The Clock and Chair

I apparently had a lot on my mind back in March, with 15 different post on this blog. April has proven to be quite the disappointment to my many loyal readers (that's you Kim and David L. ). I had a number of people (2) ask me this month "why have you quit writing?" Well, I've been writing, but just not in this forum. Writing is turning out to be one of my favorite hobbies. Who would have guessed the kid who graduated high school with a "D" in Language-Arts (English) would find enjoyment in reading and writing? I realize my grammar and spelling might reflect my high school grade average, but my desire and passion do not. I guess that goes to show that who we were when we were 18 isn't necessarily who we "grow-up" to be. Thank God! It is like we get to live several different lives in this one gift of "our existence."
I had a conversation with Angela the other night about two of my lives that have unpredictably overlapped. As I was sitting at home in a rocking chair that once belong to my grandparents, I remembered that this is the same chair where I once sat as a child on my Grandfather's lap. We would look together out his back window at his well maintained yard, with the red VW bug and his camper parked in their usual spots. We would be listening to "How Great Thou Art" or "Old Rugged Cross" playing in the back ground while my Grandma was in the kitchen fixing either a ham sandwich with butter, her ever popular lemonade, or her equally appreciated fudge. And at the same time I remember her working to stay in the conversation with us even though she was in another room. And my grandfather would always find a way to start his two finger walk on my leg that ended with him attacking me in a flurry of tickling. I remember my laughter, but my memory is more of him laughing after this tickle attack. He had a laugh that wasn't fake. His love for me and his love of life were evident, even to, and perhaps especially to a child. Now I'm sitting on this same chair, and my kids are now the age I was in this memory. And Angela and I are also looking at a clock on our wall that once shared the room with this same chair back in Iowa. I never remember a time when this chair or that clock wasn't a part of my life. The clock today is reading 2:00 pm right now. It has read 2:00 pm about 13,850 times in my life and, God willing, I could see 2:00 pm another 13,850 more times. But when my last 2:00 pm does come, I feel quite confident in the fact that the fond memories of my grandparents will become realities again...I can almost tasted that ham and butter sandwich and I can almost feel that two fingered tickle march starting again!

A success story

A month ago I started the story of my brother-in-law's (Dave) training for the Cooper River Bridge run. Well Dave has finished the race. He didn't place in the top 10, but mainly because of the participants who traveled from Kenya and Ethiopia...all the top 10 runners were from these countries and finished the race in under 30 min. That's less than 5 min per mile! I couldn't run to my mailbox at that pace, yet alone 6 miles straight. I do have to admit that Dave did much better than I had expected. I kinda expected him to cross the finish line in an ambulance. But he finished the race in full stride and, according to his wife, he had a big grin on his face. That's a success story to me! So although he didn't shock the town of Charleston with a top ten finish, he did shock his family with his rightfully owned 19,859th place finish. Trust me, that's much better than it sounds. Congratulations Dave!

Trying new things

As a Christian in today's modern world I think it is important to keep up with the current trends in today's culture. So often the Christian community shuns modern culture to the point of alienating ourself from the people who might need us most, like the people wrapped up in drug addictions. So for those of you who haven't noticed yet, I tend to think a little "outside the box" when it comes to my spirituality. So my lastest effort to reach out to people might seem a little controversial, but I hold my assurance by remembering that some of the greatest people in history have been accused of being controversial. So how am I going to try and connect with a culture that is getting farther and farther removed from the church? I'm going to try some methamphetamines! I better let y'all have time to let that one sink in a little............
Alright, here me out. First, this is one of the fastest growing, and most distructive drug problems in the U.S. It is one of the most easily accessible and cheapest illegal drug on the streets. So it's obvious why kids (and adults) are getting hooked. And the fact that it ages a person so quickly by ruining the skin and rotting the teeth through severe malnutrition, only proves to me that this must be an experience worth trying at least once. After all, if it helps people alleviate some of our deep rooted feelings of vanity, then maybe they're on the right track.
I have no intention of getting hooked! I just feel to better understand the "buzz" of this product, I need to experiment with it in a controlled enviroment (like my house or in my car). And then, hopefully, when I'm armed with the knowledge of the drug's effect on my brain, body, and emotions, then I'll be "one" with the methamphetamine community. I can infiltrate their lives for their benifit. I can be a light in the darkness!
I don't expect much support from the traditionalist. I don't expect much support from my family. But I am a pioneer! I'll fight the good fight! I'll be the modern day martyr! And before you discount me as someone who has gone past the point of rational thought, remember what today is...It's not a day to be timid. It's not a day for complacency! And it's not a day to crawl into our bunkers and hide from the enemy!.............It's April Fools Day!