ORDINARY MIRACLES...............
I remember sitting in the stillness of the morning.... It is so quiet..... It is so still.... I have so many questions that run through my mind.... Questions I believe others have also, but maybe are afraid to voice. Afraid for fear someone will question their faith.... afraid someone may look down on them. I have those fears also...... I want to be stronger. I want my faith to grow and I don't ever want to have any doubts. I sometimes feel so alone in my faith, so alone in my thoughts. I feel as if no one else has ever questioned God and His existence,,,,,,,,, but then I tell myself,,,,, surely I'm not the only one,,,,, surely others have felt this way. I know it can't be "just me." If God loves me so much I ask..... "Why does He let some things happen? Why does He let bad things happen? Why does He allow people to suffer? Why do I sometimes feel so all alone in my mind?" My mind shouts out, hoping for answers...... "WHY ??? WHY GOD????,,,,, WHY?" I then ask, for what I'm sure others have asked for, long before I ever felt this way...... I can't be the first to wonder these things can I?...... I say... "God, just give me "A SIGN". Show me something so I will KNOW WITHOUT DOUBT that You are there.... I need to know that You are God........ I need to know that You are watching over me...... I need to know that You are in control...... I need to know that Your love is everlasting....... Please God.....Please give me a sign..... Please God, show me a "MIRACLE"................
The screaming that was in my mind just a few seconds ago is now all of a sudden gone..... The quietness returns...... The stillness once again surrounds me.... And then..... I feel a quilt..... I feel a guilt because I have "Questioned God." And then, just as quickly as the quietness returned, came the memory of the verse Matthew 8:26 to my mind........ "And he said unto them, Why are you fearful, O you of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm." Maybe....... just maybe, my answers were in this verse I said to myself. Or...or could it be, that this verse, this one little verse that I had read so many times before..... Could this one verse that so quickly came to my mind be the miracle I needed?.... It came out of nowhere. It came to me when I needed it most. It made me see that even the Disciples had these same feelings that I have. Yes even the chosen twelve were at times weak. And what did Jesus do when the doubts and fears and the questions were placed in their minds? He quieted the storm and calmed the seas. Think about this...... "HE QUIETED THE STORM AND CALMED THE SEAS." .....This verse had come so quickly..... This verse had come to my mind in such a subtle way...... It came as what we may call an "ORDINARY MIRACLE."
Yes..... It is a quiet morning... I rise early..... I look out the window and see the sun coming up. It comes up in the east every morning. I take the sunrise for granted most mornings, but this morning I think about it rising. Oh we all enjoy the beauty of a sunrise but do we stop and think about the reliability of the sun coming up. It's there every morning. Even when it's raining and cloudy and we can't see the sun, we know it's there. We can feel it. Man can't stop the sun from rising and man can't slow it down. That sun could be called an "ORDINARY MIRACLE." Of course it's not really "ORDINARY" but it's one of those things we don't think about being a "MIRACLE." These "ORDINARY MIRACLES" are all around us. The birds and how they fly with such ease and grace through the air. The flowers and trees and how they grow and flourish. A baby being born and even the way another person can make you feel just by being around them. We call this love but if you really think about it.....It's a "MIRACLE." Oh, we may take these things for granted. We may say we are thankful for all of nature and our families and all our friends. We can look back on our life and our experiences and good times and what we call bad times and think that it all just happened....... but it didn't just happen. And it's not just "ORDINARY". Not "ORDINARY" at all, but it is a 'MIRACLE." Life is a miracle.
Again I say YES.... It is a quiet and still morning. I look around me with these eyes God has given me and realize that sight is a "MIRACLE." And I look around me with my mental eyes and I see the things I have done and the places I have been. I see so many people that have been in my life and the pleasure they have brought me and the things they have taught me. I see the love I have been given and I see "THE SIGN" ....... yes I see "THE SIGN" that just a few minutes ago, I had asked God to show to me. I see you and I realize, "YOU are a MIRACLE." And I see that there are NO ordinary miracles. All miracles are "EXTRAORDINARY." So I would say to you this morning Thank you for being a miracle in my life.....
Just something to think about...........................................
Sunday, March 8, 2015
Wednesday, January 7, 2015
LIFE ISN'T A BEAUTY SHOPPE
Yesterday I awoke early as always, but yesterday, I had a reason to get out of bed. You see, I had a Doctors appointment. Well, not really an appointment with the Doctor, but I had to go and get some lab work done. As most of you know, this is when you go to the Doctor's office and let a nice little lady smile at you and say nice things to you and tell you how good you look before she sticks a needle in the front side of your elbow that's so long it reaches all the way to your heart and draws enough blood out of your old body to feed a cave full of bats for a week. The nice little lady then tell you to go pee in a cup that she hands to you while wearing rubber gloves that go up to her elbows. You would think she would give me the rubber gloves to wear because as much trouble as us men have hitting something as big as a toilet, no way can we hit that little cup without peeing all over our hands. Now you may think this post is about going to the Doctor but let me assure you it's not. What goes on in my Doctors office, stays in my Doctors office. If I told you all the questions that I have been asked and all the places I've been touched in that office this post would have to have a warning about you being over 18 to read it. No, This is about something that happened as I was getting ready to go to the Doctors office and it got me to thinking. Seems it doesn't take much to get me thinking these days.
You see, as I was getting ready to go, as I do every morning, I looked in the mirror. I do this to make sure I'm what some people would call..."Presentable", although I have never understood how looking into a mirror can make you look "Presentable.... It's kind of like going to to the Beauty Shoppe to get Beautiful..... I've always said... "If you're ugly when you go in that Beauty Shoppe, your gonna be ugly when you come out. There's only so much you can do with hair." Anyway, as I was looking into the mirror, I saw something different this time..... I saw a face that was aged. Oh, I recognised the face but not as my own. I saw lines I didn't know were there. I saw years that had silently passed by. I knew you...(Fill in this space with your name)... were getting older but I thought I looked the same as I did 40 years ago. Hmmmmm I thought to myself. I am getting "old". I then asked myself...... "How do I feel about getting old?" How do I feel about looking different? How do I feel about not having the strength I once had? How do I feel about seeing friends and family, all loved ones, leaving for the world beyond? Do I have any regrets? Do I have any wisdom to share? Am I grateful for the life I've lived or do I wish I had more time? Do I ever think "If only" or "I wish"..... Have you ever had these feelings? Have you ever looked back and said..."I wish I had taken better care of this body." Or how about you soul...Did you take good care of your soul? Did you dance when the music moved you and sing when the tune popped into you mind? Did you laugh out loud from way down deep in your belly and did you cry when your heart was broken? Did you say "I love you" and mean it with all your might? Do you find yourself always looking back or looking forward or do you just look now? I found me asking myself.... "Do your eyes still see, does your heart still beat, do your hands still feel, do your lips still smile, does your body still move, will you still live on even after you’ve gone?" That some deep thinking there................
