Far Side Of The World

Day 201 (Written Saturday June 30) ~ Songs I Cannot Sing: Far Side Of The World As much as I love Jimmy Buffett songs, this is the only one to make the list of songs I cannot sing. Actually, I only learned that I cannot sing this song last week, during a trip home from South Carolina through rural Georgia by myself. As I drove through places like Vidalia, Augusta and Lakeland, I began singing along with this song and quickly realized it is one of the most autobiographical songs on my list. Ten years ago when this song was released it didn’t meant that much to me, but this morning as I get ready to leave the house and begin the trip, I contemplate the lyrics and they fit into the center of my heart like a long missing puzzle piece. “...I’m halfway round the planet, in a most unlikely place. Following my song line past bamboo shacks and shops, behind a jitney packed like sardines, with bananas piled on top. I ran away from politics, it’s too bizarre at home....awakened by a stewardess with Spain somewhere below, on the threshold of adventure, God I do love this job so! So while I make my move on the big board game, up and down a Spanish highway some things remain the same. Girls meet boys and boys tease girls. I’m heading out this morning for the far side of the world. Oh I believe in song lines, obvious and not, I’ve ridden them like camels to some most peculiar spots. They run across the oceans through mountains and saloons, and tonight out to the desert where I sit atop this dune. I was destined for this vantage point which is so far from the sea, I’ve lived it in the pages of Saint-Exupery. From Paris to Tunisia, Casablanca to Dakar. I was riding long before I flew through the wind and sand and stars. Time to sing, time to dance, living out my second chance, sleeping bags and battle flags are coiled and furled. That’s the way you travel to the far side of the world. Back at home it’s afternoon six thousand miles away, it will still be there when I get through attending this soiree. There are jobs and chores and questions, and plates I need to twirl, but tonight I’ll take my chances on the far side of the world.” Some of you will think this is weird, but some of you will get it and it will pluck your heartstrings, and maybe, just maybe, it will prompt you to find your own song line and begin to follow it. I hope you will, it’s an amazing ride.

I've Got A Golden Ticket

Day 200 (Written Friday June 29) ~ I’ve Got A Golden Ticket You know that moment on a roller coaster where you reach the pinnacle, just before you go over the high point and begin the rapid, exhilarating, breathtaking and terrifying decent? That moment which gradually and ever so painstakingly, slowly builds, tension mounting. We are currently living in that moment. Strapped in, no turning back, ready or not here it comes moment. I’ve been waiting on this moment my entire life. I know for some these words may seem overly dramatic, but I consider myself fortunate to recognize that I am on the precipice of a life long dream. If you want to know more about what I mean, read some of my previous posts about what I wanted to be/do when I grew up. It is a bizarre feeling. We spend so much of our lives hoping, wishing, dreaming for something, someday in the future, although much of it never comes to pass, and that which does, often catches us by surprise and is already passed before we realize it. I have seen this coming and I have been waiting for this moment to come for almost 25 years, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t scared. I’m scared of all the flights in the various countries. I’m scared of the bus rides through the mountains from one country to another. I’m scared of what we might encounter. I’m scared of what comes next. What do you do when you do what you’ve always wanted to do? More than scared, I am humbled and thankful. My favorite Bible verse is Psalm 37:4, “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I know this to be true. I have seen this and I am living this. I am terribly flawed, I am a sinner, but I have for a long time now, tried to please God and do what He wants me to do. I know that He knows the deepest desires, hopes and dreams in my heart and I know that He has given me the desires of my heart. He has allowed me to experience so many of my dreams and this is just the latest and biggest one yet. I am humbled. I am thankful. I am blessed. I am loved. I am just getting started. As I get ready to try and go to sleep, I am reminded of the words of Willy Wonka to Charlie at the end of the movie, “Don’t forget what happened to the man who suddenly got everything he’d ever wished for. He lived happily ever after.”

