Keys In Life!

The garden shed is 99% complete! I'll blog that one this week after the mess is put away and the tools are cleaned up, back in their racks. Tonight I felt like just sharing thoughts about my life.
The wood plaque\frame is a little project I came up with for Cheryl and I to share. It fills many needs and also makes an excellent example as a backdrop for life. The little rectangles(I carefully cut cardboard to fit each opening so that trimming photos to fit would be really easy)are going to be holding pictures of the "new" babies in our lives. We're still dickering over what age will be the limit for being posted here. I think we'll agree on newborn to age two only. That way nobody will be on that piece of wall for a long time. Cutting the cardboard I thought about how I do the same thing with every part of my life that is under our roof. Every section overlaps the others some, but they are each separate compartments of living that are a part of who I am. The big heading at the top indicates my personal priority in that God comes first! Down where it says "keys" is almost a joke. If we totaled up the time spent looking for keys in our house on a yearly basis it would probably equal the number of hours in a week, 168! It isn't that there aren't specific places for keys to be found, there are. There's one in the shape of a grand piano near the dining room door. There's another on the back of the side door to my office. There's a "key" clock cabinet in the kitchen(all we use that one for is padlocks and keys that fit them). Then there are the hooks for vehicle keys to hang above the workbench in my cave. All in all it doesn't take more than 30 seconds to check where the keys should be when they aren't present. Most often, though, they will be found laying somewhere that they don't belong. Keeping things in their proper places has never been a strong suit of mine. I thought when I got married that problem would be solved...Lol! We're getting better at organizing as we grow older. We had to, it was either that or submit to having many pieces and parts of our lives eternally missing. It wasn't by chance that I shot the photo on the grand. Music is a big part of both of us, and maintaining the harmony in our lives is not easy. Perhaps that is why we both turn often to God in prayer to aid us in working out the harmony that can quickly get lost in the mixing of our spaces. I do wish at times that life was as black and white as the keys on the grand and that everything would fall into order as rapidly in the world as it does in the studio(I haven't been there in a week and I sorely miss it)when we're putting songs together. Once again I refer back to that first priority, God. It seems that no matter what gets to happening in my little spaces, if I'm actively seeking guidance from my Creator everything fits together better and there are fewer parts getting lost along the way. Today's work on the garden shed required the use of several different saws(I think I have about 26 of them 1\3 powered)so several times during the course of the day I had to reorganize them and switch blades and settings. It's a tedious task, but necessary, and one that I put to double use for the purpose of prayer while the fingers on my hands are doing their jobs. I also give thanks for those hands and fingers while I'm at it, and for the abilities God has granted me to use them. They are battered, cut, bruised and abrased by the week's work. Healing will come in time now that the splinters are out. Such is life! It seems that no matter what we're about, if we take the time to be in communion with God everything goes better. I can't wait to see the baby pics up in the foyer! Who knows, maybe some of the keys to our lives will not be so easily lost if we get our priorities straight! God bless, Preacher.

Seeing Life's Many Blessings

Sometimes all it takes is one simple flower to remind each of us what a beautiful world we live in. My thanks to Steve tonight for taking the pic, and to uncle Lou for forwarding it on to me. It made my day! I've been getting alot of photos of flowers lately, and real ones, also! My wife, Cheryl, does that once in awhile just to remind me of her love. I wonder if I've ever told her how much the flowers also remind me of the author of such beauty, God. Maybe I'll wait until the new garden shed is finished and surprise her in some "flowery" little way of how much I love her, too! Life goes full circle for each of us I was reminded this evening. Today I give thanks for friends who hear me when I have needs that call them above and beyond the sense of duty. I give thanks for family and the many ways that they bless me every day, and for the newest addition to the family, another bloom that has just arrived on the tree of our mutually shared heritage. We ran into our niece(you may have seen the pics of her a few months ago when I blogged her shower)at Walmart today while picking up more paint for the barn. Usually I don't attend "Walmart" sprees(everytime we walk in the door together another contribution is made to the growing success of a company that my vote is still 'out' on), today I needed to get some blades for a special saw so there I was. Camera ever handy on the belt bag I snapped these really quick. Blessings, they come in such a wide variety every day if we have the time to see them. Being in the "right" place at the "right" time helps(I hope Cheryl doesn't mind me putting her out here, she doesn't know how beautiful she is when she is cradling a baby), but we also have to be prepared to have our lives blessed. Maybe that is something I used to miss out on. I wasn't willing to take the time to truly allow myself to be blessed in so many ways. My prayer tonight is that each of us takes the time to let God come into our lives in all possible ways with showers of blessings we truly see with our eyes, and our hearts! In Christ's Love, Preacher.

