnant out of wedlock; and not by him. He was then told by an angel that the Child was of the Holy Ghost, marry her anyway, and things are going to work out. This tells us that Joseph was a man of faith. Why else would he have understood, believed and obeyed the voice of the angel?
By faith, Joseph took the lady and married her, putting away his own needs and desires. (Matthew 1:18-25) By faith, Joseph carried her to Bethlehem for the census, to present her as his own for the world to see. Surely he struggled deep inside with what people would think. Surely it pained him to be turned away from inn after inn while his wife waited patiently, and close to labor. (Luke 2:7) Joseph simply kept his focus on his mission. My friend if you don’t seem to be getting “fresh” instructions from God, go back to the last thing He told you to do and start there.
While there are no stories in the Gospels to back this up, I like to imagine a young Jesus growing up with Joseph. Even knowing He had a Heavenly Father, I would envision young Jesus calling Joseph “Daddy”. I’ll spin this into modern times for the sake of discussion. Travel with me in your mind to Joseph’s household on any typical spring day.
We see them tossing a baseball back and forth. “That’s a good pitch Jesus!” “Thanks Dad!”
Later, Mary watches from the kitchen window as Joseph teaches his Son how to use the tools of the carpenter’s trade. Joseph does not even realize, as he runs his hand over a piece of timber that someday the Child he has raised as his own will die on a timber much like this one. Surely Jesus knew and could not break His Daddy’s heart by hinting at His future. “That’s a fine piece of wood Dad. It will make a nice curio cabinet for Mom’s birthday.” Joseph smiles and reaches for his plane. “Son, here is how you hold this tool.”
Jesus comes in the house one day crying. “Daddy I tripped and fell and my arm hurts” he says through his human tears. All too often we forget that while Jesus was indeed God in the flesh, He was also very much human. Joseph wraps him in his arms and kisses him gently. “There there Son, it’s gonna be alright. Wonder why they call that a funny bone when it’s not funny at all.” Young Jesus smiles at Joseph, thankful for the man His Father chose to bring Him up. Joseph was quite a man. If the God of the Universe chooses you to rear His only Son, that says a lot about your character!
With that in mind, if the God of the Universe chooses you to represent His only Son (Matthew 28: 18-20), what does that say about your character? Merry Christmas and may God richly bless you and yours…and He will…He says so in His Word.
Where is that Scripture reference you ask? Look it up…it is found somewhere between “Genesis and maps”.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
If I Had Only Known
Recently I have been spending a lot more time concentrating on safety at my job. It’s not like I don’t normally concentrate on safety…it’s just that I am focusing more on the ‘whys’ and ‘hows’ and communicating that to others. After all, safety at work, like safety at home all comes down to a behavior-based outlook. If you are distracted, tired, sick, upset, or otherwise unhappy you are less likely to take the necessary precautions to keep yourself safe. I like to note how our attitudes can affect our actions, and reactions; and how a little common sense makes a whole lot of difference. Take for instance a situation in which a man lost his life. I will use an example I heard of several years ago, that happened in the Gulf of Mexico; and for the sake of this discussion I will keep the facts very generic.
This man went up in the derrick some ninety feet and failed to secure his fall-protection. A task that would have normally taken just a few moments and was considered fairly easy cost him his life when he lost his balance. I remember thinking that day (and I think the same thing often when I hear about a new incident or injury) “What if that person could relive that one moment in time?” Only that man and God above know what was going on in his world and in his mind immediately prior to the accident. If his coworkers could have that moment in time again, how do you suppose they would have acted?
Of course things would have been different! Five seconds after you miss the nail and hit your finger with the hammer, you wish you could go back. I guarantee you would not miss the nail a second time. My point is, it so often takes a tragedy, downfall, or other detrimental setback in life to shake us and wake us so that we stop and rethink the situation. Sadly it is too late in most cases to do anything different. We then become RE-active instead of PRO-active.
