This morning I found a stick in the ol' junk drawer of the mind.
When I was young, as a lot of boys do, I would go out walking in the woods. We would follow a creek, or crick in some cases, but that is another topic. Sometimes a boy would find a stick that was perfect for carrying around. It would be the right length, the right weight, the right thickness. I don't know how such criteria are calculated, and I honestly don't even know all of the criteria. Being a grown up boy, I still like to find a stick if I go on a walk in the woods or out disc-golfing. The criteria seem to be intangible as I sit here typing, but there are criteria. The stick doesn't necessarily have to have a purpose, but invariably, a purpose is discovered for that stick. sometimes it is to poke at something too gross to touch with the human hand. Sometimes a stick props you up while you are crossing that stream. Sometimes that stick is just security, in case you stumble on that pack of wolves that you dreamt about last night. Sometimes it's purpose is to just be in your hand. I can't explain it, but we boys like to carry sticks. (We also like to throw rocks, again another topic.)
This morming, I was laying in bed and was feeling a little worthless. there is a term I remember learning about; "the total depravity of man." I have a hard time with that term, because there are so many times that I feel inadiquite and that I don't measure at all let alone up. But as I lay there a Bible verse popped into my mind. The verse was Romans 5:8, No I didn't remember the actual spot in the Bible (had to look it up), but I did remember the words, "While we were yet sinners Christ died for us."
I don't remember why, but right afterward I thought of sticks. Weird, yes, but follow me. sometimes while looking for a stick, you just find one you like. It has value, because it just is a good stick. You can decide later what to do with it. It hit me, I'm a good stick. I may not know my full potential, but I'm a good stick. Though I was gnawed off, quite a bit gnarly, and covered in half decayed bark, Christ died for me! If you are still confused, post a comment, I'll try to answer questions.
Saturday, October 4, 2008
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Thank you Mr. Kelke
On the way home today, I was thinking about our local town council. They need to do better. for some reason, I instantly thought of sixth grade.
I had Mr. Kelke. He was a really good teacher. He wasn't overly funny, or mean, or overly anything for that matter. He was fair, and had high expectations. In the spring, the city had a city wide track meet for the grade schools. somehow, I made the 4 x 50 yard dash. I was the starting leg of our foursome. when we went to the track to practice, I tried what I thought was hard. He came up to me after one of our practice runs, and told me to really pop up off the line and go. I thought I had, but I told him I would. Our next practice run, I thought I did better, but Mr. Kelke came up to me after I made my exchange, and told me I need to really pop up and run hard. Now this time I was sure I had run really well, but I said I would try. I concentrated, and tried. after this run however, Mr. Kelke came over to me, and was gentle, but told me that I need to do even better. I cried, but It stirred me to concentrate even harder on our next practice run. I didn't get any feedback after that run, and we all moved on to what ever else we had to do. when the day of the meet came, and it was time for our event, I lined up on the inside lane. We had to stay in our lanes, because it was only 200 yards total. We started out behind everyone else because of the turn. I probably concentrated harder than I ever had on anything up to that point. I can't tell you if I was the fastest one in my leg of the run, because I was concentrating on the run and the exchange (which was flawless, at least from my memory). but after the exchange, I watched the rest of the race. At the beginning of my leg, we were "behind" everyone else, but at the end of the second leg where we hit the straight away, we were about 20 feet in front of all the other teams. Legs two and three didn't let up an inch, and our team totally smashed the other teams. Thanks, Mr. Kelke. I'm sure I met my potential that day.
Who ever is reading this.....go out and do better!
I had Mr. Kelke. He was a really good teacher. He wasn't overly funny, or mean, or overly anything for that matter. He was fair, and had high expectations. In the spring, the city had a city wide track meet for the grade schools. somehow, I made the 4 x 50 yard dash. I was the starting leg of our foursome. when we went to the track to practice, I tried what I thought was hard. He came up to me after one of our practice runs, and told me to really pop up off the line and go. I thought I had, but I told him I would. Our next practice run, I thought I did better, but Mr. Kelke came up to me after I made my exchange, and told me I need to really pop up and run hard. Now this time I was sure I had run really well, but I said I would try. I concentrated, and tried. after this run however, Mr. Kelke came over to me, and was gentle, but told me that I need to do even better. I cried, but It stirred me to concentrate even harder on our next practice run. I didn't get any feedback after that run, and we all moved on to what ever else we had to do. when the day of the meet came, and it was time for our event, I lined up on the inside lane. We had to stay in our lanes, because it was only 200 yards total. We started out behind everyone else because of the turn. I probably concentrated harder than I ever had on anything up to that point. I can't tell you if I was the fastest one in my leg of the run, because I was concentrating on the run and the exchange (which was flawless, at least from my memory). but after the exchange, I watched the rest of the race. At the beginning of my leg, we were "behind" everyone else, but at the end of the second leg where we hit the straight away, we were about 20 feet in front of all the other teams. Legs two and three didn't let up an inch, and our team totally smashed the other teams. Thanks, Mr. Kelke. I'm sure I met my potential that day.