I find I have so many thoughts as I get older. In less that a month I will be 67. It's hard to believe it's been that long since I came into this world. How did all this time get past me? I never saw it coming. Do I hate that I'm getting older? Not at all. After all, many have not reached the age that I am. I think back to being 13....to 16...to 21..... I know those are just numbers but they were so important at the time and now, instead of being a long time ago, they were just yesterday. I look at photos of times past and I think to myself...I looked so young then.
I find myself wondering what will I look like in 10 more years if I'm lucky enough to still be around. Or how about 20 years from now.... How will you look then? You know....I guess it doesn't really matter how you or I look going forward. Life isn't a Beauty Shoppe. As we step into tomorrow we can be ugly going in but the good news is we can step out of every day being beautiful. It's all what we make of it.
Just something to think about..................................
Yesterday I awoke early as always, but yesterday, I had a reason to get out of bed. You see, I had a Doctors appointment. Well, not really an appointment with the Doctor, but I had to go and get some lab work done. As most of you know, this is when you go to the Doctor's office and let a nice little lady smile at you and say nice things to you and tell you how good you look before she sticks a needle in the front side of your elbow that's so long it reaches all the way to your heart and draws enough blood out of your old body to feed a cave full of bats for a week. The nice little lady then tell you to go pee in a cup that she hands to you while wearing rubber gloves that go up to her elbows. You would think she would give me the rubber gloves to wear because as much trouble as us men have hitting something as big as a toilet, no way can we hit that little cup without peeing all over our hands. Now you may think this post is about going to the Doctor but let me assure you it's not. What goes on in my Doctors office, stays in my Doctors office. If I told you all the questions that I have been asked and all the places I've been touched in that office this post would have to have a warning about you being over 18 to read it. No, This is about something that happened as I was getting ready to go to the Doctors office and it got me to thinking. Seems it doesn't take much to get me thinking these days.
You see, as I was getting ready to go, as I do every morning, I looked in the mirror. I do this to make sure I'm what some people would call..."Presentable", although I have never understood how looking into a mirror can make you look "Presentable.... It's kind of like going to to the Beauty Shoppe to get Beautiful..... I've always said... "If you're ugly when you go in that Beauty Shoppe, your gonna be ugly when you come out. There's only so much you can do with hair." Anyway, as I was looking into the mirror, I saw something different this time..... I saw a face that was aged. Oh, I recognised the face but not as my own. I saw lines I didn't know were there. I saw years that had silently passed by. I knew you...(Fill in this space with your name)... were getting older but I thought I looked the same as I did 40 years ago. Hmmmmm I thought to myself. I am getting "old". I then asked myself...... "How do I feel about getting old?" How do I feel about looking different? How do I feel about not having the strength I once had? How do I feel about seeing friends and family, all loved ones, leaving for the world beyond? Do I have any regrets? Do I have any wisdom to share? Am I grateful for the life I've lived or do I wish I had more time? Do I ever think "If only" or "I wish"..... Have you ever had these feelings? Have you ever looked back and said..."I wish I had taken better care of this body." Or how about you soul...Did you take good care of your soul? Did you dance when the music moved you and sing when the tune popped into you mind? Did you laugh out loud from way down deep in your belly and did you cry when your heart was broken? Did you say "I love you" and mean it with all your might? Do you find yourself always looking back or looking forward or do you just look now? I found me asking myself.... "Do your eyes still see, does your heart still beat, do your hands still feel, do your lips still smile, does your body still move, will you still live on even after you’ve gone?" That some deep thinking there................
I find I have so many thoughts as I get older. In less that a month I will be 67. It's hard to believe it's been that long since I came into this world. How did all this time get past me? I never saw it coming. Do I hate that I'm getting older? Not at all. After all, many have not reached the age that I am. I think back to being 13....to 16...to 21..... I know those are just numbers but they were so important at the time and now, instead of being a long time ago, they were just yesterday. I look at photos of times past and I think to myself...I looked so young then.
I find myself wondering what will I look like in 10 more years if I'm lucky enough to still be around. Or how about 20 years from now.... How will you look then? You know....I guess it doesn't really matter how you or I look going forward. Life isn't a Beauty Shoppe. As we step into tomorrow we can be ugly going in but the good news is we can step out of every day being beautiful. It's all what we make of it.
Just something to think about..................................
Tuesday, December 9, 2014
IT'S A MAD MAD MAD MAD WORLD !!!!!!!!!!!!
If memory serves me it was 1993 when a movie by the above name hit the big silver screen. I never saw the movie but I know it was a big success. I also know it was a comedy and won an Academy Award and was nominated for several more. I'm not a movie person myself. I have a hard time sitting for that long of a period. Just give me a rerun of a good old 30 to 60 minute TV western show like Gunsmoke or Bonanza and I'm happy. For some reason the title of this movie has been rolling around in my mind for days. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World over and over and over again. I kept wondering if maybe I should watch this movie. I decided no, as I was sure it would accomplish nothing so instead I decided to just concentrate on the title itself.
Of course the operative word in the title is .....ready for this bit of wisdom............ "MAD".......... Well I'm sure I impressed you with that knowledge but have you ever really thought about the word ...."MAD"?..... Mad can be angry. That's how I describe Peggy's attitude every time I screw up which is pretty often. Peggy is "mad" at me......... You can also use the word "Mad" in describing say a dog gone wild which is much different than "Girls gone Wild". It means the dog is abnormally furious or ferocious. Maybe affected by rabies. Or you can use "mad as in being overcome with desire or infatuated, like you know being mad about someone. You have to be very careful because there is a difference in being mad at someone and being mad about someone. And then you have "Mad" as just gone crazy. Out of their minds. No sense of reasoning. As I thought about all of this I suddenly realized why the title had four "MADs" in it. The world is four times..."MAD"......... We are angry, we are fercious, we are full of desires and we have totally lost our minds...
Now don't get mad (angry) at me but you....yes you..... are a mad person. You might be very sweet and calm and nice awww, I could go on telling you how great you are but in reality you are ...."MAD"..... One time mad, Two times mad, Three times or four times mad.......I don't know but you are mad.... We are all mad. If you're a republican you're mad at the democrates and if you're a democrate you're mad at the republicans. If you white you're mad at the blacks and if you're black you're mad at the whites. If you happen to be Hispanic at one time or another you are mad at everyone and at one time or another everyone is mad at you. If you're poor you're mad at the rich man (or woman) and if you're rich you're mad at the poor man (or woman). In fact if you're a woman you're sometimes mad at the man and vice-versa. And now we have a bunch that are mad at the Police because one or two may have made a mistake (I'm not gonna take a side on this because I don't want you mad at me) and another bunch mad at the first bunch for being mad at the Police. The whole world is mad it seems and if you aren't mad.... Just give the media a day or two and I can guarantee you they will make you mad about something. I remember when the newscasters just reported the news and now their job is to make you mad and tell you who to be mad at.
