A Great Old Movie

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. By the time you are done watching you may feel a little exhausted and sore in the sides, but it is good clean entertainment. It is the sort of movie you could sit down and watch with your kids and grandma in the room. Cary Grant was a very good comedic actor. Give it a try if you like; the long nights of fall are already here, and the even longer nights of winter are nearer than I like to think.

Take a break and enjoy.

Suits On A Mission

Nick, Ben, Dave, Seth, Dan, Tim, Tim Sr.

Our fearless leader Dan, he even looks fearless

Dave, Nick, Dan, Ben, Tim, Tim, and Seth (L to R)

A couple of weeks ago some men from church rode from Wausau to Green Bay on the Mountain Bay Trail. It was the 2nd year that Lighthouse raised monies for Sheaves For Christ; this year $1700 was raised in pledges and donations. Sheaves For Christ is a means by which youth groups across the country raise money for missionaries and ministries overseas, as well ministries right here in the good old U.S of A.

The concept of Suits on a mission came up as sort of a dare between two guys in church. Dan had determined that he was going to ride the trail for SFC, and another brother dared Dan to ride the trail in a suit and in less than 8 hours for $500. The Mountain Bay Trail is about 85 miles long and nicely kept but that meant a speed of at least 10mph for the entire trip which really is much harder than it might seem, because you need to take a break. So Suits on a Mission was birthed out of a challenge. Dan did ride the trail last year with a few minutes to spare, but this year it took a little longer; about 3 hours longer.

Seth came with the "whole armor of God" including sword, as his suit. Seth wore his sword and rode his own bike until they all got to Hatley at which point he was stripped of both; he also deserved a gold medal for riding the worst bikes on the trail and still making it the whole trip; he just would not give up. Dan and Ben dressed a little more traditionally wearing honest to goodness suits. Nick and Dave are pro bike riders they set the pace and left the others in the dust...by hours. Tim and Ben have been riding all summer and were up for the challenge and did great. Tim did ask his dad if he would like to ride and Tim Sr. accepted the challenge making the trip look possible for other 50+ year old guys like me.

Great job guys.

Fudgy Brownies

Before baking; this is a Cooks Illustrated recipe

Hey there, this recipe should make an 8” square pan of brownies; I have in the past multiplied everything by 3 to get a large 9” by 13” pan. This brownie is very easy to make but as with all brownies you need to be careful in the baking. The thing I love about this recipe is that you mix it by hand, so it does not seem like you are messing up the whole kitchen to make them.

Because it is a “brown” bar it can be tricky to know just when it is done. They say if you can smell chocolate the brownie is done; it will be a soft fudgy brownie that way, (which is great if you like extra fudgy brownies). The best way to tell is to stick a toothpick in the brownies, and when the pick comes out clean it is done. (It will come out clean if the brownie is "burnt" as well). So when you are checking them, the toothpick should come out with a little brownie stuck to it; everyone’s oven varies a little but check it after 22 mins and let it go longer if you think they are not quite done. Depending on how you like your brownies, you can bake longer; this recipe is pretty forgiving in baking times. 

"Legend" says that if you smell chocolate baking; you are actually baking the flavor out of the brownie. (So bake wisely...grasshopper).

Remember this is a fudgy brownie, so it will seem a little "raw" if you are used to cake type brownies. I sprinkled chocolate chips on top so it will seem even more chocolaty. Enjoy.

3	ounces unsweetened chocolate , chopped (do not experiment with cocoa powder and oil)
8	tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick) , cut into chunks
1	cup sugar
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon table salt
2	large eggs (I allow the eggs to warm a little at room temp)
1	teaspoon vanilla extract
2/3	cup all-purpose flour

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 8-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

2. Melt chocolate and butter in small bowl in microwave or in heatproof bowl warm slowly in microwave, stirring occasionally to combine. Cool mixture for several minutes.

