Poor Dutchman is beside himself. His youngest son has decided to marry and announced to the world yesterday his choice. Yeah, another train wreck for his life, as if he has not been beset by enough as it is.
I have never commented much about the details concerning this son because, well, mainly I refuse to allow my mind to sink to such levels. Let us just say that he has been very troubled for the past nine years. Both Dutchman and I had sort of fantasized that the youngest son would be interested in and eventually marry my oldest. Silly parents! Before he was out of high school, Dutchman came to me and told me that he would not allow his son to even attempt to go on another date with my daughter. Apparently, he found out how sick his son really was before either I or my daughter did!
And as the years ticked by, that young man was making grosser and grosser mistakes in life. There are levels of sickness we are talking here so black that the mind has a hard time wrapping itself around the concept of how could someone be that ... broken. And most of that started when Dutchman was away working in Denmark on a project, which then injured him severely and he was then out of it for a few years recovering. At least the legalities of what son did, the father was able to finance a way around - with the added cost of expensive attorneys.
It is like Satan staged the perfect attack: father gets sent out on a job for two years, son is lured into sickness, father is injured and loses another two years recovering, son falls further into depravity, father is hurting financially and can not even send son to therapy (actually I am not even sure we knew such a thing existed at the time!), son's mis-behaviors begin to cause problems in his life and spiral him into unemployment and substance abuse, he refuses to talk with his father or even me any longer! Then he starts to get his head together but by now is living the pagan lifestyle and likes it. Along comes someone he should never have even met - and now scheduled wedding bells.
I can hope that he will have a great marriage or family or a bright future, but I fear he has willing tried an anchor to his leg and the next time he does a nose dive - well, nothing will raise him from those depths. And living as a non-Christian, marrying a non-Christian - a secular marriage, he only has a 40% chance of not ending in divorce in the first five years. Even if he turned himself around and she became a Christian, today's percents are almost as dismal.
She is from South Dakota, so I expect she will be off for there dragging Dutchman's son along behind her, at least until she tires of him. Twenty-two, four husbands, yeah it is hard to be positive and hope for much other than she is going for another income check.
And, just as easily, this could be my son in a few years ... sigh ...
So for those young men, whom are my readers, consider your choices and actions well. This young man did not wake up one morning at his Christian school and say, "Gosh, wouldn't it be nice to be addicted to virtually everything and then marry someone because she appeals to my increasing problems?"
No, step by step, choice by choice, you drive a wedge between you and God, sure God can forgive almost everything - but you will wake up one morning and no longer care there even is a God because you crave your next addiction or feel so sorry for what you did and know God never could forgive you - so why try any more?
It is all lies from Satan. He only has one purpose - to discount your testimony before your friends so they will know you only believe in a lie. And when he can get you to that point, you are lost, as are all of your friends whom are now following your example.
So, look at your life and consider what it ought to be. Repent. Get back into the Word. Get back into prayer. Get back into fellowship.
And most importantly - learn to forgive and let go of what drove you away from God in the first place.
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Youth. Show all posts
Friday, December 6, 2013
Friday, November 22, 2013
What The Heck?
What the heck is going on here?
As you might remember, several weeks ago I was treated to inquisition involving a long time friend of mine and his misbehaviors with the females of that church. It took me a few weeks to get past the idea that I would willing execute him for what he has done. Today, Thursday, guess what I got treated to - another inquisition!
This time, the guy was the youth pastor of my old church, at least up until three years ago, and his behaviors apparently spanned numerous churches and about 20 years!
Yeah, no one bothered to check any of his references before he was hired - he had been fired from every church he had worked for - for the same problem - inability to control himself around teenage girls! Good Lord! What has become of the church when it is too hard to check references?!?!?!?!? And too hard to let the truth be known, much less charges filed against him! Yeah, he appears to be getting away with his latest disaster as well. Grrrrrrrrrr!
I am just sickened that we can place no trust that a job search committee will return qualified candidates, we can not trust the testimony of the answers given in interviews, no one is checking references when hiring those whom will be responsible for the care of the children and the church through more destroyed lives - looses even more the right to bear Jesus' name!
We do not need a revival in this sick Western theology poisoned church - we need a full blown REVOLUTION!
Out with the seminars creating these disasters!
Out with Elderships unable to make God-ly decisions!
Out with Pastors whom can not stand up for God!
Out with Youth Workers dedicated to satisfying their carnal natures!
Out with those whom destroy others through gossip!
The whole lot of you suck!
Get out of my church!
And yeah, that is exactly how I feel on this whole subject! There is no room in God's Kingdom for these losers - and oh by the way - Jesus flat out said this at least four times I can think of! It is the doctrine of demons which allow this culture to even exist in the Church, drive men to their baser natures, destroy the lives of the innocent and reduce Jesus' life and sacrifice to a nice story but of no real relevance!
Sorry, you will get what you deserve you sham of a church! Your ministry is over. God has left you. Why do you even keep the lights on?
Now how to cause real change ... ? Another denomination? Or can a church be sued for claiming to be Christian when they no longer represent anything Christian?
I really feel pity for the likes of Hutt, Zwingli, Huss and Luther - fairly straight on men whom began a movement to bring people to God and it has grown into a forum for pedophilia ...
Where are our Christian leadership? And if their absence is indicative of something, I worry for the immediate future of Christianity.
As you might remember, several weeks ago I was treated to inquisition involving a long time friend of mine and his misbehaviors with the females of that church. It took me a few weeks to get past the idea that I would willing execute him for what he has done. Today, Thursday, guess what I got treated to - another inquisition!
This time, the guy was the youth pastor of my old church, at least up until three years ago, and his behaviors apparently spanned numerous churches and about 20 years!
Yeah, no one bothered to check any of his references before he was hired - he had been fired from every church he had worked for - for the same problem - inability to control himself around teenage girls! Good Lord! What has become of the church when it is too hard to check references?!?!?!?!? And too hard to let the truth be known, much less charges filed against him! Yeah, he appears to be getting away with his latest disaster as well. Grrrrrrrrrr!
I am just sickened that we can place no trust that a job search committee will return qualified candidates, we can not trust the testimony of the answers given in interviews, no one is checking references when hiring those whom will be responsible for the care of the children and the church through more destroyed lives - looses even more the right to bear Jesus' name!
We do not need a revival in this sick Western theology poisoned church - we need a full blown REVOLUTION!
Out with the seminars creating these disasters!
Out with Elderships unable to make God-ly decisions!
Out with Pastors whom can not stand up for God!
Out with Youth Workers dedicated to satisfying their carnal natures!
Out with those whom destroy others through gossip!
The whole lot of you suck!
Get out of my church!
And yeah, that is exactly how I feel on this whole subject! There is no room in God's Kingdom for these losers - and oh by the way - Jesus flat out said this at least four times I can think of! It is the doctrine of demons which allow this culture to even exist in the Church, drive men to their baser natures, destroy the lives of the innocent and reduce Jesus' life and sacrifice to a nice story but of no real relevance!
Sorry, you will get what you deserve you sham of a church! Your ministry is over. God has left you. Why do you even keep the lights on?
Now how to cause real change ... ? Another denomination? Or can a church be sued for claiming to be Christian when they no longer represent anything Christian?
I really feel pity for the likes of Hutt, Zwingli, Huss and Luther - fairly straight on men whom began a movement to bring people to God and it has grown into a forum for pedophilia ...
Where are our Christian leadership? And if their absence is indicative of something, I worry for the immediate future of Christianity.
Monday, November 18, 2013
Another Church Failure
Something is fundamentally wrong in ourselves, in our churches, in our culture, in the society within which we operate. I have sat on this post for two weeks now because I have not known what to say, how to say it or even if it needed to be said. And I am still not sure I really have answers to any of those problems yet. And, there is no way to address this with any eloquence.
I had expected to have a quiet lunch with an old friend - I had not planned on getting involved in an inquistion concerning a mutual friend.
The object of the inquisition had charges brought against them by concerned parents in my old church. The church did not agree with the concerns and as the first complainer was one of the under pastors, he resigned and left the church. It was his daughter, he would not support a church which could not recognize sin.
It took little for me to run down the tales, using discernment - you can not hide, you can not lie. And I was sickened. My heart is broken, my spirit crushed for my friend is beyond guilty...
The first was a ten year old girl, then a twelve year old girl, a fifteen year old gir and the final known one a sixteen year old girl!
I suspect at least two other girls in the church were damaged by him and I learned by accident of one marriage he has destroyed.
Only two of the girls feel drawn to the church, but can no longer trust a God whom would not protect them; nor a church which would not take action.
I am ill, my avowed belief is that such men should be quietly executed and removed from the gene pool. It makes me ill to think of my friend as being worthy of execution - and knowing that I would willingly be the one to take action.
Pastors and Elders unwilling to move on accusations, churches where sin is allowed to fester and lives destroyed, cultures so warped that innocence becomes sin, sin is expected, sin is ignored and the church is sidelined - when it should be on the front lines of the battle.
A list of losers, a list of those whom now need major prayer and reached out to.
I am just sick!
I had expected to have a quiet lunch with an old friend - I had not planned on getting involved in an inquistion concerning a mutual friend.
The object of the inquisition had charges brought against them by concerned parents in my old church. The church did not agree with the concerns and as the first complainer was one of the under pastors, he resigned and left the church. It was his daughter, he would not support a church which could not recognize sin.
It took little for me to run down the tales, using discernment - you can not hide, you can not lie. And I was sickened. My heart is broken, my spirit crushed for my friend is beyond guilty...
The first was a ten year old girl, then a twelve year old girl, a fifteen year old gir and the final known one a sixteen year old girl!
I suspect at least two other girls in the church were damaged by him and I learned by accident of one marriage he has destroyed.
Only two of the girls feel drawn to the church, but can no longer trust a God whom would not protect them; nor a church which would not take action.
I am ill, my avowed belief is that such men should be quietly executed and removed from the gene pool. It makes me ill to think of my friend as being worthy of execution - and knowing that I would willingly be the one to take action.
Pastors and Elders unwilling to move on accusations, churches where sin is allowed to fester and lives destroyed, cultures so warped that innocence becomes sin, sin is expected, sin is ignored and the church is sidelined - when it should be on the front lines of the battle.
A list of losers, a list of those whom now need major prayer and reached out to.
I am just sick!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Pirate Radio
I noted last week that amongst my lost posts was the movie review for Pirate Radio, the short of it: skip this work of fiction - reality was far more exciting and a whole lot less Haute Culture-ish. But, that is not what this post is about, even though it is entitled as such.