Sometimes all of this being mad just makes me sick and tired. I don't want to be mad anymore. I want to just get along. I want to like everyone and be nice to everyone and I want everyone to be nice to me. I'm tired of all the protesting and burning buildings and profanity laced comments and the such. I've decided to not be mad at anyone anymore. At least I'm not gonna be mad anymore until my Georgia Bulldawgs get beat again and then whatever team beats them better watch out because I have the whole WORLD WIDE WEB at my finger tips and I'm gonna be reaaaaal mad........ Just something to think about......................................
If memory serves me it was 1993 when a movie by the above name hit the big silver screen. I never saw the movie but I know it was a big success. I also know it was a comedy and won an Academy Award and was nominated for several more. I'm not a movie person myself. I have a hard time sitting for that long of a period. Just give me a rerun of a good old 30 to 60 minute TV western show like Gunsmoke or Bonanza and I'm happy. For some reason the title of this movie has been rolling around in my mind for days. It's a Mad Mad Mad Mad World over and over and over again. I kept wondering if maybe I should watch this movie. I decided no, as I was sure it would accomplish nothing so instead I decided to just concentrate on the title itself.
Of course the operative word in the title is .....ready for this bit of wisdom............ "MAD".......... Well I'm sure I impressed you with that knowledge but have you ever really thought about the word ...."MAD"?..... Mad can be angry. That's how I describe Peggy's attitude every time I screw up which is pretty often. Peggy is "mad" at me......... You can also use the word "Mad" in describing say a dog gone wild which is much different than "Girls gone Wild". It means the dog is abnormally furious or ferocious. Maybe affected by rabies. Or you can use "mad as in being overcome with desire or infatuated, like you know being mad about someone. You have to be very careful because there is a difference in being mad at someone and being mad about someone. And then you have "Mad" as just gone crazy. Out of their minds. No sense of reasoning. As I thought about all of this I suddenly realized why the title had four "MADs" in it. The world is four times..."MAD"......... We are angry, we are fercious, we are full of desires and we have totally lost our minds...
Now don't get mad (angry) at me but you....yes you..... are a mad person. You might be very sweet and calm and nice awww, I could go on telling you how great you are but in reality you are ...."MAD"..... One time mad, Two times mad, Three times or four times mad.......I don't know but you are mad.... We are all mad. If you're a republican you're mad at the democrates and if you're a democrate you're mad at the republicans. If you white you're mad at the blacks and if you're black you're mad at the whites. If you happen to be Hispanic at one time or another you are mad at everyone and at one time or another everyone is mad at you. If you're poor you're mad at the rich man (or woman) and if you're rich you're mad at the poor man (or woman). In fact if you're a woman you're sometimes mad at the man and vice-versa. And now we have a bunch that are mad at the Police because one or two may have made a mistake (I'm not gonna take a side on this because I don't want you mad at me) and another bunch mad at the first bunch for being mad at the Police. The whole world is mad it seems and if you aren't mad.... Just give the media a day or two and I can guarantee you they will make you mad about something. I remember when the newscasters just reported the news and now their job is to make you mad and tell you who to be mad at.
Sometimes all of this being mad just makes me sick and tired. I don't want to be mad anymore. I want to just get along. I want to like everyone and be nice to everyone and I want everyone to be nice to me. I'm tired of all the protesting and burning buildings and profanity laced comments and the such. I've decided to not be mad at anyone anymore. At least I'm not gonna be mad anymore until my Georgia Bulldawgs get beat again and then whatever team beats them better watch out because I have the whole WORLD WIDE WEB at my finger tips and I'm gonna be reaaaaal mad........ Just something to think about......................................
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU USE ALL YOUR NUMBERS UP ??????????????
It was February 5, 1991. You may think that was a while ago and that it's strange that it's so clear in my mind but I remember it like it was yesterday. I'm very thankful that my rememberer still works sometimes. I'll try to explain why all of this is still so fresh in my mind after all this time. You see, February 5 is my birthday. My son Josh's birthday is February 1st. Josh had just turned 5 years old and as most 5 year olds, he was very inquisitive. We had just had cake and ice cream and were sitting around the den talking and Josh, while sitting on the floor playing with some of his cars, looked up at me and asked.....Dad.... What happens when you use all your numbers up???? At first I didn't understand the question, but then I realized what he was asking about. To Josh birthdays were just numbers and I assume he liked these numbers so well he wanted to make sure we had all the numbers we wanted.
As life goes on we learn that how many numbers we have aren't near as important as what we do with these numbers. We learn to look at our numbers with a new and different perspective than when we were five years old. When we are young children we look out at our future. We set goals for the next 10, 20, or even the next 50 years that we assume will follow. We think our numbers will go on forever. Then as we get a little older, we only look for the next five or so years and then, just next year and finally we think of just today. And as we get older we not only look ahead in a different way, but we find ourselves looking back more often. We start this looking back at a young age also but as the numbers we have left changes, so does our perspective. We start out looking at "things" that make us happy, then turn to "things and times" that make us happy, and then we find the things that make us happy have disappeared. We still remember the times but now what has moved to first place is the "people" that make us happy. I think all of this is a cause to celebrate. A time to join with those people we love. A time to remember and a time to maybe shed a tear or two. A time to really look at those around us and a time to remember the good times with those that have used all their numbers up. YES....May tomorrow is a day to Give Thanks.
When I was a young child, I wanted to be thankful for a new bike. Now that I'm old I'm thankful for the old second hand bike I had.
When I was a teen, I wanted to be thankful for the shiny new Corvette I had. Now that I'm older, I'm thankful for the 53' Mercury I had instead. The Blue bomb we called her.
When I was a teen , I also wanted to be thankful for having the prettiest girl in school on my arm. Now that I'm older, I'm thankful for having the most beautiful woman in the world that I've called my wife for 44 years.
When I was a young man I was so proud when Cindy, My first born came, that I told everyone I wanted a dozen just like her. Now that I'm older I'm still proud of and thankful for Cindy, but I'm also proud and thankful for Vicki and Josh and I'm so very thankful that God saw fit "not" to give me three children just alike but three as different as night and day.
When I was young I wanted a big "house" with big rooms. I'm now thankful for our cozy "home" that love fills with a warmth that man cannot produce.