3. Whisk sugar, baking powder, salt, eggs, and vanilla together in medium bowl until combined, about 15 seconds. Whisk in cooled chocolate mixture until smooth. Stir in flour until no streaks of flour remain (not too much). Scrape batter evenly into prepared pan.

4. Bake until toothpick inserted halfway between edge and center of pan comes out fairly clean, 22 to 27 minutes. Cool brownies on wire rack to room temperature, about 2 hours. Cut brownies into 2-inch squares. (Brownies can be stored in airtight container for several days.)

The Jello Fish

The Blob fish is a type of fish found off the coast of Australia and Tasmania. The reason the Blob fish is so rare is that they live very deep down in the sea, literally just off of the sea bed. The Blob fish are found at a depth of around 800 meters which would make life impossible for most fish. 800 meters? That is like 1/2 mile under the surface of the water. Isn't he cute with that little bit of drool falling out of his lip. I thought I had a big nose.


As the Blob fish is comprised of a gelatinous substance they actually have no muscles at all and they just float in the same spot most of the time waiting for their next meal. Scientific research has explained that the main diet of the Blob fish is that of sea urchins and mollusks. The Blob fish will literally float in place waiting for a meal to come by with little or no effort exerted in hunting prey, this leads to  in-frequent meals which works fine for the Blob fish as sustenance isn’t needed in a large level as the Blob fish devotes almost of its time to floating stationary, its because of this behavior that the Blob fish has been branded ‘lazy’


I wonder if this is the earths ugliest creature...you tell me. 

Read more: http://www.itsnature.org/sea/fish/blob-fish/#ixzz10rE3cbBN

State Birds the Western Meadowlark (week 3)

From Cornell Lab of Ornithology

The Western Meadowlark is an extremely popular choice as a state bird. The Meadowlark is the state bird  of Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oregon and Wyoming. The Meadowlark is a large stocky songbird with yellow from his throat all the way down his belly, with a black bib that sort of hangs around his neck an down on to his breast. His wings and back are spotted and streaked with brown and black. Meadowlarks nest on the ground in fields and open areas foraging through the grass for bugs and seeds. The open fields and prairies of some of western states make an excellent habitat for these songbirds where they live all year long . Meadowlarks range from 6 to 10 inches long with a wingspan of about 16 inches; which is about the size of an American Robin, however the Meadowlark is stockier and heavier than the Robin.

For more info check this out. http://www.birdwatching.com/stories/storymeadowlark.html

Eastern Meadowlark(???)  photo I took at Buena Vista, 

A. I. M. P. Ants In My Pants

Range Line Road

We have had a very rainy past couple of days in central Wisconsin; yesterday it rained over 3 inches by us, and up to several inches in other areas to the west of us. So much so, that they called off area schools to our west. Mary and I went for a ride this afternoon and thought we would go down to a couple of large ponds where we like to go birding south of where we live. We drove down and discovered that the small streams were swollen and overflowing into the woods. Some of the gravel roads had been under water and badly deteriorated.

We went to the first pond on Smokey Hill Road, approaching from the south and discovered that the road was covered with water and the wind had blown some "stuff onto the road; it looked too dangerous to proceed so we turned around and went back the way we came. The second pond was on Range Line Road as we headed north we saw the sign indicating the road was closed; we figured as much but we just wanted to check it out and take some pics with the phone; my camera was at home. So we turned the car around.

As I was maneuvering a turn around Mary asked what that black stuff was on the water. I parked the car and got out . The substance was sort of spongy looking, black, and sort of oily or something weird like that. I looked closely so as not to get my feet wet and discovered that they were ants; thousands of them, maybe millions, it made my skin crawl. Mary got out of the car looked and was a little disturbed by them as well so she jumped back into the car; but I wanted to look around a little more. I took a couple of pictures; oh yeah I saw a small fire snake as well and took it's pic.

This was only one of the clusters of tiny black ants.