It was fall 1964, a lanky 5'6" German was removed from his life with his Danish great-uncle on a dairy to a small town on the French, Lux, Flemish borders. My father had worked his way out of weapons design to implementation, hence our relocation. For me it was death. I was 10, on the eve of my teen years, many would say I had already been there for months, if not a year. I did not speak French, I spoke Yiddish, German and English. I had nothing in common with anyone in my new village. Most were laborers for the national train network; anyone with an artist bent or dairy background was not going to fit in - and my parents could not understand my "problems".
My first job was to crawl into the third floor rafters of our 1700's home and string 1.5 miles of copper wire (liberated from the the local NATO base trash) then attach this to my radio. It kept me from my family, it hid me, it gave me safety in the darkness of the roof. No fights up there, but once back out, everyone was in my face, no one understood.
But on my shortwave radio, there were those whom did, the disc jockeys of 199, on the medium wave band. Faceless, but they understood teenagers, they understood music, they understood who and where I was. They became my family, since I had been forcibly removed my mine to even be here. They gave comfort, they gave advice, they were transparent adults - talking about life, love and the universe. It made sense. It was all I had.
Radio Caroline was a fishing trawler anchored off the Manx coast. Outfitted with a127' antenna array, it primarily broadcast to southern England but by spill over, those of us with a good radio and antenna matrix, could get it as well. I listened to them loyally from start up through the wave-length wars with the British Government, numerous winter storms, their relocation to off the Dutch coast and initial shutdown by Dutch bankers for non-payment for their equipment. Unfortunately, their restart would come after I was now relocated to utter death as a human in the swamps of South Carolina in 1969. But my shortwave continued to keep me occupied. And, Caroline was never the same.
As I watched the film last week, I saw that the movie had nothing to offer me - I had lived that history, I knew it by heart. I had loved Radio Caroline, I knew their ship names, the DJ's, their history, every one of the jingles - including those they did not include in the movie. Things which I can never lose as long as my brain still functions. So, the film goes away, the memories stay...
And as I remembered those years, I continued even further back in my mind and considered my nature. Was I ever normal? Had I been broken by something but once was normal? Was I healing now or was this truly a gift of God? Could I remember, now as an adult, and review my early years? And the answer surprised me.
My first job was to crawl into the third floor rafters of our 1700's home and string 1.5 miles of copper wire (liberated from the the local NATO base trash) then attach this to my radio. It kept me from my family, it hid me, it gave me safety in the darkness of the roof. No fights up there, but once back out, everyone was in my face, no one understood.
Radio Caroline was a fishing trawler anchored off the Manx coast. Outfitted with a127' antenna array, it primarily broadcast to southern England but by spill over, those of us with a good radio and antenna matrix, could get it as well. I listened to them loyally from start up through the wave-length wars with the British Government, numerous winter storms, their relocation to off the Dutch coast and initial shutdown by Dutch bankers for non-payment for their equipment. Unfortunately, their restart would come after I was now relocated to utter death as a human in the swamps of South Carolina in 1969. But my shortwave continued to keep me occupied. And, Caroline was never the same.
As I watched the film last week, I saw that the movie had nothing to offer me - I had lived that history, I knew it by heart. I had loved Radio Caroline, I knew their ship names, the DJ's, their history, every one of the jingles - including those they did not include in the movie. Things which I can never lose as long as my brain still functions. So, the film goes away, the memories stay...
And as I remembered those years, I continued even further back in my mind and considered my nature. Was I ever normal? Had I been broken by something but once was normal? Was I healing now or was this truly a gift of God? Could I remember, now as an adult, and review my early years? And the answer surprised me.
Friday, October 18, 2013
Sex Slave Trade
It was August 1974. I took a trip to visit my father in Colorado and spend some time with my two sisters and two brothers. The youngest brother was off in Texas on a trip, the oldest of my sisters was up in Wyoming, the youngest sister was nowhere to be found and that left the oldest brother to hang with.
So I asked where Carmen was, the youngest of the sisters. He old me that she had gone to Wichita for a school pre-season football game. She was a cheerleader, so yeah, that made sense. Of course, then the tale continued on about how she had been kidnapped. I was horrified and more than willing to hunt them down and quietly bring her home and bury "them".
But, for as much as I loved my brother, he was a doper, so I had to check this with my stepmother. Yeah, the story was true and she could not have cared less ...
I was 19 then, Carmen was 15, what on earth could anyone want with a teenage girl?!?!? Too weird. Of course a few years later, God woke me up to the whole white slave trade in young blond girls being trafficked to the Middle East.
In 1981, I was in Tempe, Arizona, where I ran a mining company out of and as I walked across a parking lot I saw a Polaroid picture laying on the ground. I picked it up - it was of a blond woman, bound, gagged and laying the back of a windowless grey van. The same van description given about the vehicle which had grabbed my sister 7 years earlier! I was stunned.
Yeah, I called the cops and they explained to me about the slave trafficking in blond girls. I was now ill, for now I understood what had become of my sister. Make no mistake, if I knew where she was or whom was responsible - they would have been dead that week. I was beyond murderous rage. I even called back to Wichita and talked with the cops about anything being done to find my sister: nope, but there had been 11 more abductions with the same vehicle being described! They would not let me have a list of grey vans in a three state area ...
As for the photo I had found, she had been grabbed in San Diego the day before. Probably headed for Florida, the cop commented.
Sunday, thirty-two years later, I popped into a meeting about something called Rapha House. Sounded like another recovery center or something, there are lots of them around here, but I was willing to hear their sales pitch and see if there is something I can do to help them.
Turns out that they run sort of a half way house concept in Cambodia, Thailand and Haiti for girls freed from the sex trade. Girls bought usually as pre-teens from their families and then, well YEAH! Some can be kidnapped from their owners or enticed to seek shelter, some brought outright by the local police because even they can no longer offer safety to them.
There were only four guys at the meeting and she commented that this was an unusually high number - so she spoke on how this sex slave trade culture can not be conquered until men's hearts can be turned to God. She hammered guys pretty hard. It made me smile.
I stayed after and talked with the director for at least half and hour. A very genuine, concerned, woman with a heart for those trapped into the hopelessness of the sex trade.
She sort of agreed with me that there was no hope in ever recovering my sister, 39 years have passed since her abduction. She would be 54 now and in a decade of searching the internet there is no one by that name that could even reasonably resemble her. But, I am the optimist so I do hope to find her, rescue her if needed and let her know about the God I discovered while I was away at college that previous year.
There is little I can do to help this Rapha House project, no money - the IRS is currently garnishing me (for the next three years!) and too far away for me to help volunteer with their data center in Missouri. But, this much I can do:
You can check them out and see if there is a way you can fit them into your giving or your church's support list!
WWW.RAPHAHOUSE.ORG
Stephanie Freed
POB 1569
Joplin, MO
64802-1569
Thanks.
And yet again, dear readers, I need to remind you younger men that when you hop from one site to another, a list of your previous viewing sites goes with you and is passed by Google to the receiving site as part of the analytical data - just in case I need to know, for whatever reason, how to better draw you to my site! And, again, there is a flood of porno sites coming with your data and being stored by Google!
However, there was one new twist this time, a site from a nearby town. When I click on the reference I do not know it is a porno site, just a place someone has visited. So, it is with dismay when I see one of my friend's daughters, er - ah - uhm - displayed. We will be having some words concerning this and if you are local to me, and you know whom you are, she is under age this would qualify as child porn. So, when the Fed's find out about this site and then dump the server using addresses - yours will come up - and thanks to you so will mine. I am not worried because I do not surf porn - so my nic-id will be of no concern. You apparently do, so your nic-id will be splattered all over the place. Want arrested? Keep surfing child porn!
However, you do need to address this sin area in your life. I assume you know me locally, hence your reading my site. However, you need to free yourself of this slavery and the damage done to these young women/girls. Corner me, talk to me, one on one - let us conquer this problem in your life now - before it becomes death to your soul... I am very serious here about my being concerned about your eternity dude ...
So I asked where Carmen was, the youngest of the sisters. He old me that she had gone to Wichita for a school pre-season football game. She was a cheerleader, so yeah, that made sense. Of course, then the tale continued on about how she had been kidnapped. I was horrified and more than willing to hunt them down and quietly bring her home and bury "them".
But, for as much as I loved my brother, he was a doper, so I had to check this with my stepmother. Yeah, the story was true and she could not have cared less ...
I was 19 then, Carmen was 15, what on earth could anyone want with a teenage girl?!?!? Too weird. Of course a few years later, God woke me up to the whole white slave trade in young blond girls being trafficked to the Middle East.
In 1981, I was in Tempe, Arizona, where I ran a mining company out of and as I walked across a parking lot I saw a Polaroid picture laying on the ground. I picked it up - it was of a blond woman, bound, gagged and laying the back of a windowless grey van. The same van description given about the vehicle which had grabbed my sister 7 years earlier! I was stunned.
Yeah, I called the cops and they explained to me about the slave trafficking in blond girls. I was now ill, for now I understood what had become of my sister. Make no mistake, if I knew where she was or whom was responsible - they would have been dead that week. I was beyond murderous rage. I even called back to Wichita and talked with the cops about anything being done to find my sister: nope, but there had been 11 more abductions with the same vehicle being described! They would not let me have a list of grey vans in a three state area ...
As for the photo I had found, she had been grabbed in San Diego the day before. Probably headed for Florida, the cop commented.
Sunday, thirty-two years later, I popped into a meeting about something called Rapha House. Sounded like another recovery center or something, there are lots of them around here, but I was willing to hear their sales pitch and see if there is something I can do to help them.
Turns out that they run sort of a half way house concept in Cambodia, Thailand and Haiti for girls freed from the sex trade. Girls bought usually as pre-teens from their families and then, well YEAH! Some can be kidnapped from their owners or enticed to seek shelter, some brought outright by the local police because even they can no longer offer safety to them.
There were only four guys at the meeting and she commented that this was an unusually high number - so she spoke on how this sex slave trade culture can not be conquered until men's hearts can be turned to God. She hammered guys pretty hard. It made me smile.
I stayed after and talked with the director for at least half and hour. A very genuine, concerned, woman with a heart for those trapped into the hopelessness of the sex trade.
She sort of agreed with me that there was no hope in ever recovering my sister, 39 years have passed since her abduction. She would be 54 now and in a decade of searching the internet there is no one by that name that could even reasonably resemble her. But, I am the optimist so I do hope to find her, rescue her if needed and let her know about the God I discovered while I was away at college that previous year.