I'm thankful for the seven Grands that will be at our house tomorrow and the love I will see shared by them, one for another, as we eat and share stories of old times together and dreams of times to come.
I could go on and on about things and times and people I'm thankful for. I could talk about vacations and family times. I could write pages about my sister Dianne, that went to be with the Lord this year, and talk about the love that she shared with us all and the way she shared God's love until her last day here. I could talk about friends that I still have from Kirkwood and from High School. I could talk of new friends I've made on facebook and at our antique booth. I could tell of how thankful I am to still be here after my heart surgery almost four years ago, when the doctors told me my numbers should have been used up then. And I could tell you about how thankful I am to have had my surgery because it made me slow down and really notice all the great things and people I'm surrounded by and it also gave me a chance to write some of my feelings down that hopefully the grands will enjoy as they get older. Yes I'm a Blessed Man. I am Blessed by a loving God, by a loving family and by loving friends. And today and tomorrow and everyday that follows I will have my own special THANKSGIVING DAY. For you see....... I haven't yet used all my numbers up.....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING MY FRIENDS. MAY GOD BLESS YOUR DAY AND GRANT YOU MANY MORE NUMBERS......................
It was February 5, 1991. You may think that was a while ago and that it's strange that it's so clear in my mind but I remember it like it was yesterday. I'm very thankful that my rememberer still works sometimes. I'll try to explain why all of this is still so fresh in my mind after all this time. You see, February 5 is my birthday. My son Josh's birthday is February 1st. Josh had just turned 5 years old and as most 5 year olds, he was very inquisitive. We had just had cake and ice cream and were sitting around the den talking and Josh, while sitting on the floor playing with some of his cars, looked up at me and asked.....Dad.... What happens when you use all your numbers up???? At first I didn't understand the question, but then I realized what he was asking about. To Josh birthdays were just numbers and I assume he liked these numbers so well he wanted to make sure we had all the numbers we wanted.
As life goes on we learn that how many numbers we have aren't near as important as what we do with these numbers. We learn to look at our numbers with a new and different perspective than when we were five years old. When we are young children we look out at our future. We set goals for the next 10, 20, or even the next 50 years that we assume will follow. We think our numbers will go on forever. Then as we get a little older, we only look for the next five or so years and then, just next year and finally we think of just today. And as we get older we not only look ahead in a different way, but we find ourselves looking back more often. We start this looking back at a young age also but as the numbers we have left changes, so does our perspective. We start out looking at "things" that make us happy, then turn to "things and times" that make us happy, and then we find the things that make us happy have disappeared. We still remember the times but now what has moved to first place is the "people" that make us happy. I think all of this is a cause to celebrate. A time to join with those people we love. A time to remember and a time to maybe shed a tear or two. A time to really look at those around us and a time to remember the good times with those that have used all their numbers up. YES....May tomorrow is a day to Give Thanks.
When I was a young child, I wanted to be thankful for a new bike. Now that I'm old I'm thankful for the old second hand bike I had.
When I was a teen, I wanted to be thankful for the shiny new Corvette I had. Now that I'm older, I'm thankful for the 53' Mercury I had instead. The Blue bomb we called her.
When I was a teen , I also wanted to be thankful for having the prettiest girl in school on my arm. Now that I'm older, I'm thankful for having the most beautiful woman in the world that I've called my wife for 44 years.
When I was a young man I was so proud when Cindy, My first born came, that I told everyone I wanted a dozen just like her. Now that I'm older I'm still proud of and thankful for Cindy, but I'm also proud and thankful for Vicki and Josh and I'm so very thankful that God saw fit "not" to give me three children just alike but three as different as night and day.
When I was young I wanted a big "house" with big rooms. I'm now thankful for our cozy "home" that love fills with a warmth that man cannot produce.
I'm thankful for the seven Grands that will be at our house tomorrow and the love I will see shared by them, one for another, as we eat and share stories of old times together and dreams of times to come.
I could go on and on about things and times and people I'm thankful for. I could talk about vacations and family times. I could write pages about my sister Dianne, that went to be with the Lord this year, and talk about the love that she shared with us all and the way she shared God's love until her last day here. I could talk about friends that I still have from Kirkwood and from High School. I could talk of new friends I've made on facebook and at our antique booth. I could tell of how thankful I am to still be here after my heart surgery almost four years ago, when the doctors told me my numbers should have been used up then. And I could tell you about how thankful I am to have had my surgery because it made me slow down and really notice all the great things and people I'm surrounded by and it also gave me a chance to write some of my feelings down that hopefully the grands will enjoy as they get older. Yes I'm a Blessed Man. I am Blessed by a loving God, by a loving family and by loving friends. And today and tomorrow and everyday that follows I will have my own special THANKSGIVING DAY. For you see....... I haven't yet used all my numbers up.....
HAPPY THANKSGIVING MY FRIENDS. MAY GOD BLESS YOUR DAY AND GRANT YOU MANY MORE NUMBERS......................
Wednesday, November 19, 2014
THEY CALL IT PROGRESS, I CALL IT SOMETHING ELSE
I sit here on a cold blustery morning and as is so often the case, my mind wonders back to a simpler time. A time when there were no bills, no ills and no pills to take every day. My biggest concern back then was who was going to join the rest of the neighborhood kids up at "THE FIELD". Oh "THE FIELD"...... It was our (the neighborhood kid's) field of dreams. At the time it was as big as Ponce de Leon ballpark, but in reality it was probably 175 feet by 175 feet. No matter the size, size really didn't matter, it was where legends were made, dreams came true and although I didn't realize it at the time lessons were learned. The field was just part of a city block that for some reason had never been developed. It fronted Winter Avenue on the east, Leland Terrace on the west and Park Place on the south. I knew it had to be an important field because Park Place was right beside the Boardwalk on the Monopoly Board. On one corner of the block was what we called the Little Store. It was just a little neighborhood store where we always went to buy candy and whatever else our moms would send us after. It was also where I learned my first entrepreneurial skills. I learn very early on that I could comb the back alleys for empty Coke bottles and take them to the Little Store and trade them for money and with this money I could buy candy. As you can see, I learned about the pleasures of life at an early age. Yes, life was simple and the bottle business was good.