Dakota Blizzards

I received the picture you see above 9 days ago. I think it was supposed to have happened on the 5th. I'm not sure because I don't watch the local news, or the national news for that matter, on television. TV and I have had a parting of the ways due to the addictive nature of my personality. You see, I've learned that if I really enjoy doing something it is okay to be doing it but it must be justified in my mind as being somehow profitable(and I don't mean money). We got the new satellite dish installed on the north east corner of the roof about 6 weeks ago. Prior to that we had been without incoming television signals of any kind since January 1st. The first few weeks were strange, but after that I got more and more used to the time I had available to do other things. I realize there is a lot to be said for the entertainment value found in television as compared to other forms of passing time, but as of right now you'd have to say those things to someone else. The first television in our house came through the door in '53 and life was never quite the same after that. As a child I grew to love "Howdy Doody" and "Pinky Lee." Through the growing years and the advancements of technology I watched in awe the exploration of our solar system, and the first walk on the moon. One might say that it took me a total of 50 years to become disenchanted with the TV. My downfall probably came as a result of the SciFi channel and the History channel. How's that for a mixed bag? Now I just distance myself from the tube in an effort to better my life. I'm addicted to books, too, but they aren't as demanding as television. The movies are interesting when advertised, but there is something lacking in them, too. Maybe it's because they aren't "real," but then I don't think golf is real anymore, either. Perhaps this winter when the snows settle in I'll find some time for enjoying the occasional movie with my honey on the love seat, but as for now, I've broken a habit and I'm avoiding getting hooked again like the proverbial plague. And another thing, my Bible gets used a lot more now than it did a year ago. Could that have something to do with the TV? God bless, Preacher.

The Saga Of The Simple Garden Shed!

 

It began a few years ago as an idea for which I started accumulating the various parts and pieces to bring to fruition. The final touch came this past spring when they did city wide cleanup day. Someone threw out a huge solid wood door buried in multiple coats of paint, the last being purple. I now had everything necessary to make my wife's dream come true! A place where she could compel seeds to explode from the dirt inside small plastic and clay pots in relative comfort and peace. The plan has now been altered several times and the final rendition is standing behind the barn, lacking, of course, the scene you see above. Now if I can just locate that place and get some measurements plus a few more supplies.
In addition to pounding the streets seeking lost souls today I had an opportunity to converse with families that have some very real needs. Basic things like an end table are needed to make life more livable. How far we remove ourselves from the needs of others in our lives when we pursue our own dreams and goals is directly proportionate to how wide our eyes are open to the folks around us. Quickly we respond when disaster strikes somewhere in our country, and the outpourings never seem to be enough, but we keep trying. Jesus spoke to us and informed us that the "poor will always be with us," that has never changed. What I'm suggesting tonight is that each one of us look around in our own "backyards" for those who are in need and find new ways to help others. Here on the Great American Desert we are facing a harsh reality of winter that will be upon us soon. Heating costs are going to eat people alive! Resources are going to be stretched to the max, and there is no end in sight. South Dakota is already well over budget for heat assistance to those who qualify. More government aid is being requested and will probably be gotten. There are other answers! Let us open wide our eyes each day and see those in our midst who are in need and find a way to do a "thing." Jesus spoke with Peter and told him to "feed His sheep." This can be taken a lot of ways, but for this moment let's consider feeding a family one night this week. Pizza Hut, my favorite, the Pizza Ranch, Burger King or MacDonalds(you'd really be surprised at how many folks never eat any kind of takeout because it is just not in their budget. I'm running with a thought and asking you to enter into it with me. Consider dropping off a value meal to a shutin. Invite someone to your home or out to dine. They may be suspicious of your motives, but what the hey, if they're well fed they'll forgive you, I'm sure. We live in a city(burg)of 20,000 here in Brookings, SD. There is enough food thrown away because it can't be sold each day to feed hundreds. It must be the same everywhere! Maybe there is nothing you think you can do, or maybe you believe you've already done your part. We haven't, though! In the greatest nation on earth if any child goes to bed hungry you and I are at fault and we need to challenge ourselves to make a difference in someone's life. This is a big ball, but if we get it rolling others will help us keep it rolling. I'll get the garden shed done this week, and it will never resemble that picture, but there are pictures we can conjure up in our minds that are attainable. An elderly person's thankful smile for that truly "Happy Meal," or how about watching a kid just go nuts enjoying a sundae. Yeah, there is something every one of us can do. The rewards will far outweigh the cost. Here I go, idealizing again, but maybe, just maybe if we put all the pieces together in the right way everyone's lives will be better for it tomorrow. God bless, Preacher. 

Photo Addendum

 
This one was deserving of a better post pic production. Preacher. 

Frog Infestation!