There is little I can do to help this Rapha House project, no money - the IRS is currently garnishing me (for the next three years!) and too far away for me to help volunteer with their data center in Missouri. But, this much I can do:
You can check them out and see if there is a way you can fit them into your giving or your church's support list!
WWW.RAPHAHOUSE.ORG
Stephanie Freed
POB 1569
Joplin, MO
64802-1569
Thanks.
And yet again, dear readers, I need to remind you younger men that when you hop from one site to another, a list of your previous viewing sites goes with you and is passed by Google to the receiving site as part of the analytical data - just in case I need to know, for whatever reason, how to better draw you to my site! And, again, there is a flood of porno sites coming with your data and being stored by Google!
However, there was one new twist this time, a site from a nearby town. When I click on the reference I do not know it is a porno site, just a place someone has visited. So, it is with dismay when I see one of my friend's daughters, er - ah - uhm - displayed. We will be having some words concerning this and if you are local to me, and you know whom you are, she is under age this would qualify as child porn. So, when the Fed's find out about this site and then dump the server using addresses - yours will come up - and thanks to you so will mine. I am not worried because I do not surf porn - so my nic-id will be of no concern. You apparently do, so your nic-id will be splattered all over the place. Want arrested? Keep surfing child porn!
However, you do need to address this sin area in your life. I assume you know me locally, hence your reading my site. However, you need to free yourself of this slavery and the damage done to these young women/girls. Corner me, talk to me, one on one - let us conquer this problem in your life now - before it becomes death to your soul... I am very serious here about my being concerned about your eternity dude ...
Monday, September 30, 2013
Tagged
So, my American cousin down in Vancouver tagged me and I thought of ignoring it but given that he really does not know me all that well (only seen him once in my life! but we do yak daily on FaceBook), okay, I will do it!
Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!
1. Did you date someone from your school? No
2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No
Fill this out about your SENIOR year of high school! The longer ago it was, the more fun the answers will be!
1. Did you date someone from your school? No
2. Did you marry someone from your high school? No
3. Did you car pool to school? Bicycle or walked, 20 miles in the snow, uphill, each way!
4. What kind of car did you have? Austin Cambridge, but it rarely ran.
5. What kind of car do you have now? 1986 Lincoln Towncar, it does run.
6. It's Friday night....where are you then? Eating with friends at Shakey's Pizza on Havana Road!
7. It's Friday night...now where are you? Mostly with friends, beer and hummus platters.
8. What kind of job(s) did you have in high school? Designed and built dragsters.
9. What kind of job do you do now? Retired, thinking about being a scab if the grocers go on strike ...
10. Were you a party animal? I take the 5th! Oh, wait, that was part of the problem!
11. Were you considered a flirt? Only in my dreams.
12. Were you in the band, orchestra, or choir? Barbershop Quartet.
13. Were you a nerd? Totally.
14. Did you get suspended or expelled? Never!
15. Can you sing the fight song? The only one I remember was, "Hell No, I Won't Go!"
16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? Mr. Beadling - auto shop, an incredible man.
17. Where did you sit during lunch? Rode my bike to other school to see my girl friend at lunch.
18. What was your school's full name? Aurora Central High (don't bother no pictures of me in the annuals).
19. When did you graduate? 1973
20. What was your school mascot? A Trojan (seriously!).
21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? "Hell No, I Won't Go!"
22. Did you have fun at the prom? No
23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? No
24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? No
25. Do you still talk to people from school? Only two.
High School was a lesson in torment and torture for me. I had NOTHING in common with anyone, I could speak English with a pronounced accent but by and large unable to read it. I desperately wanted to just study art but father forbid it, so I excelled in all areas of auto design. Frames, bodies and engines, were my only creative outlet. We broke the High Altitude Drag Race speed record in 1972 and it would be decades before someone could beat it. Our Baja Buggies were a hoot, never finished a race but they were a challenge I would love to pick back up! And the street rods? :) Well, it took a Lamborghini to finally destroy us in the 5 mile bandit races. My personal car by then was an Alfa Romeo Diana with a custom spyder body and a joy to drive! It still is running races down in the Oakland vintage car rallies I am told. Yeah, I was a motor head.
4. What kind of car did you have? Austin Cambridge, but it rarely ran.
5. What kind of car do you have now? 1986 Lincoln Towncar, it does run.
6. It's Friday night....where are you then? Eating with friends at Shakey's Pizza on Havana Road!
7. It's Friday night...now where are you? Mostly with friends, beer and hummus platters.
8. What kind of job(s) did you have in high school? Designed and built dragsters.
9. What kind of job do you do now? Retired, thinking about being a scab if the grocers go on strike ...
10. Were you a party animal? I take the 5th! Oh, wait, that was part of the problem!
11. Were you considered a flirt? Only in my dreams.
12. Were you in the band, orchestra, or choir? Barbershop Quartet.
13. Were you a nerd? Totally.
14. Did you get suspended or expelled? Never!
15. Can you sing the fight song? The only one I remember was, "Hell No, I Won't Go!"
16. Who was/were your favorite teacher(s)? Mr. Beadling - auto shop, an incredible man.
17. Where did you sit during lunch? Rode my bike to other school to see my girl friend at lunch.
18. What was your school's full name? Aurora Central High (don't bother no pictures of me in the annuals).
19. When did you graduate? 1973
20. What was your school mascot? A Trojan (seriously!).
21. If you could go back and do it again, would you? "Hell No, I Won't Go!"
22. Did you have fun at the prom? No
23. Do you still talk to the person you went to Prom with? No
24. Are you planning on going to your next reunion? No
25. Do you still talk to people from school? Only two.
High School was a lesson in torment and torture for me. I had NOTHING in common with anyone, I could speak English with a pronounced accent but by and large unable to read it. I desperately wanted to just study art but father forbid it, so I excelled in all areas of auto design. Frames, bodies and engines, were my only creative outlet. We broke the High Altitude Drag Race speed record in 1972 and it would be decades before someone could beat it. Our Baja Buggies were a hoot, never finished a race but they were a challenge I would love to pick back up! And the street rods? :) Well, it took a Lamborghini to finally destroy us in the 5 mile bandit races. My personal car by then was an Alfa Romeo Diana with a custom spyder body and a joy to drive! It still is running races down in the Oakland vintage car rallies I am told. Yeah, I was a motor head.
Friday, September 27, 2013
Confirming A Problem
It was 2005, I was just getting into blogging, my 17 year old daughter had gone crazy and run away from home. I was despondent, I had absolutely no clue what to do. It was pathetic. In desperation I turned to the internet and started just typing keywords until something popped up, I would then cruise through thousands of sites, looking for something which would help me with my daughter. That was how I met Miss Manners.
Different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different situations, but I have always assumed that all people are the same both today and across time. And she shared with me ideas on how to work with my oldest daughter to resolve the issues between us. No, I was skeptical of her advice, but I did as told the first time I had a chance - on her 18th birthday. And my daughter started to turn around quite abruptly! She is now someone I count on heavily - we are if nothing else, extremely good friends, which I think is how adult children should be. Parent and child, yet equal in each other's sight. Yeah, most of my friends are a little more controlling than me and expect their adult children to still be children ... okay ... I disagree ...
What my now friend Miss Manner's had explained to me was the psychology of girls. In the years since, I have observed her knowledge and descriptions to have been quite accurate. And I have seen in this culture a greater and greater disconnect between men and their daughters. To the extent now I wonder exactly what did happen masculinity?!?
Sunday, as I walked in to my Church's foyer, one of the younger men cornered me to ask what to do about his 20-something, going on 12 female he is dealing with in his house and wanting to kick to the moon. I shared with him, what I had been told 8 years earlier. He just stared at me, "Really?" Yeah, we are all quite clueless, thank Miss Manners.
Then, as I was part of the prayer team, a woman came up front, with exactly the same problems to discuss - in her life, in her daughter's life! What are the odds of twice in the same morning? So, we then, before we prayed, had exactly the same discussion! Which brought forth quite a few other prayer items as well.
So, Miss Manner's, if you are still a reader, know that your wisdom - you shared with me, is in turn being used by many here in the greater Seattle area to hopefully heal families struggling in this cultural climate ...
Different parts of the world, different backgrounds, different situations, but I have always assumed that all people are the same both today and across time. And she shared with me ideas on how to work with my oldest daughter to resolve the issues between us. No, I was skeptical of her advice, but I did as told the first time I had a chance - on her 18th birthday. And my daughter started to turn around quite abruptly! She is now someone I count on heavily - we are if nothing else, extremely good friends, which I think is how adult children should be. Parent and child, yet equal in each other's sight. Yeah, most of my friends are a little more controlling than me and expect their adult children to still be children ... okay ... I disagree ...
What my now friend Miss Manner's had explained to me was the psychology of girls. In the years since, I have observed her knowledge and descriptions to have been quite accurate. And I have seen in this culture a greater and greater disconnect between men and their daughters. To the extent now I wonder exactly what did happen masculinity?!?
Sunday, as I walked in to my Church's foyer, one of the younger men cornered me to ask what to do about his 20-something, going on 12 female he is dealing with in his house and wanting to kick to the moon. I shared with him, what I had been told 8 years earlier. He just stared at me, "Really?" Yeah, we are all quite clueless, thank Miss Manners.
Then, as I was part of the prayer team, a woman came up front, with exactly the same problems to discuss - in her life, in her daughter's life! What are the odds of twice in the same morning? So, we then, before we prayed, had exactly the same discussion! Which brought forth quite a few other prayer items as well.
So, Miss Manner's, if you are still a reader, know that your wisdom - you shared with me, is in turn being used by many here in the greater Seattle area to hopefully heal families struggling in this cultural climate ...
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Now is the Time
1 Timothy 4:1-5
Now is the time!
There is no better time for you to come to your peace with your maker!
Nor is there a better time for you, as a Christian, to be witnessing to those around you!
We live in an age and culture where "truth" has become relative - or people have been lead to think by those whom argue there are no absolutes. Yet, a lie is still a lie, even when people desire to call it "truth"!
This is a serious problem for man has been led astray by the doctrines of demons, even those weak in the faith succumb to the fanciful lies of those listened to. Lies, presented as "truth", or deeper "truth", or meant to have an impact upon those within a certain age group or cultural setting. Tailor made death, to block the listener from actually finding release from what this culture teaches.
It always boils down to: "Whom do you say, Jesus, is?" (as well as how much do you add to the Gospel?)