Rebel Without A Cause

Day 186 (Written Friday June 15) ~ It dawned on me today that I am a rebel. I am an outcast, a freak, a weirdo, a non-conformist. I’m sure you are scratching your head at the thought of a middle age, preacher, husband and father being a rebel, but its true. Here’s why: I am a people watcher. Malls, ball games, amusement parks, hospitals, airports, wherever there are a large number of people I’ll be watching. In all of this people watching, here is what I’ve seen. Most people have some combination of tattoos, excess or non-traditional piercings, wild hair cuts or colors and outrageous clothing. I have none of these things. I wear normal boring clothes, my haircut is nothing unusual, I have no tattoos and despite my attempts at age thirteen, I never gotten a piercing. There was a time when people did these things in an attempt to be anti-social and to rebel against conformity, yet the paradox of today is that doing these things is very much a demonstration of conformity. I’m not criticizing, hating or judging anyone for these things, merely observing. To me, when you do these things you look just like most everyone else. When rebellion becomes trendy, conformity becomes rebellion. If Alice Cooper, Ozzy Osbourne or Kiss were to come out today instead of in the 70’s, no one would notice them. There would be nothing shocking about them at all. You could find a dozen 12 year olds that look just like them hanging out at the Hot Topic in the mall. Bottom line, anarchy has gone mainstream leaving traditional to be the new rebel. I guess that makes me, the church boy, a bad boy.

Gravity Storm

Day 185 (Written Thursday June 14) ~ Ok, so it finally happened. Jimmy Buffett calls them gravity storms. Those days when life pulls you down to the ground and pins you down. Usually you just have to ride them out. I knew it was coming, I’ve been expecting it for awhile and it finally came today. I miss home. We moved to South Georgia the first of May and we spent three weeks in our new life and loved it. We talked everyday about how great it is. We knew we had to go back to Pulaski for two weeks because of preaching appointments, but truthfully, we dreaded it and didn’t want to go. We loved it here in Georgia so much that we didn’t want to go back to Tennessee. It hadn’t been long enough for us to miss it and want to go home, but we had to. Now, after two weeks back home, today we returned to South Georgia and I was ready to get back to our new home, but I really dreaded leaving Pulaski. The day before we left I started to get this really strong sense of dread and sadness. Once we got the van fully loaded (Clampett style once again), and got ready to leave my parents house to come back home, I got very, very emotional and sad. I’ve known this would come, and needs to come to process the changes and move forward with the new life, but it’s still painful. I think it has to do with the fact that I spent a couple of weeks at my parents house. It hit me that I’m not going to get to see them for at least two months and that made me very sad. Also, She wrote a Facebook status that really resonated with me. She mentioned that she loved being from a town where the people who work on our brakes tell us they will miss us and where the lady who makes my milkshakes at the drugstore wants to give us one more hug before we go. Tonight I’m back in Valdosta, tired, but ok. The emotion has subsided and we are getting back to our new normal. I still miss my family and wish it was easier to run home for a visit, but we are here for a reason and now that our suitcases are unpacked we can get back to normal, at least until we leave for Central America.

Southern Or Redneck?

Day 183 (Written Tuesday June 12) ~ Disclaimer: you may have a different definition of redneck than I do, and if that be the case I hope you aren’t offended. If you consider yourself a redneck, but don’t think my description is fitting of you, then you and I just have a different definition of redneck. No harm, no foul. If you’ve turned on a tv anytime in the last couple of months, it has been obvious to you that America has become fascinated by rednecks. Redneck Island and My Big Fat Redneck Vacation are CMT’s two most popular shows. Not too long ago Jeff Foxworthy broke onto the scene because of his redneck jokes and country music radio has fed the world a steady diet of redneck anthems (High Tech Redneck, Redneck Yacht Club, Redneck Woman). Some of you may not be aware of this, but there is a difference between being southern and being redneck. Please allow me to explain. The main thing you need to know is that rednecks aren’t only in the south and all southerners aren’t rednecks. Where I come from, rednecks is not a good thing. Redneck is synonym for ignorant, white trash. Rednecks are low class. Redneck may be popular, but its not a good thing. I am southern, I am country, I am hick, I am hillbilly, but I am not a redneck. I grew up with rednecks, worked with rednecks and have redneck family members. I speak fluent redneck and can spot one a mile away. I’ve met plenty of yankee rednecks. Kid Rock, who is from Detroit, Michigan, is like the template for redneck. Contrast that with southerners, hicks and hillbillies. They are honest, hard working, give you the shirt off their back, do anything for you, godly, salt of the earth kind of people. I proudly wear any of these names. Southerners are modeled more by Andy Griffin than Kid Rock. Sure we talk funny, have peculiar ways and can, at times be simple, but you’ll never meet better people anywhere.