Right next to the Little Store was a restaurant called the College Inn Restaurant. You see the north side of the block, where our field of dreams was, had been developed. There were these two businesses along with a Pure Gasoline Station and these three business faced College Avenue. It was called College Avenue because about two miles down the road was Agnes Scott College. I ride by this area pretty often nowadays but it's all changed.. Oh sure, most of the houses are still there and the streets are still there but the field and the businesses have been replaced by a Marta Station. Rapid transit they call it... Progress they say.... It's for the betterment of the people they tell me
... I beg to differ..... Part of whats wrong today is Rapid Transit. Seems like we're trying to get everywhere and do everthing to fast. We're trying to get our children grown to fast. I learned more at that field and The Little Store and the Pure Gasoline Station and The College Inn Restaurant than I bet anyone has ever learned on a Marta Train. I learned that it's good to create your own entertainment. I learned about teamwork and competition. I learned about fair play. I discovered that I could learn from the older kids and I learned that when I got older I needed to be patient with the younger kids. At the Pure Gasoline Station I learned it was a good thing to take time with a young child and to not just tell him what you were doing to fix a car but to show him. I learned what "Full Service" meant and that it wasn't a bad or demeaning thing to get dirty while working and earning a living. And ohhh the things I learned at The College Inn Restaurant. The restaurant wasn't just a sit down restaurant but also a drive-in restaurant. You could pull your car in the back, park under the awning, and Ol' Henry would come out, take your order and have your food to you before the first inning was over. You see, the parking lot backed right up to our field. Ol' Henry was what we called the "Curb Boy". The Varsity calls them "Red Caps" but to us Ol' Henry was just a "Curb Boy". At the time, I thought Ol' Henry was an older man but looking back now I would guess O' Henry was 19 or 20 years old. On those hot days when the sun would beat down on us, Ol' Henry would call for us to come on up and get us a drink. He would buy us all a coke and he taught us how to sit and rock on a coke crate. If I close my eyes I can still hear Ol' Henry telling us a story or talking about a catch one of us had made in the field or how far one of us kids had hit the ball, all the time laughing from the depths of his belly. When it was cold weather we would gather in a little shack they had built for Ol' Henry on the back of the restaurant to get out of the cold. Again we would grab us a coke crate, sit down around a little wood stove, rock and listen with smiles on our faces as Ol' Henry told us his stories. I don't think I ever knew a happier soul than Ol' Henry. He was color blind, he enjoyed his work, he shared his wealth, and yes, looking back he was a very wealthy young man, and he loved life. Ol' Henry was one of the first people to teach me that riches aren't to be measured in material things and people shouldn't be judged by the color of their skin.
Yep...They call it progress.... They can dig up the field.... They can tear down the old businesses and the can build something new and shiny, but they can never take away the memories and the lessons learned and they can never take away the laughter that I can still hear coming from the depths of Ol' Henry's belly. Oh the memories we've built. Just something to think about......................................................
I sit here on a cold blustery morning and as is so often the case, my mind wonders back to a simpler time. A time when there were no bills, no ills and no pills to take every day. My biggest concern back then was who was going to join the rest of the neighborhood kids up at "THE FIELD". Oh "THE FIELD"...... It was our (the neighborhood kid's) field of dreams. At the time it was as big as Ponce de Leon ballpark, but in reality it was probably 175 feet by 175 feet. No matter the size, size really didn't matter, it was where legends were made, dreams came true and although I didn't realize it at the time lessons were learned. The field was just part of a city block that for some reason had never been developed. It fronted Winter Avenue on the east, Leland Terrace on the west and Park Place on the south. I knew it had to be an important field because Park Place was right beside the Boardwalk on the Monopoly Board. On one corner of the block was what we called the Little Store. It was just a little neighborhood store where we always went to buy candy and whatever else our moms would send us after. It was also where I learned my first entrepreneurial skills. I learn very early on that I could comb the back alleys for empty Coke bottles and take them to the Little Store and trade them for money and with this money I could buy candy. As you can see, I learned about the pleasures of life at an early age. Yes, life was simple and the bottle business was good.
Right next to the Little Store was a restaurant called the College Inn Restaurant. You see the north side of the block, where our field of dreams was, had been developed. There were these two businesses along with a Pure Gasoline Station and these three business faced College Avenue. It was called College Avenue because about two miles down the road was Agnes Scott College. I ride by this area pretty often nowadays but it's all changed.. Oh sure, most of the houses are still there and the streets are still there but the field and the businesses have been replaced by a Marta Station. Rapid transit they call it... Progress they say.... It's for the betterment of the people they tell me
... I beg to differ..... Part of whats wrong today is Rapid Transit. Seems like we're trying to get everywhere and do everthing to fast. We're trying to get our children grown to fast. I learned more at that field and The Little Store and the Pure Gasoline Station and The College Inn Restaurant than I bet anyone has ever learned on a Marta Train. I learned that it's good to create your own entertainment. I learned about teamwork and competition. I learned about fair play. I discovered that I could learn from the older kids and I learned that when I got older I needed to be patient with the younger kids. At the Pure Gasoline Station I learned it was a good thing to take time with a young child and to not just tell him what you were doing to fix a car but to show him. I learned what "Full Service" meant and that it wasn't a bad or demeaning thing to get dirty while working and earning a living. And ohhh the things I learned at The College Inn Restaurant. The restaurant wasn't just a sit down restaurant but also a drive-in restaurant. You could pull your car in the back, park under the awning, and Ol' Henry would come out, take your order and have your food to you before the first inning was over. You see, the parking lot backed right up to our field. Ol' Henry was what we called the "Curb Boy". The Varsity calls them "Red Caps" but to us Ol' Henry was just a "Curb Boy". At the time, I thought Ol' Henry was an older man but looking back now I would guess O' Henry was 19 or 20 years old. On those hot days when the sun would beat down on us, Ol' Henry would call for us to come on up and get us a drink. He would buy us all a coke and he taught us how to sit and rock on a coke crate. If I close my eyes I can still hear Ol' Henry telling us a story or talking about a catch one of us had made in the field or how far one of us kids had hit the ball, all the time laughing from the depths of his belly. When it was cold weather we would gather in a little shack they had built for Ol' Henry on the back of the restaurant to get out of the cold. Again we would grab us a coke crate, sit down around a little wood stove, rock and listen with smiles on our faces as Ol' Henry told us his stories. I don't think I ever knew a happier soul than Ol' Henry. He was color blind, he enjoyed his work, he shared his wealth, and yes, looking back he was a very wealthy young man, and he loved life. Ol' Henry was one of the first people to teach me that riches aren't to be measured in material things and people shouldn't be judged by the color of their skin.
Yep...They call it progress.... They can dig up the field.... They can tear down the old businesses and the can build something new and shiny, but they can never take away the memories and the lessons learned and they can never take away the laughter that I can still hear coming from the depths of Ol' Henry's belly. Oh the memories we've built. Just something to think about......................................................
