Wednesday, August 31, 2005

Y'all missed out.

The home made pizza was great! For those of you who decided not to make the trip up to Minneosta last night... You missed out. Best pizza I have ever tasted. Cookies were good as well.

Banana bread... now that's another story... I don't like banana bread. Well, let me correct that... it's okay. But I have this theory that if I don't really like something... If it is a take it or leave it kind of feeling... then what's the point of eating it?

So, I don't eat Banana bread. Because it's a take it or leave it kind of thing... it brings no satisfaction to me.

Off until Tuesday. Later all!

Tuesday, August 30, 2005

Thinking outside the box...

It's a pine box... elongated, cramped. Time and time again, I am placed in this place; unable to shift, I feel constricted. There's no room to move in this thing and it is hard to breathe. Everytime someone puts me in here I begin to suffocate. The darkness closes in around me and all seems hopeless. People think they know you. "They have you pegged." Parents, co-workers, friends... they all intentionally or unintentionally place you in this wooden prison at times... a boundary of sorts which you are confined to... might as well have razor wire around the top... or put the cover on and pound. the. last. nail. But I rhetorically ask from within this self imposed penitentiary, how do you know me, when I don't even know me? I am just beginning to figure out all the complexities of who I am. I don't believe what you say. Give me some credit.

People change.

And with this thought... I am able to gasp for air as I taste freedom once again.

Monday, August 29, 2005

Just us guys.

He was excited. His eyes showed it. A day with Dad. Just the guys. He kept trying to guess the suprise... "Are we going to jump on the trampoline?" The wrinkles in the corner of my eyes immediately appeared as I laughed; each time, my response was "no." "Are we going to go into town and rent a video game?" My response once again was "no." Jake said, "Shucks." as he snapped his fingers in an upward motion. "But Dad, I really was hoping we were going to play video games today." My response was, "Jake, we can play video games any old day... today we are going to enjoy the day with each other... without video games."

Our day started out at 11:30 in the book store purchasing a sweatshirt for him and a baseball cap for me. Then we headed out to the field to tail gate before the game with a few friends. We both had a burger and some chips. While the burgers were cooking, Jake would go up to the fence to watch the "real live football players" practice and warm up. A little later, we entered the stadium... and enjoyed the game. It was a perfect fall day... light breeze... sun was glistening off our team's golden helmets. Jake hung out at the top of the stadium with a friend he hadn't seen in ages. I would have loved to sit by him the whole game... but I remember being a kid. Goofing around at the top of the bleachers is what football games are all about. Besides that, it is way more fun than sitting by Dad... especially when your friend is there. At the end of the first quarter, Jake was hungry and thirsty... so we made our way to the concession stand. I loaded him down with a box of popcorn, a JUMBO freeze pop and a bottle of water. (We had a coke with our burgers before the game... so water was his only choice.) Then, at the end of the game, he hung out with his "Dear old Dad" as the time ticked away. The game was close. Our team was the victor; our team made a crucial interception as the other team was driving toward the goal line with 30 seconds remaining. The score was 16 to 10. Jake was excited by the drama and as we walked back to the car Jake said, "That interception was COOL!" (People around us laughed as Jake summed up what we were all feeling.) I couldn't have asked for a better day/game for Jake to experience his first football game.

After the football game, Jake and I made our way to the frizbee golf course. It was a new course that the college put up and the 18 hole golf course spans over 3 miles of ground which winds back into a nature area at the back of our campus. By hole five, Jake's feet were starting to hurt... so we walked slow. On the trail in the nature area, there were benches every little bit... we would stop and sit and rest for a few minutes. Each time he saw a bench he would say, "Dad, can we stop and rest a little?" Of course my response was, "Sure bud. Were not in a hurry." As we walked through the trails, zillions of Monarch butterflies flittered around us as we walked through their world. Jake was amazed. (So was I.) We FINALLY found the 11th hole and we finished up the course... we didn't keep score... just had a fun time... hanging out together. It was a day to remember. As we drove home Jake looked up at me and said, "Thanks for spending the day with me Dad, the Football game and Frizbee Golf was fun... I had a great day." My response was, "Me too, bud... Me too."

Perfect ending to a perfect day.

Friday, August 26, 2005

You are a true friend...

You are a best Friend like no other. I wait for you to come around and... sure enough, you are faithful. Like clockwork you arrive and I am giddy with anticipation. Anticipation of what we will do together. I am like a school boy who has a crush on his teacher. I am smitten with you. You are like the taste of freedom after spending a prison sentence with my arms shackled above me while the wet cinder block floor makes my feet miserably cold. When you come around, it is like my life begins. You bring such excitement to my otherwise mundane life. Sometimes, you bring excitement to my life, at other times, we just watch TV together. But you always bring options. When you come around, I always ask myself: WHAT will we do? Will we sleep in together? Will we mow the lawn together? We could spend time with Jake, Micker Mackers and Bug Bug... How about go out with Sydney... she thinks you're pretty cool. (Behind me of course... but she likes you too.) So many choices... and it's all because of you.