All of the sudden my leg felt itchy, and I scratched it. When I looked down at my pants there were hundreds of ants crawling up my pant legs looking for higher ground. I slapped my pant legs and brushed all of the ants off and started to walk away from them, but when I looked down again there were dozens more crawling up my pant legs. I frantically slapped them off. By now I am getting a little terror stricken. I wanted to scream like a little girl but held back the urge, then I realized where they were coming from;

THEY ARE CRAWLING OUT OF MY SHOES; OH GOD SAVE ME!

So what happened next was kind of embarrassing. I kicked off my shoes and shook out the ants; I looked down the road, a couple cars were approaching, but were still a little ways down the road so did what any self-respecting panic stricken person would do. I took off my pants on the road shook out all of the ants and tried to get my trousers back on before I was arrested for being indecent; (we did have a police car pull over and turn around after we passed him on the way home; he followed us for about 5 minutes) I threw my shows down hard on the road and scratched around inside my shoes until I was sure all of the ants were out and put them back on, got into the car, and sped away as the two vehicles came near.

 I was attacked by the Empire of the Ants. MOMMY!

Faith and Foolishness

May God bless you with discomfort
At easy answers, half-truths, and superficial relationships
So that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger
At injustice, oppression, and exploitation of people,
So that you may work for justice, freedom, and peace.
May God bless you with tears
To shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger, and war,
So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and
To turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness
To believe that you can make a difference in the world,
So that you can do what others claim cannot be done
To bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
Amen
A Franciscan Benediction

I really do pray for God to bless me with "foolishness" so that I will be crazy enough to think that I can make a difference in a culture that seems so out of control. I have done some sort of crazy things in my life, but only eternity will tell the impact that I have had on others. Even as I write this blog; crazy as it all seems, maybe someone will read a few words and be encouraged; that would be great. I may never know the impact my life has had, but God knows and thats enough for me.

Please pray for foolishness. It is only foolishness to the ones who do not understand. They are the ones who say that it cannot be done; and they don't matter much.

Endurance Shackleton's Incredible Voyage

The story of Earnest Shakleton, his crew, and their trip to Antarctica is truly an incredible story. I strongly recommend this book to any one who loves adventure and history; this book was very difficult to put down. The year was 1914 and World War I had broken out in Europe when Earnest Shakleton set sail for Antarctica. This is a great book, telling the story of amazing men who braved the bitter cold of the Antarctic, crushing ice, monstrous waves, life on an ice flow, months of almost total darkness, and a rescue from Elephant Island. You really need to read the book.

Dozens of miraculous occurrences keep this band of brothers alive for the duration of their journey. Earnest Shackleton's leadership was strong and helped hold everything together when difficult choices needed to be made. The thing that is most striking in the telling of this story is the fellowship that these men had; all coming from different walks of life, they stuck together to stay alive. The men of the Endurance read to each other told stories of home and each others past. When they were sick of seal meat, and the smell of soot and burning fat, they would talk about food from back home. Really, there is much to be said for fellowship; there is a binding and a strengthening of wills to make it out alive. I thought of the code from the U.S. Army Rangers; "Leave No Man Behind."

If one man had tried to endure for months of, wind, ice floes, freezing, icy waters, and weeks on a rock waiting for a rescue and for the "boss" to arrive. He may have died of loneliness and hopelessness. The crew of the Endurance had each other to lean on, care for, and survive with. There are many I am sure who are alone and trying to make it through the events of today, and each day seems like hap-hazard navigation through hostile waters, with no one to stand watch from the Crows Nest, or anyone to help man the pump when they are taking on water. We are not meant to live this life by ourselves; we need each other.

I used to work with a woman who lived alone, with her cats. Lucy (names changed to protect the innocent) became so cynical and critical that she pushed people away leaving her even more alone and more cynical. What she really needed was someone to pull her away from the edge of her loneliness. She needed someone to be her friend. The men of the Endurance cared for each other. Who am I caring for? Who could you be caring for?