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
NEW AND IMPROVED......or..........JUST LEAVE WELL ENOUGH ALONE
How many times have you heard or seen the phrase "New and Improved" written or said about some product that you use daily? So many times I hear a company use that phrase, only to find out I liked the old version better. Just once......I mean just one time, I want to hear a company spokesperson say..... Well we tried to make it better but through our research, we found it better to just,,,,,,, are you ready for this........"To just leave well enough alone." Coca Cola tried what they called "New Coke" a few years back and found they were wrong when no one liked the "New Coke", and then they told us they were going back to the old recipe. Old recipe ?????? I say "Hog Wash". I tell you the Coke you buy today doesn't taste like Coke did when I was a kid. They should have just left "well enough alone" in the first place. Coke talks about their secret formula that is hidden away somewhere in a bank vault and only one or two people have access to this secret formula to which once again I say "Hog Wash". It's a good story but they haven't used that secret formula in years so it makes me wonder if anyone knows in what bank the vault is located.
And before you jump on me for picking on Coca Cola, let me assure you that I love the Coca Cola Company. I started collecting Coke memorabilia when I was a teenager. I guess I'm just tired of us trying to improve everything, just to find out later, we had it right to start with. Do you remember drinking an Orange Crush Soda in those dark brown bottles. When they went to clear bottles, it never tasted the same. I always wondered if there was a secret ingredient hidden from eyesight in those dark brown bottles that was removed from Orange Crush when they went to clear bottles. And Chocolate milk..... Remember how sweet and thick in was when it came in those little glass bottles. Then it was decided to "New and Improved" it and put in plastic jugs and those wax covered paper cartons and chocolate milk has never tasted the same since. Or how about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I think they must have changed the brand of peanut butter they use. I know they still have some of the old peanut butter on hand because they use it in the Reese's Eggs at Easter. I can taste the difference so I buy extras and freeze them to eat later. I could go on and on about the "New and Improved" foods. Like Burger King French Fries. I use to never want anything else to eat but those fries. Even the Varsity has gone to "New and Improved" and I lust for an old timey Glorified Hamburger. I'm sure they are different today. They don't taste the same.
And it's not just the food. We've improved our landmarks and parks until we've ruined them. I liked Stone Mountain much more when it was just a big rock in the middle of the woods. Back then our entertainment was just climbing the big rock and sharing time with our friends. Then the State decided to "New and Improve" the big rock... And I remember going to Piedmont Park to play a round of golf or touch football with friends and later on to listen to free concerts by The Almond Brothers Band. Then the city improved it by having Big Events and Festivals...... I don't know...... I just liked it better when we didn't depend on others for our entertainment..... We entertained ourselves.
And how about our "New and Improved" transportation. When I was a kid we had Street Cars or Trolley Buses everywhere. Then it was decided they weren't a good form of transportation so they removed all the overhead electric lines and paved over or dug up the tracks and now years later we have spent millions to replace a streetcar line that goes just over two and a half miles. Back in my days we didn't have Marta. We had Atlanta Transit Company which was first owned by Georgia Power and Later by a group of Atlanta businessmen. You could ride anywhere in Atlanta for 5 cents then, but the big difference between Marta (which is Government operated) and the Atlanta Transit Company (which was owned by the private segment) is that Atlanta Transit made money. Hmmmmm "New and Improved"...... Again "Hog Wash". As I was thinking back I went all the way back to I believe second grade at Kirkwood Grammar School. I believe my teachers name was Mrs Milligan (correct me if I'm Wrong) and we went on what has always been my favorite school field trip. We boarded the famous train, "The Nancy Hanks", and took a ride to Griffin Ga. Oh what a thrill that was. Others tried "New and Improved" field trips but that train ride has remained the best ever for me.
We have tried to improve revivals by moving them from tents to inside gigantic coliseums and we tried to improve the circus by doing the same. We tried to replace the cane pole with an electric reel on a fiberglass rod and some people think video games are an improvement over hide and seek at dusk and catching lightning bugs in a fruit jar.
And what about government????? Is it also "New and Improved"? I remember when our Constitution meant something. When our elected officials served their constituents instead of their party. I remember when a new law was passed because it was the right thing to do and not because it would raise more in taxes. I remember when prayer was in schools and the teachers were respected by the students and the parents.
I remember when you would receive a hand written thank you note for a gift and not an E-mail. And when you wanted to talk to someone you would call them on the phone or better yet go over to their house for a visit. And what is all this computer dating and speed dating stuff? What ever happened to a movie and a burger or just riding around and getting to know each other?? And we wonder why the divorce rate is up. "NEW and IMPROVED"...........................I think not.................
I like some of these new fangled things we have today but "New and Improved????
I'm not so sure......... Sometimes I believe it's better to ...."Just leave well enough alone"......................................
How many times have you heard or seen the phrase "New and Improved" written or said about some product that you use daily? So many times I hear a company use that phrase, only to find out I liked the old version better. Just once......I mean just one time, I want to hear a company spokesperson say..... Well we tried to make it better but through our research, we found it better to just,,,,,,, are you ready for this........"To just leave well enough alone." Coca Cola tried what they called "New Coke" a few years back and found they were wrong when no one liked the "New Coke", and then they told us they were going back to the old recipe. Old recipe ?????? I say "Hog Wash". I tell you the Coke you buy today doesn't taste like Coke did when I was a kid. They should have just left "well enough alone" in the first place. Coke talks about their secret formula that is hidden away somewhere in a bank vault and only one or two people have access to this secret formula to which once again I say "Hog Wash". It's a good story but they haven't used that secret formula in years so it makes me wonder if anyone knows in what bank the vault is located.
And before you jump on me for picking on Coca Cola, let me assure you that I love the Coca Cola Company. I started collecting Coke memorabilia when I was a teenager. I guess I'm just tired of us trying to improve everything, just to find out later, we had it right to start with. Do you remember drinking an Orange Crush Soda in those dark brown bottles. When they went to clear bottles, it never tasted the same. I always wondered if there was a secret ingredient hidden from eyesight in those dark brown bottles that was removed from Orange Crush when they went to clear bottles. And Chocolate milk..... Remember how sweet and thick in was when it came in those little glass bottles. Then it was decided to "New and Improved" it and put in plastic jugs and those wax covered paper cartons and chocolate milk has never tasted the same since. Or how about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. I think they must have changed the brand of peanut butter they use. I know they still have some of the old peanut butter on hand because they use it in the Reese's Eggs at Easter. I can taste the difference so I buy extras and freeze them to eat later. I could go on and on about the "New and Improved" foods. Like Burger King French Fries. I use to never want anything else to eat but those fries. Even the Varsity has gone to "New and Improved" and I lust for an old timey Glorified Hamburger. I'm sure they are different today. They don't taste the same.
And it's not just the food. We've improved our landmarks and parks until we've ruined them. I liked Stone Mountain much more when it was just a big rock in the middle of the woods. Back then our entertainment was just climbing the big rock and sharing time with our friends. Then the State decided to "New and Improve" the big rock... And I remember going to Piedmont Park to play a round of golf or touch football with friends and later on to listen to free concerts by The Almond Brothers Band. Then the city improved it by having Big Events and Festivals...... I don't know...... I just liked it better when we didn't depend on others for our entertainment..... We entertained ourselves.