Whatever we do... one thing is for sure.

You are a true friend.

I Love You Weekend.

Thursday, August 25, 2005

You don't look a day older than 27...

I woke up next to a masterpiece this morning... a masterpiece that was created specifically with me in mind. Yes, my friends, Sydney is a work of art created by God, for me. I am a blessed man. Her beauty is unsurpassing. She has a twinkle in her eye that is so what I need most days. She helps to bring laughter, and contentment to my soul and she helps me keep things in perspective. She has luscious lips... thick lips... and a smile that would make anyone's day a little brighter. Oh, and Little freckles. Cute freckles. This canvas that we call "Sydney" is priceless. But her beauty is not only skin deep. She has a personality that meets my every need; a beauty that springs from the deepest part of her.

What can I say? I am a man in love.

Happy "28th" Birthday Sydney!

*Note for everyone else reading this... Sydney is really 29... but for some reason, she thought she was going to be 28 this year... so just humor her.*

Besides that... she looks like she is about 19 anyway... so I guess she can be whatever age she wants to be. ;)

Tuesday, August 23, 2005

Anybody need a Russian nuclear submarine? I have one if you need one.

Last night I dreamed that I was stealing a Russian Nuclear Submarine.
I don't remember any of the details. But if anybody needs one, let me know... because I guess I have one.

What's that all about?

I also dreamed that I had a friend that would leave the door open when she would pee in a public restroom... It was one of those combination bathrooms where either a guy or a girl could use the bathroom. Kind of a big empty bathroom with one toilet and one sink in it. And she would just walk in and drop her drawers for all the world to see. Now Sydney pees with the door open all the time... only she doesn't do this in public... besides that, this friend in my dreams wasn't Sydney. I don't know who it was. Isn't it amazing that in your dreams that you can be such good friends with a person that you can pee in front of each other with the door open, but you don't even know the person's name?

Anyway, those were my dreams last night. Strange.

So, the question is:

Are you a door open or a door closed kind of person? (Speaking in terms of the privacy of your own home... of course.)

Monday, August 22, 2005

It's a big conspiracy.

The sounds of maracas and skinny mexicans with big sumbreros singing "Aye, Aye, Aye, Aye..." fill the air as the sun is filtered into the building through thousands of pieces of stain glass. My only thoughts are, "You gotta love Paradiso."

Walking into our favorite mexican ristorante is a great experience. Although, I must say that if walking into heaven is like a restaurant with spanish music and a cheap, tacky fountain in the middle, I will be extremely disappointed. That said, I will say that their food is FANtasic. I can't complain one bit. Mexico must be the land filled with free tortilla chips and rivers of flowing salsa, because really... have you EVER been to a mexican restaurant that doesn't give you free chips and salsa? I haven't. Their Chicken Chimmi Changa is what I normally order... you get this large floured tortilla shell filled with shredded chicken and sauce and then you put a large mound of sour cream with lettuce and tomatoes and there is spanish rice and refried beans on the side and... well, let me just say that life is extremely good...

That is until... you are about to walk out the door.

What a difference an hour makes after you have stuffed yourself with all of this food. You're gut hurts from all the chips and salsa and the oversized taco filled with shredded chicken floating around in your belly. It is only then that you realize that you have fallen victim to a conspiracy by the Mexican Government to either make all Americans fat or make all Americans unable to function as a result of all of us concentrating on keeping our sphincter muscles sqeezed tightly shut... All this so they can come in and take over the country by force. When will this happen you ask? In my attempt to figure this out, I believe they are waiting for the most opportunistic time. A time when all Americans are sitting on the can because what we just ate is running through our system like liquid draino. Oh the pain of a bloated stomach and the pain of fiery liquids shooting out the other end... It is enough to make any American waive the white flag of surrender.

As one who has fallen victim to this conspiracy, I can only say...

"Rindo."

that and...

"Odio el paradíso."

Wednesday, August 17, 2005

At the risk of crossing the line yet once again...

It is 11 pm and Sydney is watching a show on Discovery Health about penile fractures. Yep, this is when a man breaks his penis. It made me laugh when the host on the show said, "Dr. So and So, a urologist who specializes in penile fractures... " This just sounded VERY funny to me. Although I guess it's not really funny, apparently this is a very common thing resulting in about 10,000 broken penises a year.

If only you could be at our house right now... Sydney is currently mad at me because SHE wanted to blog about broken penises... She is accusing me of stealing her post about penile fractures. She just said, "I am SO mad at you because I am the one who is always telling everyone about penile fractures and nobody believes me..." Does anybody else find this humorous?

Umm... Sydney, tell me again why you are always taking about penile fractures?

I know, I know... crossed the line again. I will tame it down in the near future... this one was just to good to pass up though.

Anyway, if you have any questions on the subject... don't ask me, ask Sydney; she's the resident expert on penile fractures. Speaking of which, why don't you swing by and ask the expert a few questions. ;)

A weekly dissappointment.