These false witnesses in our midst, as Paul calls them, Snakes, no longer have an active conscious - they are dead to their sin and no longer suffer any conviction for their deeds. They sleep quite well facing their pending judgment.
The Christian message of LOVE has been mutilated by a culture to which innocence has been lost. Instead of the freedom God gives us, man has created a step ladder of do's and don'ts, never intended by God. Legalism, without compassion, judgement without trial nor defense, you will lose - you have already lost. Wake up!
But, we can still reach the world, it is hard, you will be judged, you will be misunderstood, the worse will be thought of you, but it can be done:
So, as you go forth today: Pray, Praise, live your life for Him - if you can't, then change your life ... and clean up all of those spots ...
A fitting tune for this moment in my life:
Now is the time!
There is no better time for you to come to your peace with your maker!
Nor is there a better time for you, as a Christian, to be witnessing to those around you!
We live in an age and culture where "truth" has become relative - or people have been lead to think by those whom argue there are no absolutes. Yet, a lie is still a lie, even when people desire to call it "truth"!
This is a serious problem for man has been led astray by the doctrines of demons, even those weak in the faith succumb to the fanciful lies of those listened to. Lies, presented as "truth", or deeper "truth", or meant to have an impact upon those within a certain age group or cultural setting. Tailor made death, to block the listener from actually finding release from what this culture teaches.
It always boils down to: "Whom do you say, Jesus, is?" (as well as how much do you add to the Gospel?)
These false witnesses in our midst, as Paul calls them, Snakes, no longer have an active conscious - they are dead to their sin and no longer suffer any conviction for their deeds. They sleep quite well facing their pending judgment.
The Christian message of LOVE has been mutilated by a culture to which innocence has been lost. Instead of the freedom God gives us, man has created a step ladder of do's and don'ts, never intended by God. Legalism, without compassion, judgement without trial nor defense, you will lose - you have already lost. Wake up!
But, we can still reach the world, it is hard, you will be judged, you will be misunderstood, the worse will be thought of you, but it can be done:
- Deal with the sin in your life, give Satan as few of doors as possible to whack you from behind
- Show holiness in your life, not empty piety, the real thing - how you should be living your life
- Prayer is your telephone line to God, use it and use it frequently
- Pray for your leaders, religious and civil
- Pray for your friends and family
- Pray for special needs, not the never ending shopping list
- Pray to thank and praise God for whom He is
- Remove from your life those things which hamper your success as a Christian.
So, as you go forth today: Pray, Praise, live your life for Him - if you can't, then change your life ... and clean up all of those spots ...
A fitting tune for this moment in my life:
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Importance of Chapter 7
I have mentioned several times that in High School I was hopeless in English classes. Luckily, I only had to take two English classes here in America or I would probably still be in High School!
I remember in 10th grade that I was in this classical reading class with a teacher whom worshiped Joseph Conrad. Now I might not be much in English, but I did grow up on a dairy and so had a tremendous familiarity with what cows produced and leave on the ground. Interestingly, exactly the same product Joseph Conrad was capable of producing. Lord how I hated that class!
A book a week, a paper a week, a lie a week.
When I first came to America, a new friend took me to a stand up comedian performance his church was doing in South Carolina. So, I got to see an American church, observe whom the "Christian" kids were in the community and believe it or not, I actually learned something.
The guy talked about how horrible his high school years were and how the only way he could get past literature class was to bluff his way through the essays. How did he do it? Well, he would write about the importance of chapter 7 to the storyline of the book! The crowd roared with laughter ...
So, there I am in literature, forced to choke down a Joseph Conrad book a week, write an essay a week about how wonderful this cow-patty is, and still retain some self respect! And every week I wrote on the importance of chapter 7! I would read the first chapter, the last chapter and then tie both together with chapter 7!
Unfortunately, that approach will only work for so long and by the end of the class we had to write a critical essay on Lord Jim - the worse of the worst of Conrad's books! How do you produce a 12 page paper on the worse book ever written, by an English hack, and then try to save your own self respect?!?!?!?
So, I wrote the entire review in the manner of Mad Magazine, pictures and everything.
Not only did I get an 'A' in the class, but she sent a copy to Mad Magazine and I won an interview with them. In the end, they did not hire me - commenting "that my drug levels were obviously too low". I had no idea what that meant and they told me, "that was exactly the problem" - but they loved my work.
So, here I am this week reading random books and here is this one called, "I Prayed for Patience and Other Horror Stories", by Chuck Snyder. Cute book, fun book, a good story of a man finding God and learning how to live life for Christ. And then there it is, he is talking about his giving talks to youth groups around the country and the Importance of Chapter 7!
All of these decades later, I can now see whom he was and read now as a Christian his testimony and marvel at how one of his tongue in cheek remarks in 1969 - stuck with me and actually saved me in High School!
No idea if the man is still even alive but if he is, thank you, you saved this young German in English classes he never could have otherwise passed ...
As for Miss Two-Ton-Iron-Bladder, she went on to found what was to become Weight Watchers, lose about 500 pounds and become fabulously wealthy before dieing of a heart-attack! Yeah, shock of losing so much weight I guess. Or, she might have actually read Lord Jim one last time and choked on it .....
I remember in 10th grade that I was in this classical reading class with a teacher whom worshiped Joseph Conrad. Now I might not be much in English, but I did grow up on a dairy and so had a tremendous familiarity with what cows produced and leave on the ground. Interestingly, exactly the same product Joseph Conrad was capable of producing. Lord how I hated that class!
A book a week, a paper a week, a lie a week.
When I first came to America, a new friend took me to a stand up comedian performance his church was doing in South Carolina. So, I got to see an American church, observe whom the "Christian" kids were in the community and believe it or not, I actually learned something.
The guy talked about how horrible his high school years were and how the only way he could get past literature class was to bluff his way through the essays. How did he do it? Well, he would write about the importance of chapter 7 to the storyline of the book! The crowd roared with laughter ...
So, there I am in literature, forced to choke down a Joseph Conrad book a week, write an essay a week about how wonderful this cow-patty is, and still retain some self respect! And every week I wrote on the importance of chapter 7! I would read the first chapter, the last chapter and then tie both together with chapter 7!
Unfortunately, that approach will only work for so long and by the end of the class we had to write a critical essay on Lord Jim - the worse of the worst of Conrad's books! How do you produce a 12 page paper on the worse book ever written, by an English hack, and then try to save your own self respect?!?!?!?
So, I wrote the entire review in the manner of Mad Magazine, pictures and everything.
Not only did I get an 'A' in the class, but she sent a copy to Mad Magazine and I won an interview with them. In the end, they did not hire me - commenting "that my drug levels were obviously too low". I had no idea what that meant and they told me, "that was exactly the problem" - but they loved my work.
So, here I am this week reading random books and here is this one called, "I Prayed for Patience and Other Horror Stories", by Chuck Snyder. Cute book, fun book, a good story of a man finding God and learning how to live life for Christ. And then there it is, he is talking about his giving talks to youth groups around the country and the Importance of Chapter 7!
All of these decades later, I can now see whom he was and read now as a Christian his testimony and marvel at how one of his tongue in cheek remarks in 1969 - stuck with me and actually saved me in High School!
No idea if the man is still even alive but if he is, thank you, you saved this young German in English classes he never could have otherwise passed ...
As for Miss Two-Ton-Iron-Bladder, she went on to found what was to become Weight Watchers, lose about 500 pounds and become fabulously wealthy before dieing of a heart-attack! Yeah, shock of losing so much weight I guess. Or, she might have actually read Lord Jim one last time and choked on it .....
Monday, September 9, 2013
Back
Well my attempts to do my blog posts on my trip failed miserably! The hotel's internet was down, though they swore it was not, however no one could connect. So, the only working wireless was at a gas station, where a little band of die hard's gathered behind the gas station trash, playing vampires with the station's internet. I am not so hard core as to do that! Especially since it rained quite a bit there and I love my little Acer. Sigh.
However, it was interesting to see how German culture is mimicked, the actual culture is long dead of course, killed by the invasion of Americanism, which has eroded all of the old values. Of course, some needed eroded, like the love for Nazi's.
Food was but a pale comparison to my memory, and how I cook at home, though I did find one place which was excellent. I sat amazed as I watched an old US GI down a four person meal, as I ate my one! He was still going strong when the desserts had all been polished off. I guess he has never heard of heart disease - yet!
But, oomph-pah-pah music was everywhere, after all Oktoberfest begins officially on the 17th! So, many a man were downing vast quantities of beer and the next morning shop keepers were all out hosing down the urine and stale beer projected upon the sides of their buildings the night before! I hate Oktoberfest season.
As you might have read, Germany has just allowed gay marriage and so many a happy "couple" were staying at my hotel. Call me inappropriate but their behavior in public certainly was! I was torn to call them to account or just ignore them and realize that they are on a road of their own choosing. Discretion being the better part of staying alive at times. It literally broke my heart to see what has become of my countrymen and culture. We have finally out Frenched, the French. Sigh.
However, I do not wish to leave you with the impression I whimped out completely while there! I noted the first day two teenage girls working the street. Next morning, I did take them on! The 14 year old, made a rather dramatic reversal on her appearance, apologized and I did not see her return for the rest of the time there. I can only pray God will see to it that her path is going to get a whole lot straighter and narrower in the very near future. The 19 year old was a bit more difficult to work with because she was a mite hardened. And for her I wished I had longer there because I would like to see her turned over to one of the matriarchs of the village. It took a bit for her to see my viewpoint, she had never considered there was another way, another culture, it was all she knew. But, again, she disappeared as well and I can only hope God will deal with that tiny grain of truth to get in. I just can not tolerate innocence being trashed by the sickness of this culture.
Mostly, I kind of hung with a group of Polish Germans. They felt rather out of place (like me Germans of the old fashion) and if you ignored the mouthy female my age, they were a great group to hang out with. We went horseback riding, though all of the older ones declined to go, just the young adventurous ones and me went! It was a great morning ride with lots of wildlife to be found. My knees are still killing me from that one!
In all, it was wonderful to be back in something close to my culture as a child, painful noting the differences and heartwarming to be back home with my grandchildren.
To my children, thank you for a wonderful trip, you spoil me. To my friend, heartfelt thank yous for all of the communications, you are very much missed.
However, it was interesting to see how German culture is mimicked, the actual culture is long dead of course, killed by the invasion of Americanism, which has eroded all of the old values. Of course, some needed eroded, like the love for Nazi's.