Who ever is reading this.....go out and do better!
Heavy Reavy
Today I went to church to pray really, really early. We are having a 24-7 prayer time, and I signed up for a really early time. anyway...
While singing, That's how I like to pray best, God revealed to me that I just need to let him shine through. Not block him. And while he was revealing this to me, and I was singing, I had my eyes closed. I suddenly became very aware that I could tell where the lights were, and where they were shining at.
It was like a revelation. Though there are many in this world that refuse to open their eyes to God, They can still see His light, when we let it shine through us. This Little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
While singing, That's how I like to pray best, God revealed to me that I just need to let him shine through. Not block him. And while he was revealing this to me, and I was singing, I had my eyes closed. I suddenly became very aware that I could tell where the lights were, and where they were shining at.
It was like a revelation. Though there are many in this world that refuse to open their eyes to God, They can still see His light, when we let it shine through us. This Little light of mine, I'm gonna let it shine, let it shine, let it shine, let it shine.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
The Mind of God
I woke up at 3:30 am again, so I decided to BLOG.
Most of the time if someone asks me a question about God and Why he would do something, I mull it over for a while, and have to come to the conclusion that I really don't know.... Like, can God make a rock so heavy that even he can't lift it? I don't know. When someone asks that question, I know that they don't really care what the answer is, they are just trying to screw with the mind of the person they are asking. There are three events in my life that I can say that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt how God felt about something.
Event 1.
A couple of years ago, the day before I was to start teaching, my wife and I lost a baby. We weren't far along, and didn't know if it was a boy or girl. We cried. boy, did we cry. I asked God why. I wondered if God could understand and feel what I was going through. Then When I was in church, my mind was wandering from the sermon (Sorry Gary), and then it hit me. God knows exactly how it felt to lose a child. He lost his on the cross. When Jesus died on that cross, God was separated from his child.
Event 2.
A few weeks after Em'ly and I lost our child, we get a phone call a little after 2:00 am on a Tuesday morning. (There are no good phone calls after midnight.) My brother called and told me that my Dad had passed away. I didn't cry. . . I wept, I wailed, I sobbed, but I didn't cry. My wife wept with me, we held each other tight for quite a while, then went to sleep. I actually taught later that day, because I wasn't leaving for Tulsa until Wednesday. A couple weeks later, I was in church, and again I had a difficult time focusing on the sermon (sorry again Gary). Then it hit me. God knows what it was like to lose a Dad. Because Jesus, who is part of the Trinity, had always been with God. Since the beginning, Jesus was with God. Then when He died on the cross, He was separated from God the Father. In essence losing the relationship with his Dad that he had had since the world began.
Event 3.
A couple days ago some friends of ours went to Russia to pick up the child they are adopting. while reading the story, I could tell how excited they are to be adopting this boy. Their excitement just oozes out of their pores. The story of the day they were in court is especially exciting. When the judge pronounced that the adoption was final, you could tell that people all over the U.S. were cheering for our friends. You could tell how much they loved this child. This child that wasn't theirs, but now is. I got to thinking. . . (Not in church this time). How much more does God love us than we can love our children. After all, we are just human. And how much more excited is God when one of his children come back to him, and wants to be called his.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I understand God about a two. While here on Earth, I think the best we can maybe get up to is 3 or 4, and I don't think too many people get that high, so I'm pretty happy with my two.
Most of the time if someone asks me a question about God and Why he would do something, I mull it over for a while, and have to come to the conclusion that I really don't know.... Like, can God make a rock so heavy that even he can't lift it? I don't know. When someone asks that question, I know that they don't really care what the answer is, they are just trying to screw with the mind of the person they are asking. There are three events in my life that I can say that I know beyond a shadow of a doubt how God felt about something.