Dear Snack Machine Vendor Guy,

You may have recently noticed that your sales on TGI Friday's Potato Skins snack chips have dropped drastically on our campus... please allow me a few minutes of your time to take the opportunity to share a couple of the reasons why this has happened. Recently, I have changed offices on campus and I no longer work where I used to; therefore, I no longer purchase the TGI Friday's Potato Skins snack chips from machine located 20 steps from my old office door. While this is a good thing because I am no longer staring at them everyday as I walk passed that snack machine, I do still occassionally like to purchase a bag. Ever since you have placed a snack machine in the student center, buttons B5 and B7 do not work. This just happens to be where both the TGI Friday's Potato Skins Bacon and Cheddar and Sour Cream and Onion snack chips are located. The reason sales have declined on these chips is not because they aren't filled with yummy goodness that causes your tasted buds to tingle with flavor every time one places one of these delectable chips on their tongue. It is because the buttons don't work. Each time I go to purchase a snack I attempt to purchase a bag of the Bacon and Cheddar chips and each time the key pad flashes b5 error! b5 error! So then I attempt to purchase my second favorite flavor which is Sour Cream and Onion and each time the key pad flashes b7 error! b7 error! I am frustrated at least once a week because the chips are within my abbilities to obtain... if it were not for the glass barrier and a couple of buttons that don't work. I realize that there are other snack machines located on campus that have TGI Friday's Potato Skins snack chips; however, the opportunity costs are too great... that or I am too lazy walk to one of the other machines. Please fix this dilemma for me. If you can’t please adjust the bag of Bacon and Cheddar so its wrapper is not smiling at me... it only further frustrates me.

Tuesday, August 16, 2005

WARNING: Post about a fat naked lady with hard nipples. (The post does have a point.)

Everyday... it's the same thing. I get out of my car and enter the new student center. And every morning she greets from the top of the stairs... Naked with Hard Nipples. In the name of Art, there she stands... as naked as the day she was born. Except, fatter. I have different emotions every time I see her...

First of all, I am bewildered. Who's brilliant idea was it to hang a painting of a fat naked lady with hard nipples in the entry way of a new building to greet everyone who enters? There's intellect for you.

Then immediately, right or wrong... the question arises in my mind... What is wrong with this fat naked lady in the picture that she thinks it is socially acceptable to stand in a cold room and have someone paint a picture of her?

After getting over the fact that I am greeted by this repulsing image every morning, I think to myself: There is something wrong with this world I live in. Place a Christian image on the wall, put up a Christmas tree up or for that matter have a monument of the Ten Commandments in your building and the ACLU is beating down your door. But put a picture of a fat naked lady with hard nipples up in an entry way to greet young and old alike, and it's perfectly fine? Are you kidding me? What the heck? Now, don't get me wrong... there is a time and place for fat naked ladies with hard nipples. And in reality, I am all for fat naked ladies with hard nipples; they are not "inherently evil." But I would argue that the right time and place for a fat naked lady to be seen is in her bedroom in front of her husband. Or her living room... walk around the house naked for all I care... just don't stand at the top of the stairs in a new student center where I am forced to look at you every day.

So there you have it... my post on a fat naked lady with hard nipples.

Monday, August 15, 2005

I work with ABSOLUTE incompetence people...

Nothing more needs to be said.

Friday, August 12, 2005

She's like a woman...

Yahoo Messenger... WHY must you torment me so?? My LAUNCHcast is not working... I try so hard to be patient... I ask your online help a question only to get some "answer bot" asking me for one word questions. Are you screening my calls? Don't you want to talk to me? I feel you mocking me when I turn away. You keep my office from experiencing the joy of music from my own personal radio station. Every now and then, you give me a glimmer of hope as I hear some "click" over my speakers... only to find that you are still not playing my favorite tunes. At $29.00 per year, I own you. Work, Dang It! You are like a woman. Some days you play beautiful music and other days you are stubborn and temperamental... I can't figure you out. We used to have such a wonderful thing going... What went wrong? I ask myself, "What have I done? Is it me that has changed? I haven't changed any of the settings on my computer... yet you ignore my requests."

But, alas, love is blind...

Though you frustrate me, I am totally whipped by your mesmerizing voice... so I will continue to try and establish a relationship with you... some sort of connection. What must I do? What do you want from me? PLEASE come back.

I am nothing without you.

Disclaimer: Before you jump all over me... like some of the first comments... PLEASE refer to the post listed immediately below this one.

I am trying to think of something brilliant to say...

I've. Got. Nothing.

Thursday, August 11, 2005

Perfect Words.

Sweat drips from my brow... as my words are set in the flames. Each day it is the same thing. I work patiently, waiting until my words are the perfect color of glowing red.

Clank. Clank. Clank.