Food was but a pale comparison to my memory, and how I cook at home, though I did find one place which was excellent. I sat amazed as I watched an old US GI down a four person meal, as I ate my one! He was still going strong when the desserts had all been polished off. I guess he has never heard of heart disease - yet!
But, oomph-pah-pah music was everywhere, after all Oktoberfest begins officially on the 17th! So, many a man were downing vast quantities of beer and the next morning shop keepers were all out hosing down the urine and stale beer projected upon the sides of their buildings the night before! I hate Oktoberfest season.
As you might have read, Germany has just allowed gay marriage and so many a happy "couple" were staying at my hotel. Call me inappropriate but their behavior in public certainly was! I was torn to call them to account or just ignore them and realize that they are on a road of their own choosing. Discretion being the better part of staying alive at times. It literally broke my heart to see what has become of my countrymen and culture. We have finally out Frenched, the French. Sigh.
However, I do not wish to leave you with the impression I whimped out completely while there! I noted the first day two teenage girls working the street. Next morning, I did take them on! The 14 year old, made a rather dramatic reversal on her appearance, apologized and I did not see her return for the rest of the time there. I can only pray God will see to it that her path is going to get a whole lot straighter and narrower in the very near future. The 19 year old was a bit more difficult to work with because she was a mite hardened. And for her I wished I had longer there because I would like to see her turned over to one of the matriarchs of the village. It took a bit for her to see my viewpoint, she had never considered there was another way, another culture, it was all she knew. But, again, she disappeared as well and I can only hope God will deal with that tiny grain of truth to get in. I just can not tolerate innocence being trashed by the sickness of this culture.
Mostly, I kind of hung with a group of Polish Germans. They felt rather out of place (like me Germans of the old fashion) and if you ignored the mouthy female my age, they were a great group to hang out with. We went horseback riding, though all of the older ones declined to go, just the young adventurous ones and me went! It was a great morning ride with lots of wildlife to be found. My knees are still killing me from that one!
In all, it was wonderful to be back in something close to my culture as a child, painful noting the differences and heartwarming to be back home with my grandchildren.
To my children, thank you for a wonderful trip, you spoil me. To my friend, heartfelt thank yous for all of the communications, you are very much missed.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
Twenty-two And Confused
Now at lunch Monday, I fell into a conversation with this sobbing college student. For those of you whom know me, crying female plus Kris do not mix. Actually porcupines and your dog's face are more compatible than me when tears are involved. But something in me was moved and I made the mistake of asking ...
Short story:
She desperately wants a boyfriend, but also knows it isn’t going to happen. She is too busy to maintain a good relationship, insists on a solid Christian boy (like they exist!) and doesn’t want to kiss until sure he is really going to be "special" in the long run. (psst! how about at the altar?) !
And then this alarm clock is going off inside of her - she HAS to find him!
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - far too much about her I would not share, TMI! and I hope I can do a mind dump and just lose it once I have written this up. Interspersed with her above statement were perhaps three gallons of tears in there. She was in quite a state.
Oh, did I mention that she has made it to 22 and is still a virgin? Never had a boyfriend, never even held hands - and yes, she is more than most guys have on their list of wanna-be attributes (purely physical), has a brain and knows how to use it too, wants to do what is right by God and in tears over this exact problem!
"There are no guys! I am going to die a ugly old virgin!"
Suddenly I was happy no creepy old guys were within earshot of that one!
So, was she willing to think, talk and work through - why a guy is so important in her life?
Short story:
She desperately wants a boyfriend, but also knows it isn’t going to happen. She is too busy to maintain a good relationship, insists on a solid Christian boy (like they exist!) and doesn’t want to kiss until sure he is really going to be "special" in the long run. (psst! how about at the altar?) !
And then this alarm clock is going off inside of her - she HAS to find him!
blah, blah, blah, blah, blah - far too much about her I would not share, TMI! and I hope I can do a mind dump and just lose it once I have written this up. Interspersed with her above statement were perhaps three gallons of tears in there. She was in quite a state.
Oh, did I mention that she has made it to 22 and is still a virgin? Never had a boyfriend, never even held hands - and yes, she is more than most guys have on their list of wanna-be attributes (purely physical), has a brain and knows how to use it too, wants to do what is right by God and in tears over this exact problem!
"There are no guys! I am going to die a ugly old virgin!"
Suddenly I was happy no creepy old guys were within earshot of that one!
So, was she willing to think, talk and work through - why a guy is so important in her life?
1. There is no one whom meets her requirements,
but she still wants him.
2. Waiting for God to pick
out the perfect man, and realizes that is not what the Lord wants for her.
So we had something to work with, God is not asking her to wait for marriage so she can have sex. He is calling her to stop
waiting. But, she has not been listening to that answer, it is the wrong one!
If God really is
all you need to satisfy you, then what was she waiting for? What is going to
be better than Jesus? She was waiting for a husband, thinking
married life would be better than single life; she didn’t really think
Jesus alone could be better than Jesus plus a great husband!
And a few verses come to mind:
1 John 4:17
In this love is brought to completion and attains perfection with us ...
Psalm 16
2) I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
I have no good apart from you.”
I have no good apart from you.”
5) The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup;
you hold my lot.
you hold my lot.
8) I have set the Lord always before me;
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.
9) Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices;
my flesh also dwells secure.
my flesh also dwells secure.
11) You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
So, my challenge, was for her to continue to ask, “Is Jesus really enough? If you never got married, would your soul still be able rejoice in Jesus'
love?”
And she was thoughtful. She realized that indeed she could be satisfied in knowing that her real happiness was in Jesus and His provision for her. Anything she did, in and of herself, was only going to cause problems and in the long term bring less than satisfactory results.
I walked with heaviness from lunch, for I remember those struggles in my own life and the years it took me to kill what was inside of me and to learn to wait upon the Lord and his provision - not my own. It is a hard lesson and life without my Faithless Bride is so much better in the long run.
And then I was to slam right into almost the very same conversation again, within the hour! This time, the conversation is not concluded I believe and I hope by sharing this, what I did say can be better understood by the second party today within the light of what I said on Monday.
Tuesday, August 27, 2013
Observing People
Sunday night, as I rode the light rail back to my town, there were lots of people to watch. I like watching people, they are sometimes very interesting.
Well, not so funny was sitting with his back to me, due to the way the seats are located, and I am seeing this surgical scar down his neck and as far down his spine as the tee shirt would show. I have no idea what was done to him, but as someone whom has had their spine opened up - OWIE!
Across from me was a young couple, just kids. He showed happiness and pride being seated by her. Her walls were completely down. The she saw me and her walls came right back up, then down, up, down, up, she looked at me questioningly - I smiled. Her walls collapsed and she snuggled her friend. Very cute. I remembered such a time.
Behind them, another young couple. He was so far out of his league, he had not a clue. I felt sorry for him. Maybe 11th grade? I shuddered, horrible years to remember. Unlike the other young lady, this one had no warmth, nothing but walls and terror. A wildcat completely on edge ready for a fight.
Behind them, two women. One mid-forties, heavily tattooed, dressed in Seattle chic - 1950's garish Vogue. The other a college student headed to the airport to catch a flight. Tattooed lady turns out to be gay and was baiting the college girl. Most of the conversation revolved around how horrible guys are and how they are untrustworthy soulless creatures whom only want one thing and then it is, "Hasta la vista, baby"! I saw no reason to get involved in that conversation, I did that one once and there is no way of modifying perception I found out.
Then a blonde, guessing late 20's sat down next to me, with her sister and brother in-law, and struck up a conversation. What over? Life, the universe, how horrible guys are - and oh, by the way my name is, ----. Well if she had known me then she would have understood my natural repulsion when facing a real blonde. Yes, 40 years later and I still shudder and avert my eyes when ever I see one. It was only through God's infinite humor He gave me three blond daughters! I felt sorry for this one though, she has had a rough time as the scars on her arms showed. I left without answering her as to my phone number. Gees!
So Monday I am taking my daily short walk to my favorite Mexican eatery and I am thinking, what can I write about this week? My mind played over the above and I quickly dismiss it. But, lunch was to re-enforce this whole topic area to me, as you will see tomorrow, I was supposed to address this issue for a number of reasons.
Well, not so funny was sitting with his back to me, due to the way the seats are located, and I am seeing this surgical scar down his neck and as far down his spine as the tee shirt would show. I have no idea what was done to him, but as someone whom has had their spine opened up - OWIE!
Across from me was a young couple, just kids. He showed happiness and pride being seated by her. Her walls were completely down. The she saw me and her walls came right back up, then down, up, down, up, she looked at me questioningly - I smiled. Her walls collapsed and she snuggled her friend. Very cute. I remembered such a time.
Behind them, another young couple. He was so far out of his league, he had not a clue. I felt sorry for him. Maybe 11th grade? I shuddered, horrible years to remember. Unlike the other young lady, this one had no warmth, nothing but walls and terror. A wildcat completely on edge ready for a fight.
Behind them, two women. One mid-forties, heavily tattooed, dressed in Seattle chic - 1950's garish Vogue. The other a college student headed to the airport to catch a flight. Tattooed lady turns out to be gay and was baiting the college girl. Most of the conversation revolved around how horrible guys are and how they are untrustworthy soulless creatures whom only want one thing and then it is, "Hasta la vista, baby"! I saw no reason to get involved in that conversation, I did that one once and there is no way of modifying perception I found out.
Then a blonde, guessing late 20's sat down next to me, with her sister and brother in-law, and struck up a conversation. What over? Life, the universe, how horrible guys are - and oh, by the way my name is, ----. Well if she had known me then she would have understood my natural repulsion when facing a real blonde. Yes, 40 years later and I still shudder and avert my eyes when ever I see one. It was only through God's infinite humor He gave me three blond daughters! I felt sorry for this one though, she has had a rough time as the scars on her arms showed. I left without answering her as to my phone number. Gees!
So Monday I am taking my daily short walk to my favorite Mexican eatery and I am thinking, what can I write about this week? My mind played over the above and I quickly dismiss it. But, lunch was to re-enforce this whole topic area to me, as you will see tomorrow, I was supposed to address this issue for a number of reasons.
Thursday, July 18, 2013
In Passing
This is not a subtle reminder, it is pretty horrible.
Sure we get constant warnings about safe driving, do not text, do not use a cell, do not talk, etc, etc, etc! To the point I think that people are now oblivious to the danger inherent with driving.
Locally, this was driving home rather rudely by a car accident Tuesday, one of my son's friends and coincidentally someone I knew for the past 16 years was killed in a car accident.