Event 1.
A couple of years ago, the day before I was to start teaching, my wife and I lost a baby. We weren't far along, and didn't know if it was a boy or girl. We cried. boy, did we cry. I asked God why. I wondered if God could understand and feel what I was going through. Then When I was in church, my mind was wandering from the sermon (Sorry Gary), and then it hit me. God knows exactly how it felt to lose a child. He lost his on the cross. When Jesus died on that cross, God was separated from his child.
Event 2.
A few weeks after Em'ly and I lost our child, we get a phone call a little after 2:00 am on a Tuesday morning. (There are no good phone calls after midnight.) My brother called and told me that my Dad had passed away. I didn't cry. . . I wept, I wailed, I sobbed, but I didn't cry. My wife wept with me, we held each other tight for quite a while, then went to sleep. I actually taught later that day, because I wasn't leaving for Tulsa until Wednesday. A couple weeks later, I was in church, and again I had a difficult time focusing on the sermon (sorry again Gary). Then it hit me. God knows what it was like to lose a Dad. Because Jesus, who is part of the Trinity, had always been with God. Since the beginning, Jesus was with God. Then when He died on the cross, He was separated from God the Father. In essence losing the relationship with his Dad that he had had since the world began.
Event 3.
A couple days ago some friends of ours went to Russia to pick up the child they are adopting. while reading the story, I could tell how excited they are to be adopting this boy. Their excitement just oozes out of their pores. The story of the day they were in court is especially exciting. When the judge pronounced that the adoption was final, you could tell that people all over the U.S. were cheering for our friends. You could tell how much they loved this child. This child that wasn't theirs, but now is. I got to thinking. . . (Not in church this time). How much more does God love us than we can love our children. After all, we are just human. And how much more excited is God when one of his children come back to him, and wants to be called his.
On a scale of 1 to 10, I understand God about a two. While here on Earth, I think the best we can maybe get up to is 3 or 4, and I don't think too many people get that high, so I'm pretty happy with my two.
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
A great Idea for Old Wood
It's 3:30 AM and I'm doing what seems to happen a lot...laying awake in bed thinking...
What am I thinking about? An old door. When I was young, my brothers and I liked to build things out in the garage. Dad had the tools, and some wood or other material laying around, and we had our ideas. There is one thing that Dad set off limits... An old door that I believe is made of Walnut. Im pretty sure that Dad said something about the touching of this door being hazardous to the health of our hides. He got it from Grandpa, and I don't know where Grandpa got it from. When Dad died, I tried to find out if there was anything special about the door by talking to relatives, but no information was to be had. I don't remember how I ended up with the door, but it's mine. I have since been trying to think of some worthy project or thing to do with the door; I suspect that Dad had been trying to think of some worthy project to do also. It is a great old door. It is a hand planed four panel door. It seems to be old, and it is beautiful, dark, rich wood. Not just any project will do. (Yes, I've thought of using it for a door, but I don't have a house old enough or worthy enough to do that.)
For a while, I was thinking of making a bed out of it. It would be kind of a cool head board, in my opinion. That Idea had drawbacks. What do I make the side rails out of, and what do I make a footboard out of? I know that I could make just a head board, but that just doesn't seem right. So that idea was scrapped.
This morning, running through my mind was, "This door could become a Taylor Guitar." I think there are enough pieces that are the right size to make at least one, maybe two guitars. I don't remember why I ended up at Taylor's web site last night, but I did. I saw their Walnut guitars and was totally drooling. I don't even know why, I've never even heard a Walnut guitar. I'm in love with this company by the way. They seem to be the perfect mix of: Mom and Pop-/-Well run modern company. . . Computer Numeric Controlled Machinery-/-This just feels and sounds right. . . Efficient use of time and money-/-"Hold my beer and watch this." One time, they made a guitar out of an old wood pallet. How cool is that?
I do own one of their guitars. How I got it is another story, but I love this guitar. Out of ALL of the guitars in the guitar shop I went to, this was my choice; A 30th Anniversary 414ce. It has Ovangkol back and sides, and great sound. One day, I'll own a custom Walnut guitar from taylor. . .
I'll supply the wood.