My words land on the anvil and I wield my delete key like a hammer as I work the impurities out of what will, for some (though not all)... become a work of art. Similar to the wrought iron that was taken from the fiery furnace, hammered into a flat rectangular bar and then folded over and hammered again, I repeat this process with my words. Looking for just the right angle... words that will cut... words that will have a point... words that will be sufficient. There are those who say I am the best around... a wordsmith known and visited by many. Though it matters not. I am not looking for fame or fortune. I only seek the perfect words... words that will stand the test of time... words that will hold up in that moment of truth as I stand before my Maker... Words that will not bend, words that can not be twisted. My greatest achievement will be to forge my words so perfectly, that they, like the needle of a compass forged by blacksmiths long ago... will indicate north from south. In doing so, people will rely on the steadfastness of my words... words that give direction. Until then, I am just a mere wordsmith... hammering away... striving for...

The perfect words.

Wednesday, August 10, 2005

Just a little something to wake you up this morning...

On your way to work you pass a shop that is unfamiliar to you... it peaks your interests. Like the Sirens in Homer’s Odyssey, it has got an irresistible lure. You debate about driving on by... but then you think to yourself, “I’ve got a few minutes this morning... why not?” As you approach the door to the shop, your heart skips a beat as you quickly derive that it has a combination of elegance, class, and romance... You swiftly enter with anticipation, and upon entering, you hear bells jingle as they tap beveled pains of glass while the door gently closes behind you. Immediately you are greeted with an aroma of familiarity... there is nothing like the smell of freshly ground coffee beans... you pause and inhale deeply as you drink in this glorious scent. There is a soft murmur... as friends discuss life over steaming cups of bliss. A burst of laughter comes from a table towards the back. To the right you hear a rustle of paper. A man studies the stocks as he internally counts his profits. The sound of milk being frothed in the background can be heard over the music coming from the speaker directly above you. A spoon clinks against a cup as someone stirs their cream into a breakfast blend. All you can think is, “Wow... Why haven’t I stopped here long ago?” As you approach the glass counter, choice morsels bid you good morning... Scones, cookies, rolls, pies... and other delectible treats. Her Apple pie whispers in your ear... Many a man have begged for a piece of it... now it is freely open for public consumption. She greets you with a warm twinkle in her eye. As she finishes wiping the counter she smiles at you and jokingly asks, “What’s your poison?” While you peruse the marquee menu, you hear the woman next to you mumble, “Forget Target Steve. Bring me HERE.” You say to her, “excuse me?” To which she responds blushingly... “Oh nothing...” You quickly think to yourself, “She has ridiculously shiny hair...” But then your distraction wanes as your focus shifts back to the menu... As you order, you have a feeling that this will be a daily stop in your walk of life... Starbucks can’t even compare...

Without much further adieu, I present to you:

Sydney’s Coffee Stop”

Stop in and say hello... While you're at it... order a latte or a cappacino and add her to your links! After a late night of template design... all I can say is:

Make mine extra black this morning Sydney. ;)



(Oh! I almost forgot... “Fly my little blogging bird, FLY!”)

Tuesday, August 09, 2005

Fly My Little Blogging Bird, FLY!

You know you are not much of a blogger when someone tells you that you should keep up with your site but you didn’t even know that you have a site, much less that you actually posted to this anonymous site! This has been taken as a sign that this baby bird is going to be pushed out of the mothers nest to take her first nose dive to the ground in the world of blogging. Yes all….. I have my own site that has one post on it that I had no idea I had even posted too. Oops! My bad! This has prompted the designing of my own site as I have been sitting perched upon the edge of our bogging nest, to chicken to fly on my own. This will save our marriage as Ben and I will not have to fight about who is stealing whose comments by posting on the same day. This way our egos will crash and burn on our own merit. (By the way, Ben posted earlier this morning, please read his post as well) I will still comment on the Married in Minnesota site, but please don’t let this little very young blogging bird hit the ground. Once Ben is done with the site, we will let you know that I will be taking that final fatal leap! (Or push)!
Please help this little beautiful bird soar!

Weathering the storm...

Storm clouds were up ahead... he could see them. As he drove, Frank played on the radio in a weak attempt to temper the mood... it wasn't working. A few sprinkles hit the windshield leaving small circular kaleidoscopes here and there, distorting his perspective even further as he looked through them. Aimlessly, he continued to drive while managing to stay on the road... where the road lead was anybody’s guess... but the key thing was that he was driving... still behind the wheel. He continued to drive, and the rain began falling at a quickening pace. He reached for the switch to bring the wipers to life... the worn blades began to clear the water from every where but the area directly in his line of sight. One of the blades was torn, half of it dragging uselessly behind. He thought, “Should have been more prepared.” Fortunately, he could still see the road and the blurred headlights coming at him well enough to stay on his side of the road. As the rain unnoticeably began to lighten, his thoughts consumed him... He wondered where he was going and what was around the bend... and for that matter, whether he would eventually get where he was going.

E-E-RT, E-E-RT, E-E-RT, E-E-RT, E-E-RT...

The sound of the broken wipers on a dry windshield brought him back to reality. Once again, he had weathered the storm... and he was confident that he would weather the dark clouds ahead as well.