Every year that goes by I understand a little more about getting old by watching friends at church and my own mother struggle with getting older. I went to my great-aunts funeral a number of years back she was almost 100 years old; all of her friends and nearly all of her family had already passed away. It was a very small funeral. Had she been living her last days alone? Did she wish for someone to care about her? If you think real hard I am sure there is a neighbor who could use a friend, an older person who loves talking about cooking, or the single mom with the son who needs a man to show him things. It might seem like no one cares, but we do.

We do!

The Tufted Titmouse

I have not seen the Humming Birds racing, and chasing each other on the deck over the last couple days, so maybe they have taken off. This is a video of the Tufted Titmouse that we had last winter; once the fall migration is about done the winter birds begin to move in.

These little birds look like little flying mice with those dark eyes. They are very active little birds, it is hard to get them to sit still for very long. I took this picture a few years ago not even realizing that it was uncommon for this area. We live in a area that has quite a few Jack Pine trees, and certain types of birds love it; and we love watching birds so it is a winning situation for both of us. We buy food from Wild Birds Unlimited, especially in the winter birds need quality food. They rely on fat in the seeds to keep them healthy and warm. A great school project would be to make your own suet; birds love it, so do squirrels and chipmunks.

I will post a recipe for suet when the weather gets colder; or else you can look for a suet recipe online. You will have lots of options that way, or you could buy some suet but it is fun to see the birds eat your homemade food; it is sort of like making them cookies. They will keep coming back for more.

State Birds the Northern Mockingbird (week 2)

This Mockingbird perched at Galveston, TX

The Northern Mockingbird is the state bird for 5 states which include; Arkansas, Florida, Mississippi, Tennessee, and Texas. Mockingbirds are gray with white and grayish underparts, they are about 10 inches long, and weigh less than 2 ounces. Mocking birds have black feet, with wings that are gray-black. When in flight large white patches can be seen as the wings are spread.

Mockingbirds are not common to Wisconsin but may be seen in the very southern part of the state. Mockingbirds breed (if you draw a line on the map) from as far west as parts of northern California, through Nebraska, Illinois and the lower Peninsula of Michigan up into Canada, namely southern Ontario, and into the Maritime Provinces. Mockingbirds spend winters south of that into the southern states and Mexico.

This photo was taken near Kansas City, MO

Mockingbirds feed on fruit and insects; they can be seen in residential areas, city parks, and open country farmlands, with thickets and desert brush. A group of Mockingbirds are called a number of different things but the most appropriate name is a "echo" of Mockingbirds; which is what they do, they echo or mimic the songs of other birds.

For more interesting facts check this out:
http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/northern_mockingbird/id

The Slug Effect; No Beauty or Talent Required

Perhaps you have heard of a notion in Chaos Theory called, The Butterfly Effect. I know that a movie has been made to make all of this chaos seem a little more believable; science fiction? You bet! I do however firmly believe in chaos, the world is full of it. But the notion that the flap of a butterflies wing in Brazil causing a tornado in Texas seems a little bit of a stretch. It requires a greater level of imagination than I have; don't get me wrong I can imagine big things. Well actually I sometimes have trouble trying to imagine what a room will look like with a certain color of paint on the wall. Maybe I am a little imagination-ally challenged.

Chaos Theory is an attempt to explain the way things affect each other and the changes that said chaos brings to mathematics, physics, politics (talk about chaos), philosophy, weather, and the solar system; just to name a few arenas of potential chaos. Perhaps Chaos Theory is a means by which we try to explain things that we simply cannot explain; (I am giving myself a headache). I have an admission...I have no idea what that means to my existence. Oh sure if I was struck by lightning then I would be able to determine how a random chaotic event affected my life. It seems we always associate chaos with bad things.

It is just a slug. Any Chocolate?