Being proactive in work, in life, and in finances (to name a few items) can be beneficial. Think about how we unwittingly do just that in most cases. We know the electric bill is coming due therefore we don’t throw caution to the wind and spend all the money in our checking account. We know the weatherman says it’s going to rain tomorrow so we make sure we have the umbrella handy. We know certain events are on the horizon so we make preparations for them. We know how to be proactive in most circumstances.
When my daughter takes on the job of mowing the lawn, she makes sure she has on the big floppy hat to shade the sun, earplugs, safety glasses, and sun-block. She is being proactive against sunburn, hearing loss, particles in her eyes, and numerous other potentials for injury. She does this because she was taught to do this. She was taught by verbal communication. She was taught by example. Her actions were positively reinforced, corrected as necessary, and praised when correct. Thus it goes with behavior-based safety.
Let’s review an on-the-job example, completely fictitious and unrelated to anyone you may know. “Bob” is doing a good job and wearing the necessary protective gear. You approach him and praise his efforts and thank him for doing such a great job and being so conscientious. What have you accomplished? Bob now has been positively reinforced for his correct behavior. Bob will most likely not sustain needless injury on the job as he is aware that his actions are noticed and appreciated. Conversely if Bob were not working safely and you pointed it out to him in a professional manner, he now has the motivation to learn from constructive criticism and be a better employee.
On occasion, the “Bob” in this example will rebel and verbally strike back in a vain attempt to camouflage his wrongdoing. He is stiff-necked. He is hard-hearted. He is going to be a headache. If your intentions are right, you will have patience and understanding and work with him; as much as is reasonable within limitations and guidelines. You may turn him for the better. You may have to let him go. If you have not already noticed through these scenarios, there are some spiritual connotations being revealed here.
Having said all that and given it sufficient time to sink in, I want to take this a step further. First I will tell you my reasoning for going in the direction I am about to take. Every so often we should ask God to renew our burden for the lost, for the backslidden and for the discouraged. Always on time and on schedule, God does that for us. It may come during a service, or during prayer time, or during your study time. Suddenly you are overwhelmed by the pain people are feeling…the sense of hopelessness…the near-insane mind games that go on in their head as they try to sleep. You feel compassion as Christ felt compassion.
You begin to see Him on the Cross, beaten and bruised…bloody…face almost unrecognizable even to those who followed Him (Isaiah 52:14) and you begin to feel what He must have felt as His heart broke for those around Him. There was a moment that hangs forever in time in which the very Son of God cried out to His Father and asked Him why He had forsaken Him. Ponder that and let it sink in. Can you imagine THAT feeling? (Matthew 27:46)
We read about hell and we study about hell and we are given various descriptions of hell. In addition to being a literal place of fire and brimstone, the basic premise of hell is separation from God. Can you fathom that? A place where all hope is gone and there are NO second chances. A place where you could not even breathe the phrase “God have mercy” because you know it is too late for that.
Last night, I was awakened from sleep by the most frightful thought I can ever remember having. For one brief moment…be it a second or a minute or just the wisp of a passing thought…in my dream I felt the absence of the presence of God. It was horrible! I awoke in prayer, near tears, and very near panic. Instantly the calming reassurance of the Spirit of God came over me. It was as if I was allowed to feel that feeling to reawaken me to what is going on in the world around me. It was to reignite my passion for ministry. It was to keep me in check. For whatever reason, I am thankful that it happened… and at the same time still a bit shaken by it.
The thought was and still is absolutely horrific. I cannot find enough adjectives to describe it. I felt nauseous. I felt short of breath. I felt a great sense of dread. I felt like I was at the end of a long dark hallway and when I reached the end and found no door, I turned around only to find the walls had closed in around me. Worst of all, I was conscious that I could not get to God. I knew He existed. I knew He loved me. I knew He was somewhere out there; but I knew I could not reach Him. That was a glimpse of a spiritual hell. That was a glimpse into the souls of so many people around us every day. That was a glimpse into despair and hopelessness.