He was driving through Oregon, on his way to a Young Life conference with his mother. He pulled around an 18 wheeler to pass - and well, there was another 18 wheeler.....
Both he and his mother were killed instantly.
Of course, I hold that God holds in his hands all of our days, when we will be born and when we will die are but just two of the many facets of our lives he controls. Whether Jacques Gordon was passing an 18 wheeler or crossing the street at that exact moment or even down with the flu, it was his time to report in before God.
Good reason to live your life in the knowledge that at any minute it could be required of you, and you will have no more time to repent, to pray for others, to complete what you have been assigned.
In many ways I envy Jacques, he is at peace, in the presence of our Lord, though at such a young age (21). And I hope my son meditates on this and realizes that his life needs to turn around if he is to face eternity without condemnation attached to it .....
Your witness will be missed Jacques, you were a positive force in my son's life.
Sure we get constant warnings about safe driving, do not text, do not use a cell, do not talk, etc, etc, etc! To the point I think that people are now oblivious to the danger inherent with driving.
Locally, this was driving home rather rudely by a car accident Tuesday, one of my son's friends and coincidentally someone I knew for the past 16 years was killed in a car accident.He was driving through Oregon, on his way to a Young Life conference with his mother. He pulled around an 18 wheeler to pass - and well, there was another 18 wheeler.....
Both he and his mother were killed instantly.
Of course, I hold that God holds in his hands all of our days, when we will be born and when we will die are but just two of the many facets of our lives he controls. Whether Jacques Gordon was passing an 18 wheeler or crossing the street at that exact moment or even down with the flu, it was his time to report in before God.
Good reason to live your life in the knowledge that at any minute it could be required of you, and you will have no more time to repent, to pray for others, to complete what you have been assigned.In many ways I envy Jacques, he is at peace, in the presence of our Lord, though at such a young age (21). And I hope my son meditates on this and realizes that his life needs to turn around if he is to face eternity without condemnation attached to it .....
Your witness will be missed Jacques, you were a positive force in my son's life.
Friday, April 26, 2013
There is Still Hope
Thursday was a beautiful day, lower 70's, bright, sunshine. I had finished physical therapy for the morning and walked the half mile to a grocery store, picking up enough for for two days worth of meals and then started for home. Well, I didn't get much past started, because my knee, even in its brace, collapsed. Luckily I was but a few hops from Starbucks. So, I picked up an iced tea and sat in their outdoor section, alone but in full enjoyment of the morning.
Humming birds buzzed around my head, some chick-a-dis thought my banana bread looked mighty good. And about 150 feet away sits Tony with a sign readying, "World War II Veteran, help need.".
Now Tony has been a fixture there for about three years now. I heard that he lives with a grand-daughter whom works at the grocery store and as she works, he tries to pick up some extra money for them. Very sad how this culture fails its true heroes. Sadder still at how the local church ignores the needs of those, in or outside, of their ministry! Here sits a ministry opportunity ... unanswered by any of the 24 churches within a one mile radius. I have even seen my own pastors walk past him with no comment. Cold, distant, out of touch, pure evil, but I am not condemning the pastors, for they are but a reflection of this culture.
I sat there for perhaps an hour and no one approached him at all. And I thought to myself, this is an evil and vile culture when the old can not even sustain their lives without begging! Then, when reduced to begging, there is no one to help. So, I prayed, "Lord, I really do not know this man's story, and I know that I have never helped him since he showed up after I lost my job. But, please bless that man as you deem appropriate. Amen."
Within minutes a guy walked up and started arguing with the man. I am not sure what was said but the young guy stomped off. Then one of the Starbucks workers came outside and took him a drink. I thought, wow! As she walked back, but too far for me to have politely said anything, I quietly mouthed, "Thank you."
Her eyes lit up and she smiled and mouthed back, "I love him..." The grand-daughter perhaps? But, no, it turns out.
He quietly sat there with his Starbucks, sign in the other hand.
The young man whom had some sort of argument returned with a sandwich and cold drink from one of the local shops and set them on the sidewalk beside him. By now the Starbucks lady rejoined and they all walked back to the table beside mine as she was telling Tony she was on break. They talked for a long time, so I heard his story. The young man as he left promised to bring him lunch everyday. As the young woman had to return to work, they hugged and he got up to walk back to t his chair. She gave me another look, quizzical but kind. The only new female I have encountered this year I thought I could trust, if I had to, and I would like to just end this year with the one I have as a friend now.
I picked up my bag and with cane in hand joined him as he walked back to his chair. He was being honked at by an impatient woman wanting to drag race out of the drive through lane. I gave her a contemptuous look and she took her hand off of the horn and allowed the two to of us to walk across the driveway, slowly as she now chatted on her phone.
Tony is a neat old man. We talked for about half an hour. Yeah, I will probably yak more with him when I can walk that far again!
Those two young people have renewed my hope for mankind. Each different, probably each with their reasons for helping him, but two is more than I have ever seen help him in the previous three years.
And should this weekend's gun show go well, I guess I will be able to help him a little as well.... I should probably add that the only reason I was at Starbucks is because my youngest daughter gave me a Starbucks card this month. She is a dear and spoils this odd duck of an adoptive father, God has saddled her with. Which is lucky for me or I would never have been at Starbucks otherwise.
Humming birds buzzed around my head, some chick-a-dis thought my banana bread looked mighty good. And about 150 feet away sits Tony with a sign readying, "World War II Veteran, help need.".
Now Tony has been a fixture there for about three years now. I heard that he lives with a grand-daughter whom works at the grocery store and as she works, he tries to pick up some extra money for them. Very sad how this culture fails its true heroes. Sadder still at how the local church ignores the needs of those, in or outside, of their ministry! Here sits a ministry opportunity ... unanswered by any of the 24 churches within a one mile radius. I have even seen my own pastors walk past him with no comment. Cold, distant, out of touch, pure evil, but I am not condemning the pastors, for they are but a reflection of this culture.
I sat there for perhaps an hour and no one approached him at all. And I thought to myself, this is an evil and vile culture when the old can not even sustain their lives without begging! Then, when reduced to begging, there is no one to help. So, I prayed, "Lord, I really do not know this man's story, and I know that I have never helped him since he showed up after I lost my job. But, please bless that man as you deem appropriate. Amen."
Within minutes a guy walked up and started arguing with the man. I am not sure what was said but the young guy stomped off. Then one of the Starbucks workers came outside and took him a drink. I thought, wow! As she walked back, but too far for me to have politely said anything, I quietly mouthed, "Thank you."
Her eyes lit up and she smiled and mouthed back, "I love him..." The grand-daughter perhaps? But, no, it turns out.
He quietly sat there with his Starbucks, sign in the other hand.
The young man whom had some sort of argument returned with a sandwich and cold drink from one of the local shops and set them on the sidewalk beside him. By now the Starbucks lady rejoined and they all walked back to the table beside mine as she was telling Tony she was on break. They talked for a long time, so I heard his story. The young man as he left promised to bring him lunch everyday. As the young woman had to return to work, they hugged and he got up to walk back to t his chair. She gave me another look, quizzical but kind. The only new female I have encountered this year I thought I could trust, if I had to, and I would like to just end this year with the one I have as a friend now.
I picked up my bag and with cane in hand joined him as he walked back to his chair. He was being honked at by an impatient woman wanting to drag race out of the drive through lane. I gave her a contemptuous look and she took her hand off of the horn and allowed the two to of us to walk across the driveway, slowly as she now chatted on her phone.
Tony is a neat old man. We talked for about half an hour. Yeah, I will probably yak more with him when I can walk that far again!
Those two young people have renewed my hope for mankind. Each different, probably each with their reasons for helping him, but two is more than I have ever seen help him in the previous three years.
And should this weekend's gun show go well, I guess I will be able to help him a little as well.... I should probably add that the only reason I was at Starbucks is because my youngest daughter gave me a Starbucks card this month. She is a dear and spoils this odd duck of an adoptive father, God has saddled her with. Which is lucky for me or I would never have been at Starbucks otherwise.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Of Faith, Obedience and Silence
For the past several days my mind has been revolving around an enigma, very strange things going on in my private life, things which certainly point to an ongoing attack by evil, a limited source for it to have originated from and yet God's call for my obedience.
For weeks now, I have been getting emails to my private account of an evil nature. Yeah, I have my public account which is tied to this blog, however, I have a private address known only to my family members. However, even at that, I get no emails from anyone in my family, we talk via phone and FaceBook constantly. It has really only been used by my estranged daughter and niece. So, as I said, limited resource to have disclosed my email address from, if that had happened at all. Yesterday, I thought I would end this stupidity from whomever it was sending those daily multiple emails and ran down their IP address - they originated from where estranged daughter had an interest in serving as a missionary to and she has several "friends" there. Okay, that is weird and yeah, I could see her getting one of her friends to do this so as to prove I am the evil she now believes. Sorry, but I am not whom you think I am. Yesterday, I blocked that IP address because things got weirder.
Yeah, yesterday came with an invite to have a new friend on FaceBook, complete with photos. It could have been someone else, whom looks a great deal like my daughter (NOT!), but just to be wise as a serpent, I hacked the originating IP address of that FaceBook account. Interestingly, this one came from where daughter had served as a missionary many years ago to and to cinch it, there were already had two of her friends on there whom I remembered when we shared FB accounts with one another. So, yeah this one was either her friends being cruel to her or flat out from her trying to snare me.
Now, what are the odds? Two flat out evil offers, both originating from places she was associated with. Both I believe to prove I was the kind of person she believes me to be.
I turned down the friendship offer and the account disappeared from FaceBook almost instantly. Interestingly, it proves I was right, it was evil attempting to lure me, else why would it disappear when it failed to snare me? And should my daughter actually be innocent of this, then again I must remind her that photographs taken during moments of great intoxication, are forever. And really, my private email address, I would appreciate remaining private, just as I have honored your privacy but not "stalking" you, it is reasonable to expect the same.
So I have thought on this weirdness and am reminded of Zachariah - okay only in my mind is this obvious ... :
You might remember Luke 1:5-25 and 57-80.
Zachariah was told what God was going to do, but he chose to disbelieve. So, for his disbelief, his voice was silenced until John (Jesus' cousin) was born. His silence became a sign for the truth of what he had been told. And EVERYONE knew it!