The very idea that perhaps the flap of a gull's wings could affect climate change for centuries is preposterous. Don't get me wrong, I do believe that small seemingly insignificant decisions and choices have implications and affect the lives of others as well as ourselves. There is no way of knowing just how much "effect" an encouraging word could have upon a persons life. To think that I could speak words into someone's life that would bring change to their life, and perhaps the lives of their spouse and children, and maybe their grandchildren that are not even born yet. Maybe it could flow backwards and a man could reconcile with his father and the broken relationships could be mended and healed. Perhaps that mended relationship would have ripples that...use your imagination.

I call it the "Slug Effect". Butterflies are able to fly hundreds of miles to migrate to Texas and Mexico and beyond. They are pretty good flyers they are beautiful and random, and are able to take care of themselves. Slugs on the other hand are a little pathetic, they are ugly, they hardly move, and unless they are the subject of a science fiction movie of some sort, are almost always totally disregarded. All because it appears that they serve no useful purpose. Yuck. Maybe if the rolled them in pecans and covered them with chocolate, so they would be crunchy on the outside and soft and chewy in the middle like a candy bar, or maybe a box of slug chocolates.

Just look at the affect this little guy is having on his world...he is just a slug

The Bible is full of "slugs". People who had little or nothing to bring into a situation, yet through them  God would cause amazing, miraculous events to transpire. Seemingly helpless people He used so that there would be no question as to the power behind it all. You may feel like you have few talents or no abilities, and as a matter of fact it seems you have been told that very same thing all of your life; don't despair, change your world. God is able to use our most feeble efforts and do some amazing things; through you. Get out there and make your own little slime trail; you might be surprised at all of the lives and events you will affect.

A New Bird...(for me)

This has been a pretty active week for birding at our house. I am guessing that fall migration is in full swing and we are fortunate enough to see the birds passing through on their way to a more comfortable home for the winter; although we have plenty of birds that stick it out to keep us company in the cold weather.

I was fairly excited to see a brand new bird; I am sure that almost everyone else has seen this bird before it is new to us. I have never seen the Redstart before; he is a welcome visitor any time that he wants to show up.

This week we have seen:
American Goldfinch
Chickadee
White and Red Breasted Nuthatch
Blue Jay
Northern Flicker (at least a dozen)
American Robin (dozens)
Cedar Waxwing
Yellow Warbler
Downey Woodpecker
Red Bellied Woodpecker
American Redstart
*Yellow Bellied Sapsucker
* Hermit Thrush
(*not sure but I have pictures)

Bound to come Some Trouble

I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life, but that ain't nothing to be afraid of.

I know there's bound to come some tears up in your eyes, that ain't no reason to fear. 

I know there's bound to come some trouble to your life. Reach out to Jesus hold on tight.
He's been there before and He knows what it's like, you'll find He's there
Rich Mullins, 1955-1997

  

There is a book in the Bible called Job; it is the telling of a man who God said was the best guy on the planet. Job was blessed and very wealthy; he had a wife, sons and daughters, servants, lots of land, animals, and many other possessions. He was a righteous, God fearing man that hated evil. He was also a praying man. Every year he would offer up sacrifices for his children, just in case they sinned when they got together to celebrate.

"Have you considered my servant Job?" Job was minding his own business; when the Lord allowed Satan to afflict this wonderful man. Did you get that? The Lord allowed Satan to afflict Job. Job's children were taken away from him, his flocks and herds and eventually his health; all because the God of Heaven allowed it. If Job was so wonderful why did all of this need to happen? 

Some things happen to us as proof of our frailties as humans, and some things a loving Lord allows in our lives. If we believe as Christians that everything serves an eternal purpose and that there are no coincidences, than we must trust God even in hard times. 

There is bound to come some trouble to our lives. I know that this does not seem encouraging at all, but it is truth. Trouble does come our way sometimes, not because we are faithless and wicked, but because God allows it to happen. The truth of the Book of Job is that in spite of whatever trouble comes, we can make it, we can still trust in God; even if we don't understand why. Just like Job did.

