Sometimes people ask you a question or make a statement that is cryptic and veiled. They do that so that when you respond you are caught unaware or perhaps trapped into admitting something you might not otherwise reveal. It is a passive-aggressive form of communication rather than just a straightforward speaking of the mind. When lulled into one of these conversations you are often embarrassed, surprised and not often allowed to offer any deeper answer. In our sound-bite world this seems to be ever-more true. Journalists and political pundits are looking for that shocked, surprised answer or just a strange reaction so that they claim a "Youtube" moment.
I don't like being baited. But you know, I can't seem to lay off that dangling bait either. Some years ago when I was in elementary school I talked too much in class and the teacher assigned me sentences to write. What did the sentence say? "My mouth gets me in trouble when I talk too much." One of these days I will take that lesson to heart.
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
What I Did This Summer, Part I
This summer I did what I have done every year for the past few -- I chaperoned our church youth group on a brief but meaningful mission trip. We went to Cincinnati this summer for the trip and we worked with a wonderful organization called Matthew 25 Ministries. They treated us very well and we filled up several gaylords of goods and products to be shipped where there is need. I don't usually go head over heels for organizations with which we work, but, this one was tempting.
We went to Newport on the Levee and had a nice dinner on the balcony. We watched a Cincinnati Reds game that was a lot of fun. We spent a whole entire good day at King's Island riding every roller coaster they rolled out. It was a LONG day.
Then there was Vacation Bible School that went very well. It too was mission oriented. We invited guest speakers in and we looked at the mission field in our neighborhood, our city, state, country and around the world. The kids seemed to be having a good time and the content this year was outstanding.
After that it was on to the summer camp management job that I work for Christian Church in KY. Each week I would meet counselors, directors and campers at Camp WakonDaHo, invite them to fun and spiritual growth and shoot a couple hundred pictures of these children and teenagers having an unabashed good time. Camp WakonDaHo is so much more than a place.
And that was June.
We went to Newport on the Levee and had a nice dinner on the balcony. We watched a Cincinnati Reds game that was a lot of fun. We spent a whole entire good day at King's Island riding every roller coaster they rolled out. It was a LONG day.
Then there was Vacation Bible School that went very well. It too was mission oriented. We invited guest speakers in and we looked at the mission field in our neighborhood, our city, state, country and around the world. The kids seemed to be having a good time and the content this year was outstanding.
After that it was on to the summer camp management job that I work for Christian Church in KY. Each week I would meet counselors, directors and campers at Camp WakonDaHo, invite them to fun and spiritual growth and shoot a couple hundred pictures of these children and teenagers having an unabashed good time. Camp WakonDaHo is so much more than a place.
And that was June.
Sunday, September 5, 2010
Cooking With A Flame
I like to cook on the outdoor gas grill. I like cooking over a flame. It's primitive. It's tasty. It gives me satisfaction.
It doesn't matter what is to be grilled, I enjoy cooking it all. From zucchini slices to corn on the cob, baking potatoes, steaks, salmon, hamburgers and hot dogs. All good.
But, it's Labor Day weekend and thus the traditional end to summer and the summer grilling season. It won't stop me. If my tank has propane then I will cook with a flame. Even when there is snow on the grill I am up to putting on a coat and cooking outside; especially if it's a steak from Critchfield's.
I just like cooking with a flame no matter what the season. Labor Day may be a national celebration to celebrate, "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," but it certainly doesn't mean grilling is over.
It doesn't matter what is to be grilled, I enjoy cooking it all. From zucchini slices to corn on the cob, baking potatoes, steaks, salmon, hamburgers and hot dogs. All good.
But, it's Labor Day weekend and thus the traditional end to summer and the summer grilling season. It won't stop me. If my tank has propane then I will cook with a flame. Even when there is snow on the grill I am up to putting on a coat and cooking outside; especially if it's a steak from Critchfield's.
I just like cooking with a flame no matter what the season. Labor Day may be a national celebration to celebrate, "the strength and esprit de corps of the trade and labor organizations," but it certainly doesn't mean grilling is over.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
September
Officially summer may not be over for three more weeks but, it's September 1 and that means fall to me. College football starts this week. The pools close this weekend. The sailboat is telling me the wind is about to shift in her direction. It's fall.
Fall is always a low time for me. I don't really know why. I just seem to dip a little as the days get shorter. And I miss playing football. After all these years have passed by I can still smell the dust and the grass of Oklahoma; the long evening practices; the sounds, the sights of it all. And who could ever purge that locker room smell from their memories? It stings the nostrils.
A couple years ago the alt band Green Day wrote and recorded a great song about September and with a shout out to their biggest fan, Wyatt McDanald, here's the lyric to the song.
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
like my father's come to pass
seven years has gone so fast
wake me up when September ends
here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends
summer has come and passed
the innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
ring out the bells again
like we did when spring began
wake me up when September ends
here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
like my father's come to pass
twenty years has gone so fast
wake me up when September ends
Indeed.
Fall is always a low time for me. I don't really know why. I just seem to dip a little as the days get shorter. And I miss playing football. After all these years have passed by I can still smell the dust and the grass of Oklahoma; the long evening practices; the sounds, the sights of it all. And who could ever purge that locker room smell from their memories? It stings the nostrils.