I've made some really big mistakes in my life! One of them was mentioning to members of my extended family my interest in frogs. I showed them the two that have been with me for years, one life size originally painted to look just like a frog(Gift from g'ma when I was about 6), and one that is just a huge frog shaped cast iron piece that legend has it was once a cannon ball during the Civil War. The operative word was "cast iron," and I looked for them wherever I traveled and found very few made of this not so precious metal. One sister in law found a procelain frog which I accepted at Christmas time amidst great smiles and laughter, silly me! It caught on and the resulting deluge of frogs through the past ten years is more than sufficient for turning even the hardest of Pharao's hearts. (I don't think the Egyption's would appreciate my spelling, but you know who I mean.)The collage I snapped tonight is just the tip of the iceburg which extends to all points of our home. There are crystal frogs, glass frogs(hard to tell the difference but the little sticker is a dead giveaway), rock frogs, plastic and rubber, clay and some sort of new space age material. The outdoor ones look heavy, but they're not. The tiny Sterling one that is made for a charm bracelet, but I've not used as yet(maybe a frog earring). There's one guitar playing frog, and another on the piano. A virtual choir of singing frogs, and the squeeze doggie type toy frog. Then we come to the stuffed frogs. Kermit is present, without a doubt, along with a host of other frog friends. Several years ago while touring on the big Harley my wife and I had a Harley Bear stolen from the top of our touring trunk. I replaced it with a touring frog dressed like a biker. Wouldn't you know it, nobody wanted a "biker frog." He's back in my cave now resting on a saddlebag. There are times I wish I were a frog, then the kiss of some maiden could turn me into a prince and we'd all live happily ever after. Pardon those last shots with the digital, they were an afterthought and I just ran through the house quick and took them without touching up the pics. I see I got the one with clowns in the hall bath sideways. Oh well, such is life! Where I'm going with this is about prayer. When I told people about my frog collection(all two of them)I mentioned "cast iron," but not loudly enough to be interpreted correctly. Prayer is like that for us. There are times we pray so generally that when we're through we aren't even sure if we prayed for anything specific. God calls us in our faith to specify what it is we need from Him. You've probably heard, "be careful what you pray for." And another one, "God answers prayer but not always the way we expect." I would submit to the prayer warriors out there that praying is a serious task(you already know this or you would not be warriors), and one that when entered into fully will bring you to sweats, tears, and vocalization of intonation that some have referred to as the "deep groanings" of the spirit. Add to this the gentle "breath prayer," a phrase coined by Richard Foster author of the 'Celebration of'(fill in the blank)books, and you have a force that is going to make a difference in every day. Prayer has certainly been my guide through this day, and will continue on into the next! Ever heard the saying, "pray up a storm?" I wonder if they included frogs in that one? In Christ's Love, Preacher.

What You See Is Not Always What You Get!

I've been having fun with the little phone-sized camera. It does some interesting things besides being a camera, but the one thing I really like about it is that it is always right there on my belt bag. I think of my belt bag as an extension of me much in the same manner that a "medicine pouch" was utilized by indians long ago. Some of us still carry the pouch, but it contains modern day magic. My "pocket cam," as I have dubbed it inside the computers, is a multi-purpose tool for digital recording. It does photos, video, mp3, voice messages(mostly for me, it beats carrying around a note pad and does the melodies of inspiration at a moment's notice)and to top it off it's a web cam(I have yet to explore that function). Lately I've been giving it a shot at low light situations. Since it is the season of Halloween decor there are some outdoor pics in the above collage taken in "next-to-no" light circumstances and some evening shots at the lake. Oh, and there is one taken through a store window of a piece of artwork. That image you see behind the image is me taking the photo. All in all the testing is going well, and I'm learning what the wee beast can do. The most important thing I've picked up thus far is that no matter what the light one must hold very, very still while taking the photo. Hence, tonight's title. Our eyes are often misleading, as can be our hearts. Getting into the mode of making sure of whatever it is that happens to be in your immediate focus is as important as holding still for the shot. The world has always been a veritable oyster for those who would perpetrate deception on unsuspecting travelers. In our journey toward a better grasp of God in our lives we can be caught up in the latest craze, and unknowingly led far afield from the true destination we seek. Lately, it seems, I have been running into many people searching for the "right" way to get in tune with God in their lives. They come looking for a quick answer that will reveal the treasure for which they hunger. My Savior often encountered folks like this during the course of His ministry. More often than not the people didn't care too much for the answers He provided to their questions. Today they still don't care too much for those answers, but they are the same as they were 2000 years ago, and long before that, as well! Truth will always stand to the test of time. Deceptions will come and go, fading one after another into memory as we go about our lives searching. And therein is the answer to Alice's question. In "Through The Looking Glass" Alice asked the rabbit which way she should go. The wise rabbit asked her where she wanted to go(or something to that effect), to which Alice replied that she didn't know. The rabbit then told her(I just love this), "Then it really doesn't matter which way you go, does it?" But it does matter, and you and I are on the path of life making this incredible journey and we "want" to know what is at the end. I believe I already know, and you, also, can live in this assurance of what the end of one brief journey has in store for you. It's all there, in the Bible, just as it has always been. Watch the signs carefully, and look for the one true light that can be trusted to never guide you in the wrong direction. Christ is that light! It is to His light that I bear witness. In Christ's Love, Preacher.