So there are three ways of looking at this and learning from it:
1. When you are being silenced, you need to examine why and correct where your faith in God has gone wrong.
2. When God is being silent in your life you need to read, meditate and pray to know the source of the silence.
3. When you are being obedient and have been silenced, you have to continue to be obedient to what God has told you.
So my family, my ex-friends, my church, my pastors and my estrange daughter all firmly stand on the first option for me. And like the stubborn German I am, I stand solidly that I am of the third classification - only remaining friends agree with me on that one, but then they actually bothered to know me and look at the evidence before deciding not to condemn me. I can only stand in place in obedience, even if at least 120 times this year I would have rather grabbed my cane and started walking to Argentina! But, then that would have proven I was guilty to all! Except to daughter, for she knows what that reference means.
Verses 66-77 are so beautiful! Here Zachariah has been silenced and now can speak and agrees that the son's name will be John (probably a bit of a scandal since it was not a family name).
Zachariah did not expect a miracle, did not believe one possible when he was told there would be one and so God had to smack him upside the head to get his attention long enough to understand he was in for a miracle!
So, in like manner, even though my daughter has run away, does her best to attack me as she is able, I stand firm because God told me to. I pray daily for her because God told me to. I expect her to return because God said she would. I will remain obedient because I am that stubborn old German. It is called faith, it is called obedience, it is called for in the silence of my life in being able to bring her to where she is supposed to be.
But do not believe this does not bring its frustrations, as my poor Niece can affirm, the lure to run away is there but unlike Jonah, I already know I can not hide from the face of God, do not want to get swallowed until I learn my lesson, etc. So, I stand, taking the rebuke from all, daily, in my face hatred for what I have not done but been accused of. I will pay whatever the cost required for my daughter to return - in my innocence, because it is all I have. From my perspective, if my family is reduced to only the size of my niece and estranged daughter, so be it. It does not mean I do not love my family, for I do, but it does mean being obedient to God means more.
And poor Zachariah, he too learned a lesson and he stood and he waited, when he did not have to, and was mightily blessed for it.
For weeks now, I have been getting emails to my private account of an evil nature. Yeah, I have my public account which is tied to this blog, however, I have a private address known only to my family members. However, even at that, I get no emails from anyone in my family, we talk via phone and FaceBook constantly. It has really only been used by my estranged daughter and niece. So, as I said, limited resource to have disclosed my email address from, if that had happened at all. Yesterday, I thought I would end this stupidity from whomever it was sending those daily multiple emails and ran down their IP address - they originated from where estranged daughter had an interest in serving as a missionary to and she has several "friends" there. Okay, that is weird and yeah, I could see her getting one of her friends to do this so as to prove I am the evil she now believes. Sorry, but I am not whom you think I am. Yesterday, I blocked that IP address because things got weirder.
Yeah, yesterday came with an invite to have a new friend on FaceBook, complete with photos. It could have been someone else, whom looks a great deal like my daughter (NOT!), but just to be wise as a serpent, I hacked the originating IP address of that FaceBook account. Interestingly, this one came from where daughter had served as a missionary many years ago to and to cinch it, there were already had two of her friends on there whom I remembered when we shared FB accounts with one another. So, yeah this one was either her friends being cruel to her or flat out from her trying to snare me.
Now, what are the odds? Two flat out evil offers, both originating from places she was associated with. Both I believe to prove I was the kind of person she believes me to be.
I turned down the friendship offer and the account disappeared from FaceBook almost instantly. Interestingly, it proves I was right, it was evil attempting to lure me, else why would it disappear when it failed to snare me? And should my daughter actually be innocent of this, then again I must remind her that photographs taken during moments of great intoxication, are forever. And really, my private email address, I would appreciate remaining private, just as I have honored your privacy but not "stalking" you, it is reasonable to expect the same.
So I have thought on this weirdness and am reminded of Zachariah - okay only in my mind is this obvious ... :
You might remember Luke 1:5-25 and 57-80.
Zachariah was told what God was going to do, but he chose to disbelieve. So, for his disbelief, his voice was silenced until John (Jesus' cousin) was born. His silence became a sign for the truth of what he had been told. And EVERYONE knew it!
So there are three ways of looking at this and learning from it:
1. When you are being silenced, you need to examine why and correct where your faith in God has gone wrong.
2. When God is being silent in your life you need to read, meditate and pray to know the source of the silence.
3. When you are being obedient and have been silenced, you have to continue to be obedient to what God has told you.
So my family, my ex-friends, my church, my pastors and my estrange daughter all firmly stand on the first option for me. And like the stubborn German I am, I stand solidly that I am of the third classification - only remaining friends agree with me on that one, but then they actually bothered to know me and look at the evidence before deciding not to condemn me. I can only stand in place in obedience, even if at least 120 times this year I would have rather grabbed my cane and started walking to Argentina! But, then that would have proven I was guilty to all! Except to daughter, for she knows what that reference means.
Verses 66-77 are so beautiful! Here Zachariah has been silenced and now can speak and agrees that the son's name will be John (probably a bit of a scandal since it was not a family name).
Zachariah did not expect a miracle, did not believe one possible when he was told there would be one and so God had to smack him upside the head to get his attention long enough to understand he was in for a miracle!
So, in like manner, even though my daughter has run away, does her best to attack me as she is able, I stand firm because God told me to. I pray daily for her because God told me to. I expect her to return because God said she would. I will remain obedient because I am that stubborn old German. It is called faith, it is called obedience, it is called for in the silence of my life in being able to bring her to where she is supposed to be.
But do not believe this does not bring its frustrations, as my poor Niece can affirm, the lure to run away is there but unlike Jonah, I already know I can not hide from the face of God, do not want to get swallowed until I learn my lesson, etc. So, I stand, taking the rebuke from all, daily, in my face hatred for what I have not done but been accused of. I will pay whatever the cost required for my daughter to return - in my innocence, because it is all I have. From my perspective, if my family is reduced to only the size of my niece and estranged daughter, so be it. It does not mean I do not love my family, for I do, but it does mean being obedient to God means more.
And poor Zachariah, he too learned a lesson and he stood and he waited, when he did not have to, and was mightily blessed for it.
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
This is Reality?
Well, it is about a year since my last tale I shared with you about an observed train wreck, or better known as the first date from hell.....
Friday night I took Gaelic Girl to Outback steakhouse for dinner. She is sort of talking to me, not really, but I hoped a steak might brighten her up. She chose chicken and I knew no mood changes were to be expected, so my mind wandered to the table next to ours, a first date from hell was occurring and I almost got up to have a talk with the guy. Yeah, he was that out of control and really needed a brick upside the head.
She was dressed in jeans, grey sweater, modest. He had not accomplished the act of combing his hair nor getting 30% of his shirt in his pants. He looked like a bad tv date joke.
She had a very pretty face, however he would not have known, his eyes were riveted to her chest, where she had been cursed by what will be causing massive back pain in a few years!
They ordered drinks, he had downed his pina colada and ordered another, faster than she could take a sip from hers. Within minutes the effects were to tell.
Conversationally, they started out with which cell phone was better. He then named one of her breasts for one brand and then the other for the other. And each time that brand was mentioned he would make a grab for that breast! She was a skillful dodger.
Failing this, they then moved on to playing some trivia game. There was some question about some a tv show and he commented that only an imbecile would have known the answer to that question. It was her favorite show apparently. After a few more like that situation, he wrestled the device away from her and played some game by himself, while he told her about how smart he was (not!) and should be that millionaire show.
Dinner came and was eaten without comment. He then told her that he would be driving them to the theather and she told him that was alright, she would drive herself.
And at this point I had to laugh because it was very plain, he would be waiting in line for her for a very long time at the theater.....
Don't you just love train wrecks?
And you really have to wonder how he has managed not to show up on the Jerry Springer Show, yet.
Friday night I took Gaelic Girl to Outback steakhouse for dinner. She is sort of talking to me, not really, but I hoped a steak might brighten her up. She chose chicken and I knew no mood changes were to be expected, so my mind wandered to the table next to ours, a first date from hell was occurring and I almost got up to have a talk with the guy. Yeah, he was that out of control and really needed a brick upside the head.
She was dressed in jeans, grey sweater, modest. He had not accomplished the act of combing his hair nor getting 30% of his shirt in his pants. He looked like a bad tv date joke.
She had a very pretty face, however he would not have known, his eyes were riveted to her chest, where she had been cursed by what will be causing massive back pain in a few years!
They ordered drinks, he had downed his pina colada and ordered another, faster than she could take a sip from hers. Within minutes the effects were to tell.
Conversationally, they started out with which cell phone was better. He then named one of her breasts for one brand and then the other for the other. And each time that brand was mentioned he would make a grab for that breast! She was a skillful dodger.
Failing this, they then moved on to playing some trivia game. There was some question about some a tv show and he commented that only an imbecile would have known the answer to that question. It was her favorite show apparently. After a few more like that situation, he wrestled the device away from her and played some game by himself, while he told her about how smart he was (not!) and should be that millionaire show.
Dinner came and was eaten without comment. He then told her that he would be driving them to the theather and she told him that was alright, she would drive herself.
And at this point I had to laugh because it was very plain, he would be waiting in line for her for a very long time at the theater.....
Don't you just love train wrecks?
And you really have to wonder how he has managed not to show up on the Jerry Springer Show, yet.
Friday, February 8, 2013
Cotton Candy Girl
So, thought it might be fun to remember how I came about meeting Cotton Candy Girl, whom I stumbled upon on Saturday at an antique show.
I had a pretty tough class about 20 years ago. I was told not to take it as the kids were all prison material, that was the exiting teacher's comment. So, I was intrigued.
By the end of the first class I had won over 45 hard cases to the intrigues of knowing a God no one had ever told them about before. Also being able to speak their language in answering their questions helped a great deal as well.
One of the young men was a punk rocker, albeit a preacher's kid in real rebellion. He wanted to shock me, I shocked him instead - when I told him I was him, 30 years earlier.
After a few months, he brought his girlfriend from school, also a preacher's kid. As normal and sweet as you could ever hope to find in a teenage girl. Then I knew my angry young man, was actually going to do alright and make it, he just needed encouragement and not judgement.
She came for four years, as did he, they were a model couple and I often used them before their marriage for talks on love/hormones/etc. They were proof you can make it through those tough years and have a Christian witness on the other side of them. It was one of those gratifing moments in youth work which are so very rare. (it also did not hurt that they knew of my discernment and were terrified of me!)
Of course, after marriage she adapted his lifestyle, but not his borderline faith. So, yeah, tattoos, piercings and cotton candy hair but with the same sweet spirit which still defines her.