What am I thinking about? An old door. When I was young, my brothers and I liked to build things out in the garage. Dad had the tools, and some wood or other material laying around, and we had our ideas. There is one thing that Dad set off limits... An old door that I believe is made of Walnut. Im pretty sure that Dad said something about the touching of this door being hazardous to the health of our hides. He got it from Grandpa, and I don't know where Grandpa got it from. When Dad died, I tried to find out if there was anything special about the door by talking to relatives, but no information was to be had. I don't remember how I ended up with the door, but it's mine. I have since been trying to think of some worthy project or thing to do with the door; I suspect that Dad had been trying to think of some worthy project to do also. It is a great old door. It is a hand planed four panel door. It seems to be old, and it is beautiful, dark, rich wood. Not just any project will do. (Yes, I've thought of using it for a door, but I don't have a house old enough or worthy enough to do that.)
For a while, I was thinking of making a bed out of it. It would be kind of a cool head board, in my opinion. That Idea had drawbacks. What do I make the side rails out of, and what do I make a footboard out of? I know that I could make just a head board, but that just doesn't seem right. So that idea was scrapped.
This morning, running through my mind was, "This door could become a Taylor Guitar." I think there are enough pieces that are the right size to make at least one, maybe two guitars. I don't remember why I ended up at Taylor's web site last night, but I did. I saw their Walnut guitars and was totally drooling. I don't even know why, I've never even heard a Walnut guitar. I'm in love with this company by the way. They seem to be the perfect mix of: Mom and Pop-/-Well run modern company. . . Computer Numeric Controlled Machinery-/-This just feels and sounds right. . . Efficient use of time and money-/-"Hold my beer and watch this." One time, they made a guitar out of an old wood pallet. How cool is that?
I do own one of their guitars. How I got it is another story, but I love this guitar. Out of ALL of the guitars in the guitar shop I went to, this was my choice; A 30th Anniversary 414ce. It has Ovangkol back and sides, and great sound. One day, I'll own a custom Walnut guitar from taylor. . .I'll supply the wood.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Cleaning out the ol' junk drawer
Sometimes, I feel like my brain's junk drawer is full.
It is hard to get more stuff in my head, because there isn't room for it. If I look in my House's junk drawer I find:
pack of seeds
2 kinds of tape
inner tube repair kit
super glue
Velcro stickers
Garden gloves
And about a million things I may or may not ever use.
When I look in my head, I find almost the same stuff:
Ideas that I've had that I haven’t brought to fruition
Ideas to keep relationships together
Weird stories
Love
Laughter
Sorrow
And about a million things I may or may not ever use.
Lucky for you, I'm going to use this space as a place to sort out the old junk drawer. Does this mean I'm adding things to the junk drawer, or taking them out. Let’s be real, how often do people really take things out of the junk drawer unless they are using them? Not very often. In fact, junk drawers usually get bigger...and/or they get other drawers added to them, so they take up two.
I remember going through my Grandma's junk drawer. I was fascinated by some of the stuff that had been in it longer than I'd been around. Old buttons, old combs, and old things that I had no idea what they were.
I think that sometimes we are embarrassed by what is in our junk drawers. I'm sure I'll be embarrassed by what is in my mind's junk drawer, but I'll try not to embarrass you.
Check back from time to time, I'll try to update this blog often enough to keep things interesting, but not so much that you feel that you can't keep up.
Peace,
DaveO
It is hard to get more stuff in my head, because there isn't room for it. If I look in my House's junk drawer I find:
pack of seeds
2 kinds of tape
inner tube repair kit
super glue
Velcro stickers
Garden gloves
And about a million things I may or may not ever use.
When I look in my head, I find almost the same stuff:
Ideas that I've had that I haven’t brought to fruition
Ideas to keep relationships together
Weird stories
Love
Laughter
Sorrow
And about a million things I may or may not ever use.
Lucky for you, I'm going to use this space as a place to sort out the old junk drawer. Does this mean I'm adding things to the junk drawer, or taking them out. Let’s be real, how often do people really take things out of the junk drawer unless they are using them? Not very often. In fact, junk drawers usually get bigger...and/or they get other drawers added to them, so they take up two.
I remember going through my Grandma's junk drawer. I was fascinated by some of the stuff that had been in it longer than I'd been around. Old buttons, old combs, and old things that I had no idea what they were.
I think that sometimes we are embarrassed by what is in our junk drawers. I'm sure I'll be embarrassed by what is in my mind's junk drawer, but I'll try not to embarrass you.
Check back from time to time, I'll try to update this blog often enough to keep things interesting, but not so much that you feel that you can't keep up.
Peace,
DaveO
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