It is a sad fact of life that even as we suffer; Christians get cancer, and our children get sick. We struggle with oppression and depression, the losses of jobs, and friendships. Single parents trying to raise children all by themselves while still serving the Lord, performing what Dr. James Dobson calls the toughest job on earth. Where is God in all of our hardships and trials? Jesus is standing near by watching; He will never allow you to carry a load that is more than you can bear. He knows what it is like.

Job had friends who came and blamed him for his situation. Job must have sinned and God was punishing him. Job was arrogant and God was breaking him; even Job's own wife told him to curse God and die. Job would not.

Job never did get an answer from the Lord as to the why of it all; but he was doubly blessed at the conclusion of his trial. Twice as many animals and children, and wealth, as he had before all of his hardship. We may never understand or feel like God has fully explained His actions to us. In our shaking and breaking, God is making us to be more like Him. 

I cannot pretend to have an answer for your suffering; there are no easy answers, and there are so many things we cannot understand. We must however trust God, even in the hardship; He is a good God. 

There are a few illustrations that the Bible uses to represent the faithfulness of God; the scripture calls Jesus, The Bright and Morning Star; in our darkest nights we see the hope and promise of a brand new day, when we look to Jesus. The book of Psalms says that, Weeping may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning. You see our nights, and afflictions which are short lived, work for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory. When we bear these burdens and continue to walk this life of faith something glorious takes place in us. We are given a wonderful opportunity to draw closer to Jesus in our sufferings and afflictions. 

"Reach out to Jesus and hold on tight...you will find He is there"

State Birds the American Robin

The American Robin is not only the state bird for our own state of Wisconsin, but is also state bird for the states of Connecticut and Michigan. The Robin is found throughout all of North America at some time during the year.  From some of the farthest northern reaches of Alaska and Canada to places where they winter in in the south and into Mexico. They are attracted to open lawns, golf courses and gardens, with shrubbery and trees looking for worms, bugs, and berries.

The oldest recorded Robin lifespan was 13 years and 11 months; (thats pretty old for a bird, he was a teenager). The Robin's song is a whistle sounding "tuk, tuk tuk" or a happy "cheeryup, cheeryup." This photo was taken on the Mississippi River at Goose Island Park, south of LaCrosse, WI.

For other interesting facts about the American Robin, check out this website at The Cornell Lab of Ornithology.
www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Robin/id

Slim the Phasmatodea

Remember the Walking Stick? Well I caught him and put him in a jar and named him Slim. Slim seemed to be a happy sort of, ...well...uh..."stick". I kept him until I realized that he might be happier outside and not in  my big jar. I did go buy romaine lettuce especially for him because that is one of the types of food that walking sticks like to eat. I did sprinkle water on him because everyone needs water; we all do, even birds and bugs. The issue was that he always stayed at the top of the jar breathing fresh air and no doubt trying to figure out how to get out. Slim was not my prisoner so I decided that he would happiest outdoors, so I set him free.

My granddaughter Olivia, did not like the "bug" at all, she is afraid of all bugs. If the insect has legs or wings she will have no part of it. My grandsons however find bugs very interesting. The boys came over to see Slim for the first time and then we let him go. Before we let Slim go we all held him and let him crawl on us. Creepy Crawly? Not really Slim has very good manners.

I am sure that he is happy and well hidden.

  Now you see it.

Now you don't  

Home School Fire Station Visit

Yesterday, I met up with my grandsons at the fire station, I was invited to an open house hosted by the Rib. Mountain Fire Department for home schoolers in the Wausau area. It was a lot of fun. I was not given any coloring books or a cool water bottle like the other kids were, but I am thankful for the service that the fire department provides. Thank you.

It Matters

  This video needs no real explanation; it is not just about women but anyone and everyone. This sketch is a powerful message of hope by Nicole Johnson, of why what we do matters not only to others, but also matters to God.