A couple years ago the alt band Green Day wrote and recorded a great song about September and with a shout out to their biggest fan, Wyatt McDanald, here's the lyric to the song.
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
like my father's come to pass
seven years has gone so fast
wake me up when September ends
here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends
summer has come and passed
the innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
ring out the bells again
like we did when spring began
wake me up when September ends
here comes the rain again
falling from the stars
drenched in my pain again
becoming who we are
as my memory rests
but never forgets what I lost
wake me up when September ends
Summer has come and passed
The innocent can never last
wake me up when September ends
like my father's come to pass
twenty years has gone so fast
wake me up when September ends
Indeed.
Monday, August 30, 2010
Never Unscathed
The Tulsa portion of my 30 day Sabbatical Experiment was very pleasing. In spite of my anxieties about the mini-reunion it was way more fun than I could have hoped. The whole reconnecting with friends from days gone by was especially sweet and wonderful. Yet, as we talked and remembered and filled in the gaps of our lives it was not difficult to discover that many of us have lived through some really difficult days and situations, health concerns, marriages that didn't go well and the like. Not a one of us seemed to be without scars of some sort and there were even some among us who had fresh wounds. It seems to be so that none of us walks through this world unscathed. We've reached our 50's and that's plenty of time for a hike through the woods of life.
Most of the people, and perhaps even all of them, who were there are decent, good people. Bad things do indeed happen to the best of us. One particularly endeared friend is reovering from the loss of her father whom she deeply adored. She is very strong in faith and has lived her principles, as did her dad. But, grief shows on her face nonetheless.
I often assert that life can almost always be explained by physics. A curious thing for a pastor to say others often think. But I believe that when a heavy load begins to crush us it is good to have a structure around us that can support and distribute the weight. Because none of us escapes life unschathed it is good indeed to have friends who bear us up on eagle's wings and help us carry the load.
Most of the people, and perhaps even all of them, who were there are decent, good people. Bad things do indeed happen to the best of us. One particularly endeared friend is reovering from the loss of her father whom she deeply adored. She is very strong in faith and has lived her principles, as did her dad. But, grief shows on her face nonetheless.
I often assert that life can almost always be explained by physics. A curious thing for a pastor to say others often think. But I believe that when a heavy load begins to crush us it is good to have a structure around us that can support and distribute the weight. Because none of us escapes life unschathed it is good indeed to have friends who bear us up on eagle's wings and help us carry the load.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
A Long Way to Go and a Short Time to Get There
We picked up the RV a little early today thanks to some outstanding and wonderful employees at NotNu/Cruise America in Tulsa. We hit the road around 12:30 Central time with me behind the wheel.
The rented RV planted itself at 70 MPH and didn't look back. Stroud, Oklahoma City, Weatherford, Shamrock, Amarillo, Tucumcarie and now we rest at the KOA in Albuquerque. Apparently they have Wi-Fi because here I am at midnight thirty writing in the blog.
The landscape along the way was inspiring. The hills and farms of Oklahoma, dotted with gas wells and ponds. The flat prairie of the Texas panhandle with mesquite growing low and washes and draws where Indians used to hide from the US Army. The mesas, ravines and oddly shaped mountains of eastern New Mexico without a tree in sight. Inspiring. It is amazing the change in topography you can experience in one day's drive. Amazing.
The sunset over the New Mexico mountains was special and the full moon guiding us tonight was our constant friend.
The KOA is very nice and the RV seems to be functioning quite well, even if it is only accomplishing about 7 MPG. That may have more to do with the leadfoot behind the wheel than anything else.
We will all sleep well tonight. In fact I am yawning now and ready to sign off.
Goodnight from Albuquerque.
The rented RV planted itself at 70 MPH and didn't look back. Stroud, Oklahoma City, Weatherford, Shamrock, Amarillo, Tucumcarie and now we rest at the KOA in Albuquerque. Apparently they have Wi-Fi because here I am at midnight thirty writing in the blog.
The landscape along the way was inspiring. The hills and farms of Oklahoma, dotted with gas wells and ponds. The flat prairie of the Texas panhandle with mesquite growing low and washes and draws where Indians used to hide from the US Army. The mesas, ravines and oddly shaped mountains of eastern New Mexico without a tree in sight. Inspiring. It is amazing the change in topography you can experience in one day's drive. Amazing.
The sunset over the New Mexico mountains was special and the full moon guiding us tonight was our constant friend.
The KOA is very nice and the RV seems to be functioning quite well, even if it is only accomplishing about 7 MPG. That may have more to do with the leadfoot behind the wheel than anything else.
We will all sleep well tonight. In fact I am yawning now and ready to sign off.
Goodnight from Albuquerque.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Disaster or Disaster Avoided?
Today was a disaster. Or perhaps it is a day when disaster was avoided.
The morning went pretty well. We left the hotel in St Robert, MO close to an "on-time departure" and arrived in Tulsa to do a bit of sight-seeing for Ryan, and a little coney eating too, before we went to Mom and Dad's.