For days now, a song I wrote and recorded on my CD “Voice of Many Waters” has been rolling around in my head. The song is “If I Had Only Known”. This weekend my Pastor preached on the rich young ruler…the man God called a fool…and how he never saw what was coming. If that rich young ruler could have had that moment in time again; just before the Lord said “Thou fool…” how do you think he would have lived his life? When he lifted up his eyes in hell, he was being reactive and it was too late for that. Had he been a follower of Jesus in his life, he would have been proactive.
It is amazing how God works and how God orchestrates. I have realized that as a leader in my company, I must mentor, train, and lead by example to help others be successful, safe, and compliant with regulations. By the same token, as a leader in God’s organization I must do the same. It is incumbent on each and every born-again Christian to walk the talk, to lead by example, to teach, to mentor, to witness, to help…to realize this thing we call salvation is not for us alone…it is for everyone. Don’t fall out with me but it is for Bin Laden; it is for the child-killer; it is for the high school bully who picked on you and you still dislike to this day, it is for your neighbor and for your family; it is for EVERYONE. (Titus 2:11)
So, what can you do? What can I do? We must follow His example. He set the tone at an early age by being about His Father’s business and he continued that mission until His last breath…and beyond. When God speaks to you and you know it is Him speaking, then obey. If you cannot distinguish His voice then you need to reconnect the broken phone line so to speak. You need to know when it is Him because to put it frankly, the devil will make a fool of you if you let him.
Take time to look around you. What can you do to help? If you ask Him He will show you.
I remember being asked to minister in the Word for a congregation in Texas one spring morning. The church was in turmoil searching for a Pastor. Members were coming and going…nothing was certain for them. All of this I knew on the surface, yet I wanted to know how I could best help them. While sitting on the front row as the opening announcements and prayer requests were going forth, I asked God to show me how they felt. He did. I felt confused and hopeless. I felt like no one cared. I stood before that congregation and I saw faces that reflected those emotions. I was better able to minister to them on that day as a result of God’s willingness to help me have a Christ-like compassion.
We should strive for that compassion daily. Christ had it daily!
Here are the lyrics to that song I mentioned earlier. Verse/Chorus one deals with Christ’s followers on the day of His crucifixion. I had Peter in mind when I wrote the song, but it could apply to almost anyone. Verse/Chorus two will likely remind you of someone you know…someone you have watched being lowered into the earth as you wondered if they made it. The final chorus is based on the shock and horror of witnessing what we know as the “Rapture of the Church” and not being able to take part.
Please take time to read it and reflect on it. It stirs me every time I do. Let’s renew our commitment to be about the Father’s business. God bless you…
If I Had Only Known
Copyright JW Cooper, Jr. Three Green Nanners Music, BMI
(From the CD “Voice of Many Waters”)
Picture if you will a cross on a hill and they’re taking the Lord’s body down
A disciple stands there in grief and despair, so ashamed he just stares at the ground
The events of two days are being replayed again and again in his mind
And as the Body goes by he begins to cry, and call out to Jesus one last time
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now they say it’s too late and they’re taking You away to suffer for the things I’ve done
I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
Now imagine if you can the death of a man who never had room for God
He lived for the world all his life, said “I’ll get right before I die. I’ve got plenty of time” he thought
Now in judgment he stands before the Son of Man and they search through the book for his name
He knows it not there, too late he falls down in prayer, and cries out from heartache and shame
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now You say it’s too late and You’re casting me away to suffer for the things I’ve done
I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now You say it’s too late and You’ve called Your Bride away, I’m left behind and all hope is gone!I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
I would have given You my heart. I would have served You with gladness. If I had only known
This man went up in the derrick some ninety feet and failed to secure his fall-protection. A task that would have normally taken just a few moments and was considered fairly easy cost him his life when he lost his balance. I remember thinking that day (and I think the same thing often when I hear about a new incident or injury) “What if that person could relive that one moment in time?” Only that man and God above know what was going on in his world and in his mind immediately prior to the accident. If his coworkers could have that moment in time again, how do you suppose they would have acted?