And how about our "New and Improved" transportation. When I was a kid we had Street Cars or Trolley Buses everywhere. Then it was decided they weren't a good form of transportation so they removed all the overhead electric lines and paved over or dug up the tracks and now years later we have spent millions to replace a streetcar line that goes just over two and a half miles. Back in my days we didn't have Marta. We had Atlanta Transit Company which was first owned by Georgia Power and Later by a group of Atlanta businessmen. You could ride anywhere in Atlanta for 5 cents then, but the big difference between Marta (which is Government operated) and the Atlanta Transit Company (which was owned by the private segment) is that Atlanta Transit made money. Hmmmmm "New and Improved"...... Again "Hog Wash". As I was thinking back I went all the way back to I believe second grade at Kirkwood Grammar School. I believe my teachers name was Mrs Milligan (correct me if I'm Wrong) and we went on what has always been my favorite school field trip. We boarded the famous train, "The Nancy Hanks", and took a ride to Griffin Ga. Oh what a thrill that was. Others tried "New and Improved" field trips but that train ride has remained the best ever for me.
We have tried to improve revivals by moving them from tents to inside gigantic coliseums and we tried to improve the circus by doing the same. We tried to replace the cane pole with an electric reel on a fiberglass rod and some people think video games are an improvement over hide and seek at dusk and catching lightning bugs in a fruit jar.
And what about government????? Is it also "New and Improved"? I remember when our Constitution meant something. When our elected officials served their constituents instead of their party. I remember when a new law was passed because it was the right thing to do and not because it would raise more in taxes. I remember when prayer was in schools and the teachers were respected by the students and the parents.
I remember when you would receive a hand written thank you note for a gift and not an E-mail. And when you wanted to talk to someone you would call them on the phone or better yet go over to their house for a visit. And what is all this computer dating and speed dating stuff? What ever happened to a movie and a burger or just riding around and getting to know each other?? And we wonder why the divorce rate is up. "NEW and IMPROVED"...........................I think not.................
I like some of these new fangled things we have today but "New and Improved????
I'm not so sure......... Sometimes I believe it's better to ...."Just leave well enough alone"......................................
Saturday, August 9, 2014
THE NEW OLD DESK
It's Saturday morning. I sit here on the couch and the TV is blaring but I hear nothing. The picture is bright with lights and changing colors and people are running around but me,,,,, I see nothing. All the sounds I hear and all the pictures I see are in my mind. Oh me I think to myself. My brain has no discipline. It goes where ever it wants to go. I try my darndest to change the channel of my mind but my brain is cross wired I'm sure. The story it is telling seems to have no plot. In actuality it is kind of boring. I ask myself, "Why are we going here??? What's the point??? I finally succumb. It has taken a lifetime, but I have learned the hard way, that I can't overpower my brain no matter how hard I try. "OK ALREADY " I tell myself. "Go ahead and tell your ol' story. Go ahead and feed whatever it is that is hungry inside of you. I'll just sit back and be bored"............. And so the story begins:
It was about 35 or so years ago and we were in need of a desk. You know. Just a common desk. Not too big. Just something functional. Something to sit and pay bills at. Somewhere to store a few records. It was probably a Saturday morning much like today. As we headed out, we stopped by the in-laws house. I have no idea why. Maybe the drop the Girls off for a short visit while we were shopping. As we walked in the door the girls were excited to see Granny and PaPa and we explained where we were headed. My mother in-law listened intently as we told her we were going to buy a desk. She told us she had an older desk that they no longer used that we were welcome to.
It was a very simple desk. Made of clear maple wood. It was small but had several drawers. By no means was it a show piece but would easily fit into a corner of a room. She said they had bought it many years ago and it had served its purpose in their household. We were welcome to it if we wanted it. My first thoughts were, "This will work great!!!!! And the price is right!!!! and, and, and, I won't have to go shopping!!!!!" This was what I call a WIN WIN WIN situation. We loaded it up and home we went with our brand new old desk.
When we arrived back home and unload our new desk, I took my first hard look at it. It was a good piece of furniture, had very good bones as they say, but it did have a blemish or ten and more that a few scratches. As I had seen when first loading it up, it wasn't beautiful but beauty wasn't what I was after anyways. I was more interested in usefulness. The more I looked the more I decided that all the desk needed was some TLC...... you know tender loving care. I soon made a decision....Time to refinish the desk. Awwwww....... "Blemish Be Gone"......That must come in a can I thought so off to the hardware store I went. At the hardware store, I was introduced to a can of what is called "Kutzit. The label said it was a "miracle product." Just brush it on and it does all the work. Of course the directions did tell me to wear rubber gloves and I always follow directions ( I think you call that a sarcastic statement. I am a man after all)...... These same directions also told me to use it in a well ventilated area. I decided that the driveway was as well ventilated as you can get so to the driveway I went. Me and our new old desk. As the directions told me to do, I got me a paint brush, a putty knife, paper towels, of course my rubber gloves. The directions also said I needed safety goggles but since I didn't have any I just wore my sun glasses. You of course understand how important it is to look cool when you are doing manly things like refinishing furniture using some ungodly dangerous toxic chemicals. This Kutzit turned out to be all it was advertised. Just brush on a very generous coat, then you wait, and as Peggy will attest to, I'm very good at waiting, and then scrap it off with your putty knife. The more I scraped off this combination of wax build up, old varnish and toxic Kutzit solution, the bigger mess I had. I was just thankful I had followed the directions and gone outside to my well ventilated driveway because I knew all I would have to do when our new old desk was stripped was move the desk out of harms way pick up the dirty paper towels and hose down the driveway. I was not yet halfway through with the new old desk make over and I could already feel my head and chest swelling up with this thing we call pride. I couldn't wait until I was finished to show off to Peggy so I called out to her to come look at how good of a job I was doing. As she came out she oohed and awwwed at the progress I was making and my chest and head swelled more and more. Peggy, being the supporting wife she is decided she would sit and watch her manly husband performing this manly deed with these toxic chemicals. Now here is where the problem started. I think she was at fault but she said it was all my fault. First off, I had read and followed all the directions. On the other hand she had not read the directions. Secondly the directions said nothing about wearing rubber pants if you intended to sit down on the driveway in a well ventilated area. Thirdly, I didn't ask her to sit down, on the driveway and watch her husband perform the macho procedure on our new old desk. Therefore, it had to be her fault she had a big blister of her sittin' down part...... Not mine.