I still love the two of them dearly, I think of him often and it makes me smile to think that God used me to make a difference in the lives of a very young couple. Through his post educational struggles I have continued to encourage him and he has done well in providing for his family, but he finds it impossible to accept the gruel dished out by the local churches (and I have to agree there!). She also is doing well but just wants a church home and is frustrated because he will not settle down in one, even for their kids' sake.
Yeah, time to be encouraging again it seems.
If I love you, you get either unabashed Kris to get in your face or the silent Kris, whom is in prayer for you. So, if you think I have forgotten because you have not heard from me - it is far from the truth.
:)
I had a pretty tough class about 20 years ago. I was told not to take it as the kids were all prison material, that was the exiting teacher's comment. So, I was intrigued.
By the end of the first class I had won over 45 hard cases to the intrigues of knowing a God no one had ever told them about before. Also being able to speak their language in answering their questions helped a great deal as well.
One of the young men was a punk rocker, albeit a preacher's kid in real rebellion. He wanted to shock me, I shocked him instead - when I told him I was him, 30 years earlier.
After a few months, he brought his girlfriend from school, also a preacher's kid. As normal and sweet as you could ever hope to find in a teenage girl. Then I knew my angry young man, was actually going to do alright and make it, he just needed encouragement and not judgement.
She came for four years, as did he, they were a model couple and I often used them before their marriage for talks on love/hormones/etc. They were proof you can make it through those tough years and have a Christian witness on the other side of them. It was one of those gratifing moments in youth work which are so very rare. (it also did not hurt that they knew of my discernment and were terrified of me!)
Of course, after marriage she adapted his lifestyle, but not his borderline faith. So, yeah, tattoos, piercings and cotton candy hair but with the same sweet spirit which still defines her.
I still love the two of them dearly, I think of him often and it makes me smile to think that God used me to make a difference in the lives of a very young couple. Through his post educational struggles I have continued to encourage him and he has done well in providing for his family, but he finds it impossible to accept the gruel dished out by the local churches (and I have to agree there!). She also is doing well but just wants a church home and is frustrated because he will not settle down in one, even for their kids' sake.
Yeah, time to be encouraging again it seems.
If I love you, you get either unabashed Kris to get in your face or the silent Kris, whom is in prayer for you. So, if you think I have forgotten because you have not heard from me - it is far from the truth.
:)
Monday, February 4, 2013
Blast From The Past
I was working an antique show again this weekend, long hard hours but it helps keep beans on the table.....
So, I am in this building about 4 acres in size and there are some 5,000 shoppers plus several hundred booths set up - so a miserable pain to traverse. My booth is of course in the rear of the building and the snack bar in the front, so I get to wade through the crowd to get a lemonade and then again back. But, having battled the crowd to the snack bar, I skirt the edge of the show along the side hoping to make a faster return to my booth. It was not to be.
I was about half way back when my mind told me there was something odd - a face in the wrong place, someone I knew from the past, from another place and time, so i scanned the crowd around me to see what my mind had already. And there she was, one of "my girls" from twenty years ago.....
Holy Moley! She was not hard to miss - cotton candy colored hair with a blue touch, piercings, tatoos, pushing a baby stroller and her bright blue eyes met mine and she was in my arms faster than I could remember her name! Yeah, she was always in my top five. Not because she was troubled, or physically attractive to me, but because she possessed an honest desire to know and serve God.
So for the next 90 minutes we talked about life, the universe, her marriage and why on earth was she here! Seems husband got a job at MicroSquish, they lives about 60 miles away, she was bored and very much in need of prayer. With God there are no coincidences, He brought us together because we both need prayer in all aspects of life. He is so cool that way. It was an awesome reunion.
Later I saw her mother and talked with her for a while as well, she is over visiting and seeing the grandchildren. Seems her life is greatly in need of prayer as well. Lovely woman, she did well with her daughter.....
But, that just a taste of the beauty of this day and I will share more through the week as we go along.
:)
So, I am in this building about 4 acres in size and there are some 5,000 shoppers plus several hundred booths set up - so a miserable pain to traverse. My booth is of course in the rear of the building and the snack bar in the front, so I get to wade through the crowd to get a lemonade and then again back. But, having battled the crowd to the snack bar, I skirt the edge of the show along the side hoping to make a faster return to my booth. It was not to be.
I was about half way back when my mind told me there was something odd - a face in the wrong place, someone I knew from the past, from another place and time, so i scanned the crowd around me to see what my mind had already. And there she was, one of "my girls" from twenty years ago.....
Holy Moley! She was not hard to miss - cotton candy colored hair with a blue touch, piercings, tatoos, pushing a baby stroller and her bright blue eyes met mine and she was in my arms faster than I could remember her name! Yeah, she was always in my top five. Not because she was troubled, or physically attractive to me, but because she possessed an honest desire to know and serve God.
So for the next 90 minutes we talked about life, the universe, her marriage and why on earth was she here! Seems husband got a job at MicroSquish, they lives about 60 miles away, she was bored and very much in need of prayer. With God there are no coincidences, He brought us together because we both need prayer in all aspects of life. He is so cool that way. It was an awesome reunion.
Later I saw her mother and talked with her for a while as well, she is over visiting and seeing the grandchildren. Seems her life is greatly in need of prayer as well. Lovely woman, she did well with her daughter.....
But, that just a taste of the beauty of this day and I will share more through the week as we go along.
:)
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Open To Suggestions
So my dear readers, it has now been two weeks this was put on my to blog list, however the excitement of my life just does not allow me the freedom to post what I want at a given time. This past month has been an incredible growth period for me, pieces of which have appeared in other blog posts. For me, I have found peace for the first time since June - assured that God is hearing my prayers and in His quiet way preparing the way for the prodigal to return. At the same time, this afternoon, God has laid on my heart that perhaps that way will not be as pleasant as it could be. Is He preparing me for his abandonment of my daughter so that she may reap the whirlwind, before looking up and understands where she is supposed to be? For my daughter's sake I hope not. Conversely, the same knowledge could mean that the November 22 vision is about to come into play - and that makes me physically ill. No, you really do not want to know the price of that one.....
But! what I started out to blog is about a discussion I had with the pastors several weeks ago now. I have worked in youth ministry since 1974, a few breaks here and there, but mostly straight through. Comparing a 1970s youth group to what exists today is to attempt to compare a fine wine with Dr. Pepper. Yeah, not even in the same arena, and I had three heroin addicts to deal with in that first year, as well as two suicides. Horrible but much better than what exists today!
And the conversation rolled around the topic of why. Why are youth so challenged? Why are youth ministries actually failing - when results are expected and actually little is to be found, even amongst the solid church families. At church, in Bible studies, at youth groups, totally awesome kids - walk out the door and a train wreck in real life. Just as an example: a family I know of what seem solid parents and everyone of the children have substance abuse problems, oh heck, flat out addictions! Kids are great actors these days.
Then the conversation began to narrow as hour three approached. Everything we had been discussing revolved around controlling behavior and the kids were great at that, as long as someone in authority was watching! Blink your eyes and the Bohemians have appeared!
Yeah, I am now convinced, three weeks later that the key lay within the idea of creating character in our youth. Just a part of which to create integrity - to control them when the eyes of authority is not around......
Now, how to create this with one hour a week exposure to the church activities? Do not think it impossible, it was done in the very first Sunday Schools, in Glasgow, Scotland in the 18th century. They were able to take street urchins, uneducated ones at that, and create men and women of character out or them. So, it can be done. But, what was the secret? Where do I start?
That is the goal for this next year to rediscover the secret of!
But! what I started out to blog is about a discussion I had with the pastors several weeks ago now. I have worked in youth ministry since 1974, a few breaks here and there, but mostly straight through. Comparing a 1970s youth group to what exists today is to attempt to compare a fine wine with Dr. Pepper. Yeah, not even in the same arena, and I had three heroin addicts to deal with in that first year, as well as two suicides. Horrible but much better than what exists today!
And the conversation rolled around the topic of why. Why are youth so challenged? Why are youth ministries actually failing - when results are expected and actually little is to be found, even amongst the solid church families. At church, in Bible studies, at youth groups, totally awesome kids - walk out the door and a train wreck in real life. Just as an example: a family I know of what seem solid parents and everyone of the children have substance abuse problems, oh heck, flat out addictions! Kids are great actors these days.
Then the conversation began to narrow as hour three approached. Everything we had been discussing revolved around controlling behavior and the kids were great at that, as long as someone in authority was watching! Blink your eyes and the Bohemians have appeared!
Yeah, I am now convinced, three weeks later that the key lay within the idea of creating character in our youth. Just a part of which to create integrity - to control them when the eyes of authority is not around......
Now, how to create this with one hour a week exposure to the church activities? Do not think it impossible, it was done in the very first Sunday Schools, in Glasgow, Scotland in the 18th century. They were able to take street urchins, uneducated ones at that, and create men and women of character out or them. So, it can be done. But, what was the secret? Where do I start?
That is the goal for this next year to rediscover the secret of!
Friday, June 29, 2012
Ugly Drunks
So, youngest daughter has turned 21. I have three (3!) 21 year old daughters now! And with each 21 year old event has come the cultures siren call of getting drunk. I warned each of them, as I have all of "my" kids through the years and to date - NO one has listened. They all go for the learning experience the hard way.
So, all but daughter in Texas, when out for the marathon of drinking. And reality bites when you discover that drinking makes you a person you never were.
I managed 1.5 hours of sleep before the phone was ringing. Youngest had gotten lost. How was this even possible? She had her older sister to protect her, next daughter down was the designated driver and then the rest of the party was her boozing friends for the night. And they lost her - for two hours.....
Eventually she was found. It seems that she had gotten into a fight with the other 21 year old daughter and had taken off. Of course being drunk did not exactly help her in her efforts to find her way home.
Last call was around two in the morning and they were still screaming at each other in the car as it made its way to oldest daughter's house.
I am pretty sure I would not want to be in that home this morning - probably a whole lot of face in toilet time going down....
So, all but daughter in Texas, when out for the marathon of drinking. And reality bites when you discover that drinking makes you a person you never were.
I managed 1.5 hours of sleep before the phone was ringing. Youngest had gotten lost. How was this even possible? She had her older sister to protect her, next daughter down was the designated driver and then the rest of the party was her boozing friends for the night. And they lost her - for two hours.....
Eventually she was found. It seems that she had gotten into a fight with the other 21 year old daughter and had taken off. Of course being drunk did not exactly help her in her efforts to find her way home.
Last call was around two in the morning and they were still screaming at each other in the car as it made its way to oldest daughter's house.
I am pretty sure I would not want to be in that home this morning - probably a whole lot of face in toilet time going down....
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