Of course things would have been different! Five seconds after you miss the nail and hit your finger with the hammer, you wish you could go back. I guarantee you would not miss the nail a second time. My point is, it so often takes a tragedy, downfall, or other detrimental setback in life to shake us and wake us so that we stop and rethink the situation. Sadly it is too late in most cases to do anything different. We then become RE-active instead of PRO-active.
Being proactive in work, in life, and in finances (to name a few items) can be beneficial. Think about how we unwittingly do just that in most cases. We know the electric bill is coming due therefore we don’t throw caution to the wind and spend all the money in our checking account. We know the weatherman says it’s going to rain tomorrow so we make sure we have the umbrella handy. We know certain events are on the horizon so we make preparations for them. We know how to be proactive in most circumstances.
When my daughter takes on the job of mowing the lawn, she makes sure she has on the big floppy hat to shade the sun, earplugs, safety glasses, and sun-block. She is being proactive against sunburn, hearing loss, particles in her eyes, and numerous other potentials for injury. She does this because she was taught to do this. She was taught by verbal communication. She was taught by example. Her actions were positively reinforced, corrected as necessary, and praised when correct. Thus it goes with behavior-based safety.
Let’s review an on-the-job example, completely fictitious and unrelated to anyone you may know. “Bob” is doing a good job and wearing the necessary protective gear. You approach him and praise his efforts and thank him for doing such a great job and being so conscientious. What have you accomplished? Bob now has been positively reinforced for his correct behavior. Bob will most likely not sustain needless injury on the job as he is aware that his actions are noticed and appreciated. Conversely if Bob were not working safely and you pointed it out to him in a professional manner, he now has the motivation to learn from constructive criticism and be a better employee.
On occasion, the “Bob” in this example will rebel and verbally strike back in a vain attempt to camouflage his wrongdoing. He is stiff-necked. He is hard-hearted. He is going to be a headache. If your intentions are right, you will have patience and understanding and work with him; as much as is reasonable within limitations and guidelines. You may turn him for the better. You may have to let him go. If you have not already noticed through these scenarios, there are some spiritual connotations being revealed here.
Having said all that and given it sufficient time to sink in, I want to take this a step further. First I will tell you my reasoning for going in the direction I am about to take. Every so often we should ask God to renew our burden for the lost, for the backslidden and for the discouraged. Always on time and on schedule, God does that for us. It may come during a service, or during prayer time, or during your study time. Suddenly you are overwhelmed by the pain people are feeling…the sense of hopelessness…the near-insane mind games that go on in their head as they try to sleep. You feel compassion as Christ felt compassion.
You begin to see Him on the Cross, beaten and bruised…bloody…face almost unrecognizable even to those who followed Him (Isaiah 52:14) and you begin to feel what He must have felt as His heart broke for those around Him. There was a moment that hangs forever in time in which the very Son of God cried out to His Father and asked Him why He had forsaken Him. Ponder that and let it sink in. Can you imagine THAT feeling? (Matthew 27:46)
We read about hell and we study about hell and we are given various descriptions of hell. In addition to being a literal place of fire and brimstone, the basic premise of hell is separation from God. Can you fathom that? A place where all hope is gone and there are NO second chances. A place where you could not even breathe the phrase “God have mercy” because you know it is too late for that.
Last night, I was awakened from sleep by the most frightful thought I can ever remember having. For one brief moment…be it a second or a minute or just the wisp of a passing thought…in my dream I felt the absence of the presence of God. It was horrible! I awoke in prayer, near tears, and very near panic. Instantly the calming reassurance of the Spirit of God came over me. It was as if I was allowed to feel that feeling to reawaken me to what is going on in the world around me. It was to reignite my passion for ministry. It was to keep me in check. For whatever reason, I am thankful that it happened… and at the same time still a bit shaken by it.
The thought was and still is absolutely horrific. I cannot find enough adjectives to describe it. I felt nauseous. I felt short of breath. I felt a great sense of dread. I felt like I was at the end of a long dark hallway and when I reached the end and found no door, I turned around only to find the walls had closed in around me. Worst of all, I was conscious that I could not get to God. I knew He existed. I knew He loved me. I knew He was somewhere out there; but I knew I could not reach Him. That was a glimpse of a spiritual hell. That was a glimpse into the souls of so many people around us every day. That was a glimpse into despair and hopelessness.