The Elusive Indigo

Have you ever gone on a trip and thought this would a perfect trip or day if...? Well Mary and I have wanted a photograph of an Indigo Bunting for a couple of years now, and earlier this year we decided this would be a great birding year if we could get that elusive Indigo Bunting. Some birders keep lists of birds they see every year and others have a life list. We just keep adding to our bird photos.

I have one other picture of an Indigo, but it was too contrived to my liking. Some one said if you come to my house at supper time you should see one; and I did, but it was sort of like taking a picture at the zoo. Where was the thrill of the the hunt or the fun of a surprise sighting?

We saw this one on the lamp post in our own front yard. Mary hollered from our sun room to get the camera there is an Indigo Bunting out front. I jumped up and shot this photo before he flew off. We have only seen 1 Indigo at our house before and that was quite a few years ago. I am pretty sure this bird was migrating south for a warmer winter. This shot was taken a few weeks ago, but the very next day we did see a couple of Indigos in a field, which is their preferred habitat.

Did you know that an Indigo Bunting is actually black? It is what I have been told by people who know much more than I do about birds; which is almost anybody. Yes they are black but their feathers reflect the indigo coloring that we see.

The other bird in the photo is an "L.B.J."; a Little Brown Job. I am sure it is a sparrow but I cannot tell what kind; there are so many kinds and they all look pretty similar. Care to venture a guess? This winter we will be after the "sneaky" Snowy Owl.

Do whatever you feel like.

Kid on the bus, "Hey Napoleon what are you gonna do today?"
Napoleon Dynamite, "Whatever I feel like I wanna do. Gosh!

(Hilarious...in a painful sort of way)

What if everything that we did had to go through some sort of committee or needed the approval of all of your friends and associates. It would take forever to get everyone up to speed and then the opportunity would likely have passed.

Don't get me wrong I think that we all need advise and help planning life changes and big projects. We need to seek wisdom from the Lord for words to say and which actions to take. The Bible says that God will give wisdom if we ask for it; we must never rule out the premise that God wants us to succeed in matters of faith and life, as long as we remember Him in our affairs .

I am talking about just reaching out to be a friend or saying an encouraging word. At times maybe we need to just be quiet and listen to someone who needs our ear to sort out a situation in their life. We will not always have the answers and it is a little arrogant to think that we might; so get passed that notion. It is like the old adage that says "God gave us two ears and only one mouth, so we should be twice as good at listening as we are at speaking." Jesus is the only one with all of the answers; that is the beauty of prayer, we can take our situations to the one who has, and is the answer.

Hey do whatever you feel like you wanna do, do something without having others to help you plan it all out. Do something spontaneous and self-determined. Be sure you build up and don't tear down. Please do not throw anything from, (or  anyone under) the bus.

Hail To the Underdog by Hank

Buford had said that this was the last straw; no lunch money today equals a pounding. The boy shuffled his feet at the sound of the last bell. He was in no hurry to exit the school. Because Buford Swinderski and his toadies would be waiting behind the corner of the old pump shed, past the bus stop where the monitors couldn’t see.  The light felt dead to him as he exited out the door into the crisp fall day. Ordinarily he would be happy for school to be over but…not today. No more days like this, he would miss life. He slowly walked face down past the bus stop, towards his home which took him right past the pump shed, paying no mind to the people wishing him a good day, telling him we’ll see you tomorrow; because there was no tomorrow anymore. Then he heard the voice he had been dreading to hear and the cackles of his three little followers. “So, LOOSER! Got my lunch money yet, or am I gonna hafta pound ya?”…

We have this love affair with stories of the underdog and it’s not hard to see why. The underdog is an every man. We see ourselves in his or her struggle. While the underdog’s face and circumstances have changed, his fight remains the same; to overcome the unthinkable odds and wind up the victor.  Countless books, movies and songs have told all of these tales. The last picked at the baseball team who wins the game, the lone soldier who manages to fight his way out to be with his family, the sinner who loses it all only to find the Lord and turn it around. These are awesome stories.  We can see ourselves in our own story winning over long odds, so when times get tough we love to know it could all be okay in the end.