To his right was a rainbow. Thank God for rainbows and the glimmer of hope they bring.




Ever felt like this at times? Been in funk lately, largely because of work... but, I am sure I will weather the storm. It's just no fun driving through it.

Monday, August 08, 2005

X-rated Laughy Taffy?

I was going to blog this last week... but Sydney wanted to post a couple of times and between work and changing my template, I didn't have a lot of time... so here goes:

On our way back from our trip to tennessee we drove 17 hours straight to make it home... on our way home Sam, Mark and I took shifts driving... well about an hour from home... one of the youth in our van had a few pieces of laughy taffy left and offered the rest of them to us to finish up... and so I said, "SURE! I'll take a couple..." To set the scene, Sam was driving. Sam is a guy I really look up to... 47 years old, president of a company, very caring and very giving. Would lend you pretty much anything he owns and has lent me several things on occasion. The Lord has blessed him with money, but he has used his money to serve the Lord. In my book, a Class act. Mark is a friend from college who recently started attending our church... great guy, little rough around the edges spiritually... but is a super guy who's heart is in the right place. (Anyway... Tangent; back to the story) Of course everybody knows that the best part of Laughy Taffy are the jokes... so I was reading my wrapper and I came across a good one for Mark... Here is a snap shot of our conversation...

Me: "Hey Mark... Here's a joke for you... since you are a guitar player..."
Joke: "Why is it good for a male guitar player to be in a room full of girls?"
Mark: "Umm... let me see... *He pauses* It's gotta be something about a g-string... right?"
*Suddenly, the needle on the record player comes to a screeching halt*
Sam and I: *Look at each other... eyebrows raised, bewildered... chuckling in disbelief * A quiet "What did he just say?!?" escapes my mouth... *I look back at Mark with one eyebrow raised*
*Awkward silence*
Me: "Um... yeah... NO. This is the youth friendly, G-rated laughy taffy here buddy. "
Sam: *looks at him in the rearview mirror and asks* "What kind of pornographic laughy taffy do you normally buy?"
Sam and I: *Bust out laughing*
Me: "Mark, you have been away from your wife too long... you need to get home... "
Sam: *lol* "Yeah... go home to your wife."
Sam and I: *Shake our heads and laugh*

In all reality, we did cut him some slack because he had just finished a 4 hour shift of driving... he MUST have been tired. ;)

In case you want to know:

Punchline: Because then he would have his pick.


I mean, really, what's a youth mission trip without a little x-rated laughy taffy?

Friday, August 05, 2005

New Template...

I decided to change it up a bit... Thanks to my template design mentor, Eddie , I was able to do most of this on my own... although, I must admit that I am a quick study. ;) Also, I liked the wood background because it works with the deck in the masthead... otherwise I would have changed it. What do you think of my first attempt at a template design? One question I do have for Jes or Eddie... how do I get my side bar on the left side of my posts? I have done it before... just can't remember. Also, the Married in Minnesota on the masthead... do you like it, or is it too much like a post card? I can quickly adjust this... anybody have a cool font they want to send me that they think might look good with the picture?

Thursday, August 04, 2005

Gasp... Choke... Wheeze... Death by Friuty Pebbles Posted by Syd

Who knew such a small food could possibly be a killer. Hungry I went to the cereal cupboard and pull out a box of fruity pebbles. I needed just a little something to take the edge off my hunger until morning. Opening the box I caught a whiff of their delicious fruity smell and my stomach rumbled with anticipation. Oh what a wondrous sound as the little light flakes hit the bottom of the bowl, and then snapped as I poured on the cold white nectar of the dairy cow over the colorful array. I grabbed my bowl of fruity goodness and headed into the bedroom to savor my nighttime snack. Due to my pregnancy late night bowls of cereal are somewhat of a ritual for my ever growing babe in the womb. But after this night, nighttime cereal snacks would never be again. As I hoisted my ever growing frame unto the bed the merest, smallest, infinitesimally "pewny" (puny) fluff silently escapes from my backside. I open my mouth anticipating a burst of fruity flavor but instead am horrified to be greeted with a retched foul dead animal, rotten egg stench that makes me cough and suck my unchewed fruity flakes into my trachea instead of my esophagus! Gasp…… Choke…. Gasp……. Wheeze…..Hacking cough as tears begin to pour down my cheeks. I gasp for air only to again receive the foul dead animal, rotten egg stench back into my nostrils and throat once again. Those little fruity flakes would not let loose, as I continue to choke, tears streaming down my throat. 1 min…..2 min….. 3 min……. the gasping choking and wheezing continues. Finally I gather some control, my face wet with tears as Ben looks at me from the computer and asks….. “Are you Okay?”

I want to scream…. “DO I LOOK OKAY?”.... “DO I SOUND OKAY?” Instead I nod my head yes… thinking that I may actually make it. I finished my bowl of fruity pebbles which lost all flavor for all I could taste was the dead animal, rotten egg which was still hovering in the air. I think that the box of Fruity Pebbles should now read:
If You Are Pregnant Do Not Consume If You Have GAS!