Well, we finally got over the blame game and all I had to do was award her a purple heart for the collateral damage she received while serving in hazardous duty as a supportive wife. Meanwhile after getting the old new desk stripped of what we later started to refer to as shrapnel, we sealed and sanded the desk and we sealed and sanded the desk and we sealed and sanded the desk again. We then applied three coats varnished and had a finished product. We had our very own new old desk. Our youngest daughter Vicki now has that desk and when I walk into her house, a smile comes to my face and a humbleness comes to my heart. A smile because of the refinishing experience and a humbleness because that desk is just like you and me. You see, all God wants is for us to give ourselves to Him. Sure we have a blemish or ten just like the new old desk. W have numerous scratches too, just like the desk. He doesn't care how pretty we are or how big and grand we are. He sees us a useful and functional, and He loves us, just as Peggy and I saw and loved that desk. He will take you and strip you of all our imperfections. He will sand you and "Seal You" and put a clear coat on you just I we put one on that old new desk. Will you be prettier than you were before? Not to the world but you will be beautiful to God, and you will be dressed in a new glow like you never had before.
Yes, it is just an old desk. It is small. It is plain. But oh the stories it can tell. It was a much better story than was on TV on this Saturday morning. It was something to think about on this Saturday morning............................
It's Saturday morning. I sit here on the couch and the TV is blaring but I hear nothing. The picture is bright with lights and changing colors and people are running around but me,,,,, I see nothing. All the sounds I hear and all the pictures I see are in my mind. Oh me I think to myself. My brain has no discipline. It goes where ever it wants to go. I try my darndest to change the channel of my mind but my brain is cross wired I'm sure. The story it is telling seems to have no plot. In actuality it is kind of boring. I ask myself, "Why are we going here??? What's the point??? I finally succumb. It has taken a lifetime, but I have learned the hard way, that I can't overpower my brain no matter how hard I try. "OK ALREADY " I tell myself. "Go ahead and tell your ol' story. Go ahead and feed whatever it is that is hungry inside of you. I'll just sit back and be bored"............. And so the story begins:
It was about 35 or so years ago and we were in need of a desk. You know. Just a common desk. Not too big. Just something functional. Something to sit and pay bills at. Somewhere to store a few records. It was probably a Saturday morning much like today. As we headed out, we stopped by the in-laws house. I have no idea why. Maybe the drop the Girls off for a short visit while we were shopping. As we walked in the door the girls were excited to see Granny and PaPa and we explained where we were headed. My mother in-law listened intently as we told her we were going to buy a desk. She told us she had an older desk that they no longer used that we were welcome to.
It was a very simple desk. Made of clear maple wood. It was small but had several drawers. By no means was it a show piece but would easily fit into a corner of a room. She said they had bought it many years ago and it had served its purpose in their household. We were welcome to it if we wanted it. My first thoughts were, "This will work great!!!!! And the price is right!!!! and, and, and, I won't have to go shopping!!!!!" This was what I call a WIN WIN WIN situation. We loaded it up and home we went with our brand new old desk.
When we arrived back home and unload our new desk, I took my first hard look at it. It was a good piece of furniture, had very good bones as they say, but it did have a blemish or ten and more that a few scratches. As I had seen when first loading it up, it wasn't beautiful but beauty wasn't what I was after anyways. I was more interested in usefulness. The more I looked the more I decided that all the desk needed was some TLC...... you know tender loving care. I soon made a decision....Time to refinish the desk. Awwwww....... "Blemish Be Gone"......That must come in a can I thought so off to the hardware store I went. At the hardware store, I was introduced to a can of what is called "Kutzit. The label said it was a "miracle product." Just brush it on and it does all the work. Of course the directions did tell me to wear rubber gloves and I always follow directions ( I think you call that a sarcastic statement. I am a man after all)...... These same directions also told me to use it in a well ventilated area. I decided that the driveway was as well ventilated as you can get so to the driveway I went. Me and our new old desk. As the directions told me to do, I got me a paint brush, a putty knife, paper towels, of course my rubber gloves. The directions also said I needed safety goggles but since I didn't have any I just wore my sun glasses. You of course understand how important it is to look cool when you are doing manly things like refinishing furniture using some ungodly dangerous toxic chemicals. This Kutzit turned out to be all it was advertised. Just brush on a very generous coat, then you wait, and as Peggy will attest to, I'm very good at waiting, and then scrap it off with your putty knife. The more I scraped off this combination of wax build up, old varnish and toxic Kutzit solution, the bigger mess I had. I was just thankful I had followed the directions and gone outside to my well ventilated driveway because I knew all I would have to do when our new old desk was stripped was move the desk out of harms way pick up the dirty paper towels and hose down the driveway. I was not yet halfway through with the new old desk make over and I could already feel my head and chest swelling up with this thing we call pride. I couldn't wait until I was finished to show off to Peggy so I called out to her to come look at how good of a job I was doing. As she came out she oohed and awwwed at the progress I was making and my chest and head swelled more and more. Peggy, being the supporting wife she is decided she would sit and watch her manly husband performing this manly deed with these toxic chemicals. Now here is where the problem started. I think she was at fault but she said it was all my fault. First off, I had read and followed all the directions. On the other hand she had not read the directions. Secondly the directions said nothing about wearing rubber pants if you intended to sit down on the driveway in a well ventilated area. Thirdly, I didn't ask her to sit down, on the driveway and watch her husband perform the macho procedure on our new old desk. Therefore, it had to be her fault she had a big blister of her sittin' down part...... Not mine.
Well, we finally got over the blame game and all I had to do was award her a purple heart for the collateral damage she received while serving in hazardous duty as a supportive wife. Meanwhile after getting the old new desk stripped of what we later started to refer to as shrapnel, we sealed and sanded the desk and we sealed and sanded the desk and we sealed and sanded the desk again. We then applied three coats varnished and had a finished product. We had our very own new old desk. Our youngest daughter Vicki now has that desk and when I walk into her house, a smile comes to my face and a humbleness comes to my heart. A smile because of the refinishing experience and a humbleness because that desk is just like you and me. You see, all God wants is for us to give ourselves to Him. Sure we have a blemish or ten just like the new old desk. W have numerous scratches too, just like the desk. He doesn't care how pretty we are or how big and grand we are. He sees us a useful and functional, and He loves us, just as Peggy and I saw and loved that desk. He will take you and strip you of all our imperfections. He will sand you and "Seal You" and put a clear coat on you just I we put one on that old new desk. Will you be prettier than you were before? Not to the world but you will be beautiful to God, and you will be dressed in a new glow like you never had before.
Yes, it is just an old desk. It is small. It is plain. But oh the stories it can tell. It was a much better story than was on TV on this Saturday morning. It was something to think about on this Saturday morning............................
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