God has a thing with underdogs too; he really loves the long shots. The fact of the matter is, he almost always chooses them first. The Bible is chock full of underdogs who win big in the end. Moses was a murderer who stuttered. Joseph was a daddy’s boy who became a prisoner. Rahab was a harlot. David was the smallest and weakest of his brothers. Gideon was a no experience general with a puny army. Matthew was a tax collector, and really even then no one liked those guys…See the reason that God chooses the underdog is simply this; God’s strength is evident in the life of those weak without him. It apparent that it’s God working when you know it’s not in your power to do these things. When the doctor’s diagnose cancer, the mass disappears astonishingly; we all know it’s a miracle by God.

Remember this: God always is on your side. You may be the underdog, but God has called you a conqueror. Maybe the end of the tunnel seems a long way off, maybe your gas tank is on fumes; it doesn’t matter because the harder it will be to make it to the finish, the more it will be evident that it was God who brought you through. Some of the best miracles come from the worst desperation.

The boy said nothing but stood his ground. “Well?!?” Buford bellowed. The boy closed his eyes and said “Stop bulling me.” Buford laughed, “Your funeral kid! Ain’t no one gonna save you now, no momma, no monitor…”Buford took a step towards the boy. He felt the ground shake, his hands were sweaty. So this was how it feels to die. “Jesus…please!” the boy whispered. He heard a shuffle and then a loud thud. He opened his eyes and found his would be attacker on the ground holding his chin. It seemed Buford tripped and fell! His eyes filling with tears, Buford picked himself up and ran holding his bloody chin and trying hard to look cool. Without Buford, the toadies were sort of lost; they looked at each other and slowly walked away. The boy could not believe it he had achieved a victory of standing up to his fear, and God took care of the rest. 

Critics

I have this thing I say to myself that releases my mind from causing me a great deal of guilt, and at least in my heart, it helps me to move ahead, albeit a little battle scarred at times. "Life is full of choices, and that was just one of them"; then I try to move through the consequences and move on with the rest of my life. It is at this point we need "real" friends; someone who understands your heart in spite of what you say or do. I am not speaking here in reference to "stupid people" who do dumb things as a way of life, but people who honestly made a decision and things did not turn out as planned.

How easy would it be to have a job as a food critic, (I have never had this job but I have had a great deal of experience with food preparation and production). A critic may waltz into an establishment and begin to "bash the borsht" or "slam the salmon" walk out the door and never go back; telling everyone he (or she) knows that the food was terrible. Never taking into account the sacrifices someone made just to open the doors, and the investment made to try to keep it running. 

I say (like the radio ads); "Way to go Mr Borsht boiler man" (then a rock star voice chimes in..."you beet peeling, pot stirring hero"...it sounds better in my head than it looks) "You who who got up before dawn to make sure that the soup was the best it could possibly be" (rock star voice again..."you rock with sour cream on the top") "You deserve a giant pat on the back", ("oh yeah, a giant pat on the baaaack")  

Alright, as you can tell I have never had a job in advertising either. The point That I am trying to make is that everyone makes choices and endeavors to do things the right way and maybe even help other people; but please understand...

 You will never do anything right or good; if you listen to critical people.

(so don't listen to the nay sayers; you can do great things)

I like this quote by Theodore Roosevelt...

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, and comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; who does actually try to do the deed; who knows the great enthusiasm, the great devotion and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly.

Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs even though checkered by failure, than to rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy nor suffer much because they live in the gray twilight that knows neither victory nor defeat.

Sift through the critics assessments of your work; some of it might be good advice. If you have any doubt ask one your real close friends and see what they have to say; if it is critical and mean spirited, laugh it off and move ahead. You are the one on a mission, do no allow yourself to be side tracked by "little" people. You can do it!