Wednesday, August 03, 2005

Be calm...... Be Brave...... A post from Syd

With heart pounding I roll my ever enlarging body out of bed. (can still see my toes….a little) With dread my feet hit the floor. The words of my daughter begin to roll through my head. Be Calm…… Be brave…… (I take a deep breath) Be Calm…….. Be Brave……. (deep breath)……. Be Calm……. Be Brave……. (deep breath) . Glancing out the window, the green gray color eerily foretells the ugliness of this day. At 3:40 this afternoon I will be strapped to a chair awaiting my fate at the……(Scary horribly nasty music playing in the background) THE COTTONWOOD DENTAL CLINIC! I shudder, as chills run up and down my spine, thinking of the root canal to come. Oh please,…. Lord….Oh please…. I silently send my plea heavenward. Let him be kind, let the pain afterwards be minimal. You see, since I am pregnant…. I can not have the gas that they usually give or the pain medication afterwards. I get to just deal. (deep breath)…. Be Calm ……. Be Brave……. Again the words of my daughter begin to echo thru my head. Okay Lord. I will be okay…… After all I have given birth to 3 children. Right????? If I can do that I will make it through this horrible, no good, very bad day.

You see the calming words running through my head are from my daughter. In the middle of July she needed to go in and get caught up on her shots. 5 in all and I warned her ahead of time. On her way over the clinic, she in her quiet sweet quivering little voice is chanting…… Be Calm….. Be Brave…… Be Calm ……. Be Brave. Hey, if my 5 year old can do it so can I!!!!

Anyways enough doom and gloom on this day. I figure I will catch everyone up to date on my life. Sorry about the no blog, but honestly time has not been there. When I am not in front of a computer during my day, I just don’t get to it. Too many other things need getting done. This week is the week before VBS at our church and I am in charge of decorations. I am so excited to do this because I can do whatever I please. I am making a 12 ft temple and six 4 to 5 ft houses that go on the sides of the temple on the front stage of the sanctuary. (By the way our theme is Jerusalem this year) I am making a 12ft camel out of Styrofoam, Cool Huh…. And just village scenes and rock walls, and a menorah and well you get the picture… It is going to be so cool. Last night I worked at the church from 10:30 in the morning until 11:00 at night… whew long day….. Oh and the other really cool thing is the 15 palm trees that are anywhere from 4 ft tall to 7 ft tall….. I mean how cool is this going to be. The Jerusalem marketplace has 11 tents set up in it with signs hanging down saying “Bread Shop”, and “Pottery shop” and etc. I even found a place that translated them into Hebrew so it has the English version as well as the Hebrew spelling those turned out awesome as well. Anyways… I would go into more detail but I don’t want to bore you all to death. I am also making costumes for the VBS. All the workers will wear costumes and most of the children if they want to so I have made 7 so far and am now working on the Roman Solider Guard costume and the Jesus costume… If I have any extra time I will be making some more children ones as well. Then in addition there is just the normal laundry, meals, and regular day stuff I need to get done. Oh yeah, and my pickles and beans are ready in the garden so I have been sneaking down there, picking cucumber and beans and canning them. So really I love you all but life right now is soooooo busy. Plus…. I am going to have a baby in 6 to eight weeks. Ahhhhh!!!!! Ever feel like life is out of control!? So really, I don’t have time for my teeth to hurt!!! There is enough to do without adding pain to my life……

Well that is all from this neck of the woods…. But just so y’all know…. Ben reads to me everyone’s blogs before bed and the best comments so I do stay in touch with your lives even though you may not know it.!! Love you all. Hope your day is brighter than mine!

Sydney

Monday, August 01, 2005

God even loves people with nasty teeth...

We arrived in Williamsburg Kentucky on Sunday Night... Upon arriving, we had an opportunity to prepare for the next week... among the preparation for the next week was listening to the history of the people of the Appalachian Mountains and why they find themselves in such poor economic conditions. From what I gathered, Appalachia (pronounced apple at cha) was populated by immigrants who would arrive from countries such as Ireland and Scottland. As they got off the boat, immediately someone from the "mother" country would greet them with a warm welcome and then inform them that they needed to fill out some paperwork... that they would help them out by opening a bank account for them and loading their belongings onto a wagon... promising to be back in a few minutes... only to disappear forever. From the moment they stepped foot off of the boat, they were "taken" for all they had. With a need to survive, they began stealing and what not, only to be caught and put in debtor's prison. Now back then, there was no separation of criminals and all of the thieves were put into the same prison as rapists and murderers. Around that time, the plantation owners of the South decided to make a deal with the wardens of the prisons, offering to pay off the debts of these less violent prisoners. This not only provided them with workers for their plantation, but it also helped the overcrowded jails. Essentially, these people were sold into slavery. The prisoners found themselves in a difficult situation, between staying in the south or going up north only to be captured again... so they chose to go west to the Appalachian Mountains and hide. They were very successful; however, they became a very secluded people as a result. They would go into the mountains and claim property by saying, "I claim this land from this ridge to that ridge to that ridge." And that was their property. Then in the early nineteen hundreds, coal was discovered in "them thar parts" and rich men came in and asked them if they would be willing to sell the trees on their land for $500.00 and a new horse and some other odds and ends. Not being literate and thinking this was a pretty good deal, they found themselves putting an "X" on the piece of paper only to later find out they had signed away the rights to their land. So, they once again got burned. As a result, they have not only become very poor, but also a very distrusting culture. Enter present day: World Servants has partnered with Good Soil Ministries. These two organizations have attempted to rebuild trust and try and begin to reach these people for Christ. While they have been in the region for over 10 years, people are still pretty skeptical; however, showing God's love to bridge the gap is beginning to re-establish this trust. Which brings us to last Sunday, as we sat in a room... getting ready to help these people yet again.