For days now, a song I wrote and recorded on my CD “Voice of Many Waters” has been rolling around in my head. The song is “If I Had Only Known”. This weekend my Pastor preached on the rich young ruler…the man God called a fool…and how he never saw what was coming. If that rich young ruler could have had that moment in time again; just before the Lord said “Thou fool…” how do you think he would have lived his life? When he lifted up his eyes in hell, he was being reactive and it was too late for that. Had he been a follower of Jesus in his life, he would have been proactive.
It is amazing how God works and how God orchestrates. I have realized that as a leader in my company, I must mentor, train, and lead by example to help others be successful, safe, and compliant with regulations. By the same token, as a leader in God’s organization I must do the same. It is incumbent on each and every born-again Christian to walk the talk, to lead by example, to teach, to mentor, to witness, to help…to realize this thing we call salvation is not for us alone…it is for everyone. Don’t fall out with me but it is for Bin Laden; it is for the child-killer; it is for the high school bully who picked on you and you still dislike to this day, it is for your neighbor and for your family; it is for EVERYONE. (Titus 2:11)
So, what can you do? What can I do? We must follow His example. He set the tone at an early age by being about His Father’s business and he continued that mission until His last breath…and beyond. When God speaks to you and you know it is Him speaking, then obey. If you cannot distinguish His voice then you need to reconnect the broken phone line so to speak. You need to know when it is Him because to put it frankly, the devil will make a fool of you if you let him.
Take time to look around you. What can you do to help? If you ask Him He will show you.
I remember being asked to minister in the Word for a congregation in Texas one spring morning. The church was in turmoil searching for a Pastor. Members were coming and going…nothing was certain for them. All of this I knew on the surface, yet I wanted to know how I could best help them. While sitting on the front row as the opening announcements and prayer requests were going forth, I asked God to show me how they felt. He did. I felt confused and hopeless. I felt like no one cared. I stood before that congregation and I saw faces that reflected those emotions. I was better able to minister to them on that day as a result of God’s willingness to help me have a Christ-like compassion.
We should strive for that compassion daily. Christ had it daily!
Here are the lyrics to that song I mentioned earlier. Verse/Chorus one deals with Christ’s followers on the day of His crucifixion. I had Peter in mind when I wrote the song, but it could apply to almost anyone. Verse/Chorus two will likely remind you of someone you know…someone you have watched being lowered into the earth as you wondered if they made it. The final chorus is based on the shock and horror of witnessing what we know as the “Rapture of the Church” and not being able to take part.
Please take time to read it and reflect on it. It stirs me every time I do. Let’s renew our commitment to be about the Father’s business. God bless you…
If I Had Only Known
Copyright JW Cooper, Jr. Three Green Nanners Music, BMI
(From the CD “Voice of Many Waters”)
Picture if you will a cross on a hill and they’re taking the Lord’s body down
A disciple stands there in grief and despair, so ashamed he just stares at the ground
The events of two days are being replayed again and again in his mind
And as the Body goes by he begins to cry, and call out to Jesus one last time
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now they say it’s too late and they’re taking You away to suffer for the things I’ve done
I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
Now imagine if you can the death of a man who never had room for God
He lived for the world all his life, said “I’ll get right before I die. I’ve got plenty of time” he thought
Now in judgment he stands before the Son of Man and they search through the book for his name
He knows it not there, too late he falls down in prayer, and cries out from heartache and shame
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now You say it’s too late and You’re casting me away to suffer for the things I’ve done
I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
Lord if I had known last night what would happen, I would have fallen on my knees in prayer
I would have sweat drops of blood and called out to You, Father
And prayed the angels would meet us there!
Now You say it’s too late and You’ve called Your Bride away, I’m left behind and all hope is gone!I would have walked closer to You, Lord I would have been a Christian; if I had only known
I would have given You my heart. I would have served You with gladness. If I had only known
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Honey, what is a 'blog' ?