We loaded the RV and made for Oklahoma City. First, it was the generator that malfunctioned. The generator was surging which made it nearly impossible for the air conditioner to run, which made it really, really hot inside the RV. So, before we got out of town we stopped and tried to make adjustments. Nothing really worked but I got behind the wheel and we entered the Turner Turnpike.
That's when the engine went amiss. Each time we tried to climb a hill it would starve for fuel. It backfired once. Still, I kept thinking it might just smooth out.
Forty miles onto the turnpike we hit the toll booth. As we exited the RV decided not to shift into overdrive. The torque converter wasn't kicking in. So, Dad said, "Jerry, we need to turn around and go home. We can't have this thing breaking down and stranding us in the middle of nowhere." By the way, the middle of nowhere was our chosen destination but breaking down there was not our chosen activity.
So, I turned us around and headed back to town; bewildered and with my Dad nearly sunk with disappointment and sorrow. He kept saying he was sorry, but, it didn't need to be said because he hadn't caused the phantoms and I wasn't about to hold the misfortunes of the day against him.
Still, I didn't know exactly what to do. We called a place in Tulsa called NotNu and they rent CruiseAmerica RV's. Yes, we can get one tomorrow she said. Not today? Nope, thanks to Timothy McVeigh no one can get a same-day RV rental ever again.
I talked with Kelly and she said that this was a once in a lifetime trip and we would just work out the money at a later time. How, I don't know and I didn't really think about it as I signed the rental agreement.
Tomorrow we get a CruiseAmerica RV with a huge billboard on the side of it. It's bare. We have to take everything from toilet paper to sheets with us tomorrow. It's gonna be an ordeal, but, they have roadside assistance. It's nearly new. It sleeps 7. It may be OK.
But, we still have to get to Phoenix by 9:00 PM on Wednesday to pick up Kelly at the airport. Hard days ahead tomorrow and Wednesday. We can't get the rolling billboard until noon tomorrow and it will surely be 1:00 before we are packed and moving.
Still, I think today is about learning something. Even though it seemed to have all went wrong we are moving forward; trying to learn; trying to be on sabbatical. By the way, that was especially hard to do today because the church phone kept calling me to tell me someone had left a message. I thought I had turned that off but I guess I didn't. The tech guy was supposed to call or come by last Thursday to help with the phones but he didn't.
Trying hard to be on sabbatical. Trying hard to learn each day. Today I learned a lot about character and will and determination and grit. And I think Dallas and Ryan learned something too. I hope they did.
The morning went pretty well. We left the hotel in St Robert, MO close to an "on-time departure" and arrived in Tulsa to do a bit of sight-seeing for Ryan, and a little coney eating too, before we went to Mom and Dad's.
We loaded the RV and made for Oklahoma City. First, it was the generator that malfunctioned. The generator was surging which made it nearly impossible for the air conditioner to run, which made it really, really hot inside the RV. So, before we got out of town we stopped and tried to make adjustments. Nothing really worked but I got behind the wheel and we entered the Turner Turnpike.
That's when the engine went amiss. Each time we tried to climb a hill it would starve for fuel. It backfired once. Still, I kept thinking it might just smooth out.
Forty miles onto the turnpike we hit the toll booth. As we exited the RV decided not to shift into overdrive. The torque converter wasn't kicking in. So, Dad said, "Jerry, we need to turn around and go home. We can't have this thing breaking down and stranding us in the middle of nowhere." By the way, the middle of nowhere was our chosen destination but breaking down there was not our chosen activity.
So, I turned us around and headed back to town; bewildered and with my Dad nearly sunk with disappointment and sorrow. He kept saying he was sorry, but, it didn't need to be said because he hadn't caused the phantoms and I wasn't about to hold the misfortunes of the day against him.
Still, I didn't know exactly what to do. We called a place in Tulsa called NotNu and they rent CruiseAmerica RV's. Yes, we can get one tomorrow she said. Not today? Nope, thanks to Timothy McVeigh no one can get a same-day RV rental ever again.
I talked with Kelly and she said that this was a once in a lifetime trip and we would just work out the money at a later time. How, I don't know and I didn't really think about it as I signed the rental agreement.
Tomorrow we get a CruiseAmerica RV with a huge billboard on the side of it. It's bare. We have to take everything from toilet paper to sheets with us tomorrow. It's gonna be an ordeal, but, they have roadside assistance. It's nearly new. It sleeps 7. It may be OK.
But, we still have to get to Phoenix by 9:00 PM on Wednesday to pick up Kelly at the airport. Hard days ahead tomorrow and Wednesday. We can't get the rolling billboard until noon tomorrow and it will surely be 1:00 before we are packed and moving.
Still, I think today is about learning something. Even though it seemed to have all went wrong we are moving forward; trying to learn; trying to be on sabbatical. By the way, that was especially hard to do today because the church phone kept calling me to tell me someone had left a message. I thought I had turned that off but I guess I didn't. The tech guy was supposed to call or come by last Thursday to help with the phones but he didn't.
Trying hard to be on sabbatical. Trying hard to learn each day. Today I learned a lot about character and will and determination and grit. And I think Dallas and Ryan learned something too. I hope they did.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)