Through our actions, we were there to continue building trust in the community by serving the people of Jellico Tennessee. It was a pretty interesting week which began with our team working on two projects. One fellow we helped was Ansel Marlow. He is an 89 year old man that is slowly losing his sight. He lives in a run down trailer which he is confined to because he can't maneuver the steps that lead from his porch. It was our job to build a handicap accessible ramp which would allow him to leave his home when the need arises. With the heat index at 105, half of our group spent Monday and Tuesday building this ramp. The other half was in charge of building a walkway for a Parent/Child Resource center. They had two storage sheds that were approximately 2 feet off the ground; it continues to be flooded directly in front of these buildings rendering it impossible to access them after frequent rainstorms. So, we built a walkway/deck from both of these sheds to the main building. On Monday, we took a break in the afternoon, and we canvassed the town of Jellico handing out invitations to a picnic that was to be held in veteran's park in the center of town on Thursday Night. We also, gave out really nice heavy duty flashlights (with batteries) and explained to them that we were trying to be a light to their community as we showed God's Love by serving them. Very much outside of my comfort zone... approaching people I don't know. Many of the houses/trailers that we approached, were so run down that we thought that nobody could possibly live there... but to our dismay, as we knocked on these rickety, dilapidated old buildings, people would answer the door. Skittish and distrusting as they peeked out the crack as they opened their doors.... they were very wary. However, as we explained them who we where and why we were in their community, toothless smiles began to spread across their faces and their defenses were immediately dropped and they began to talk with us northerners about who they were and the struggles they were dealing with. Remarkable what a little love will do to brighten people's days. Tuesday, we continued to work at the Parent/Child Resource center and Ansel Marlow's house. Wednesday, was a day off. And we went whitewater rafting down the Cumberland river. While it was fun, I was expecting the rapids to be... how shall I say this... more rapidy? So, while I had fun, my life was never at risk and my adrenaline stayed at a minimum level. At the business's store, there was a t-shirt that said, "Paddle faster... I hear Banjo Music." Which I thought was pretty funny... and to anyone who has seen the movie deliverance, it tends to make you chuckle; however, that night we went to Church (because the Bible belt still has Wednesday night Church Service) and we were reminded that God made the Banjo... and there was a guy there strumming for the Lord and boy could he play. Needless to say, it was pretty cool.

Anyway, Thursday rolled around and we began two new projects which consisted of going up into the mountains and helping a family that can be described as nothing less than a family of hillbillies... mountain men. No teeth, scraggly hair... no money... living in rugged buildings that resembled houses and trailers. Our projects were to paint a house made out of particle board and put tin skirting around a trailer into which one of the sons were going to move. Incest is rampant in those parts and the mother was living in a house up the hill away from one of her sons and husband protecting their retarded daughter from being raped by them. Sad, situation. Over the next two days, we had an opportunity to fix their houses and show them that people care. Travis, who was 24... was as introverted as an introvert could be. As we started to fix and paint his house that morning he came out onto his porch and just sat there and stared at the ground. I asked him a few questions, to which he said nothing… then I noticed the fishing poles on the porch and asked him “if he likes to fish.” It was like opening the flood gates of the Hoover Dam as he began to talk about where the fishing holes were and the adventures he had had. After talking for sometime, he disappeared and headed into the village to pay his phone bill. (I too found it hard to believe that these shacks had phones… but they did.) Then after he returned I was painting the back of his house and he came around back and just stood there… So, I asked him about Nascar… since it seems like every southerner is into nascar… but he said he didn’t like it. I asked him if he like sports and he said, that he didn’t like sports… to which my response was, “Gotcha… so you’re just into hunting and fishing huh?” This statement started another 45 minute conversation about what they hunt verses what we hunt and overall, it was an enjoyable conversation. We ended work at 2:30 that day as we had to get back to Jellico for the Picnic. Before we left, we invited them down off the mountain for some food and entertainment.