Ree and I were cruising somewhere the other day...I really can't remember...perhaps to the airport, perhaps out to the school, or maybe just to the Dollar General Store. You know how it is with married folk. Some tasks have become so routine and mundane that you just do them; you really don't clutter up the memory cells with the particulars; at least in "Jdubyaland" you don't. I went here or I went there. I saw so-and-so and they asked about Uncle What's His Name; but honey I did not forget the bread, milk this time.
I attribute it to age, stress, or raising children. Most of the time if I can replay the scene in my mind, I can remember many of the details and the more I think of it the more it seems that we were heading to the airport. Give me a second...yep, got it. We were coming into Wiggins on Highway 29...wow, I suddenly don't feel so old....wait wait wait. I was on the phone when we came into Wiggins; Ree was driving. Maybe our conversation happened as we left Richton, or approached New Augusta. Don't you hate that? Ugh......
At any rate, Ree asked the question and I did my best to answer it. As advanced as we like to think we are, we are still light years behind the technology of our day and time. We may never admit it to our teenager, but periodically checking her phone for any signs of wrongdoing really stretches our limits. (While on that subject let me say that we trust our daughter and we are very proud of her. She is a very responsible, mature, and SAVED young lady. It is the rest of the world we do not trust. If you are a parent and you do not check up on the world's influences on your child, let me encourage you to do just that. Rest assured, you will be questioned about how you brought those kids up and the One doing the questioning will already know the answer. But I digress...)
As I was explaining to Ree what I knew about blogging, which took all of about one minute, it dawned on me that I should make a run at this. I always seem to have something to say and my thoughts often run from the deep and philosophical to the outright nutty. Such is my personality I suppose. Having recently taken a hiatus from all social networking sites that were consuming my time like a huge life-sucking monster, I miss those quips and quotes and general "questions and comments on life and stuff" that I had become accustomed to making from time to time.
To that end, for what it's worth, I blog. I blog therefore I blog. Who knows which direction we will take. Maybe deep and philosophical...perhaps witty and laden with non-sequiturs and useless trivia. Either way, it will come from the heart and from my over-active mind. I hope in doing this I can clear the clutter from time to time, and inspire someone or at least tickle their funny bone.
Stay tuned...this should be interesting...
I attribute it to age, stress, or raising children. Most of the time if I can replay the scene in my mind, I can remember many of the details and the more I think of it the more it seems that we were heading to the airport. Give me a second...yep, got it. We were coming into Wiggins on Highway 29...wow, I suddenly don't feel so old....wait wait wait. I was on the phone when we came into Wiggins; Ree was driving. Maybe our conversation happened as we left Richton, or approached New Augusta. Don't you hate that? Ugh......
At any rate, Ree asked the question and I did my best to answer it. As advanced as we like to think we are, we are still light years behind the technology of our day and time. We may never admit it to our teenager, but periodically checking her phone for any signs of wrongdoing really stretches our limits. (While on that subject let me say that we trust our daughter and we are very proud of her. She is a very responsible, mature, and SAVED young lady. It is the rest of the world we do not trust. If you are a parent and you do not check up on the world's influences on your child, let me encourage you to do just that. Rest assured, you will be questioned about how you brought those kids up and the One doing the questioning will already know the answer. But I digress...)
As I was explaining to Ree what I knew about blogging, which took all of about one minute, it dawned on me that I should make a run at this. I always seem to have something to say and my thoughts often run from the deep and philosophical to the outright nutty. Such is my personality I suppose. Having recently taken a hiatus from all social networking sites that were consuming my time like a huge life-sucking monster, I miss those quips and quotes and general "questions and comments on life and stuff" that I had become accustomed to making from time to time.
To that end, for what it's worth, I blog. I blog therefore I blog. Who knows which direction we will take. Maybe deep and philosophical...perhaps witty and laden with non-sequiturs and useless trivia. Either way, it will come from the heart and from my over-active mind. I hope in doing this I can clear the clutter from time to time, and inspire someone or at least tickle their funny bone.
Stay tuned...this should be interesting...
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