That night, the picnic was a HUGE success and Steven Meeks who heads up the “Good Soil Ministries” (Local Ministry), said that this was the biggest turnout they had ever had. Furthermore, two of the family members we had just worked for that day, came down to the picnic… I was told that this was unusual, because very rarely do mountain folk come out of the mountains… The night consisted of people cooking hamburger’s and hot dogs, we brought 5 huge tubs of shampoo and soaps and tooth paste and tooth brushes to hand out… all necessities of which few could afford. We had some of our youth playing games with the kids, some using bubbles and sidewalk chalk, some doing face painting. We also had a very cool ministry in which we repaired little kids’ and teenagers’ bikes. Our church went down there last year and maybe repaired 2 kids’ bikes the night of the picnic. This year, we fixed between 50 and 60 bikes… it was like wading through a sea of bikes. There were bikes everywhere. I used to work in a Bicycle shop in college and although I hadn’t worked on a bike in 11 years, fixing bikes is kind of like riding them… you never forget. So as I walked through this battle field of injured and broken down bikes, I began to direct and lead with the determination of a 4 star general. Barking out orders as I moved from Bike to Bike while I was fixing two bikes simultaneously myself. It was ultimately the highlight of my trip as we were able to bring joy to these little kids by getting their bikes back on the road. We started fixing the first bike at about 5:30 and didn’t finish fixing our last bike until 9:50. We replaced pedals, seats, tires, tubes, chains and break pads… I fixed and adjusted shifting mechanisms and gears… We brought a huge tub of brand new supplies and we worked until we ran out of stuff. A local gentleman that had some experience fixing bikes also jumped in to help us. By the end of the night, my shirt was soaked in sweat… but as we drove away, little kids were riding their bikes all over the parking lot for the first time (for some) in a year or so. It warmed my heart… the joy that serving brings is undeniable. I am still on a high.

Friday came all too soon and we finished the skirting around the trailer and added a second coat of paint to the particle board house. We finished at about 1 pm and after packing our things, we said a quick prayer with the family we were leaving. As we left, one of the guys humbly said, “It’s like it’s Christmas and it’s not even December. Thanks.” That sentiment alone, made it all well worth the effort. When I got back to town, I had chance to meet up with my Uncle Tom for the afternoon. He drove 5 hours from Huntsville, Alabama to come and see me. I haven’t seen him since our wedding and it was great to talk with him. Talk about a man who has had a rough life… He has been married to a wife that has been both bipolar and depressed starting about two years after they got married. She refuses to take medicine as she feels like this is not a “Christian” thing to do because she is relying on medicine rather than God. Their kids have been a casualty of this environment and all of them have refused to follow the Lord, one even getting involved with Wicca and Witch Craft. (She, by the way is less than a year older than me; however, looks like she is in her mid-forties… I saw pictures and all I can say is: Not a pretty sight.) Anyway, sitting in front of me was a 67 year old man that by the world’s standards was a success in terms of Career… but by his standards was a failure in terms of family. I had a chance to ask him where his Joy in life comes from and his response was: “Ben”… I am not sure if I can really answer that question… right now I have no joy. Here sat my favorite uncle, hat in hand… humble and broken after 37 years of marriage. My response was, “Uncle Tom, I just want you to know that I hold you up in high regard. You are my favorite uncle and I know that you have done your best to ensure that you stay committed to your marriage and that your kids had the proper Christian foundation. I have no idea why the Lord allows some people to be in certain situations, but for whatever reason, you are there. I just want you to know that I have a great deal of respect for you and it speaks depths about the type of character you have.” His whole demeanor changed as I said this and his quiet response was, “ Thanks. You don’t know how much it means to hear someone say that.” Overall, it was a time of encouragement for my Uncle as well.

I found that I traveled to Jellico Tennessee to help people out… only to find myself sitting across from my uncle… helping him through a tough time with a little encouragement. As I walked away from my Uncle's Van, my only thought was:

"Crazy how the Lord works."

(P.S. Pictures will come at another time... I have to get a CD from the person that came and took all the pictures. I have none at this time.)

Update: My dad sent me this email today.

Ben-

Here is a conversation I had with Jacob on Sunday morning as he was eating breakfast ("MJ" had not yet gotten up):

Jacob said, " I wish my Dad was here."
Grandpa: "Jacob, do you know what your Dad will be doing while he is away?"
Jacob: "He is building homes for people who don't have homes to live in."
Grandpa: "That's right . . . . . . . .
Grandpa: "...it would be good to have Dad here, but what he is doing is important ... Jesus would want him to be there helping those people."
Jacob who was then silent for a bit, clearly giving some thought to our conversation said: "Grandpa, I want to be just like my Dad when I grow up!"

What a special little boy!! It was so good to have Sydney/Jacob/"MJ"/Leah and the "next arrival" spend time with us.

Have a great week!

Tell me that's not a good thing to hear. Kind of made my day. :)

Checking in...

Well, I am back. And I have a ton of stories to fill you in on... however, I logged on to my computer this morning and I have 190 emails and 11 phone calls I need to reply to. So, with that said, I will log on this evening to write an entry. Unfortunately, you will have to wait for all the details of my trip. Let me just say that Serving people brings a lot of joy... I'll post more later.