Talking With Old Men

Day 181 (Written Sunday June 10) ~Lately I’ve picked up a new hobby. It’s something I’ve done many, many times for many, many years, but lately I’ve been really attuned to how enjoyable it can be. What is this hobby? Talking, or more accurately, really listening to old men. Please understand “old” is not used in a derogatory fashion, but merely a descriptive one. On the contrary, I have the utmost respect and appreciation for them. I love to listen to them describe life when it was simple. They are like a living history book describing life on a small farm, the Depression, the war and telling tales that need to be heard. They tell their stories with such enthusiasm. They speak with their whole bodies, raising their voices for emphasis, gesturing with their hands and scrunching their faces intensely. I love talking to them because they are a direct link to a time that will likely be no more. Digging deeper, it probably also has something to do with the fact that both my grandfathers are gone and through these men I can have an emotional connection to the old men who meant so much to me.

Mmmmmm, Motorboatin’

Day 177 (Written Wednesday June 6) ~ Ok, so you can blame Her for the title of this post. This is Her new favorite song and it is catchier than mono. I heard it for the first time tonight on the CMT awards and it is stuck in my head. I love the mandolin hook and the fact they drag out the word pontoooooon and drop the g off of motorboatin’. My reason for this post is not just to comment on one of the first country songs I’ve liked in 40 forevers, but to talk about our day at the river with friends. Yesterday we were invited by some of our good friends to join them, and several other of our good friends, for a cookout at their river house in Rogersville, Alabama. Our friendship is somewhat atypical because of the age discrepancies amongst us. We are the youngest of the group, clocking in at 36. The next youngest couple in the group is in their mid forties, and the other couples are between 50 and their 70’s. Do the math, when we were born, they were older than we are now! You would think that our group would have little in common, but you would be wrong. Here’s what we have in common: we love life, love to laugh and love being together.

Native Tongue

Day 175 (Written Monday June 4) ~ While I was back home I got to spend a lot of time with a lot of different people in a lot of different settings. I noticed how many different expressions and words we use that are unique to the South. During one conversation I sat listening to some “old timers” speaking and thought to myself, “If I was from somewhere other than here, I don’t know if I’d have any idea what these guys are saying.” When we were in Panama a couple of years ago, my translator would occasionally say to me “Say a different word” which was his way of telling me that whatever I had just said, he didn’t know how to translate it into Spanish. Below are a few words and expressions I have heard my whole life that I’d like to translate for my not quite so hillbilly friends. I’ll start with a few easy ones that you’re probably familiar with: reckon, as in, “I reckon I’ll go fishing at the river in the morning.” Reckon means, “I guess so, probably, yes.” Yonder, as in, “We’re heading up yonder tomorrow afternoon.” Yonder refers to any place that you have previously been discussing. You can go down yonder, up yonder, over yonder, in yonder and even out yonder. Ya’ll, as in, “Ya’ll come back now, ya hear.” Ya’ll simply means “you all” and can be used to refer to any number of people. Coke, as in, “Ya’ll want a coke?” Coke refers to any carbonated beverage: Pepsi, Sprite, Coke, Mountain Dew, Dr. Pepper, whatever. If you specifically want an actual Coke, you need to specify “Coca Cola.” Those were the easy ones, the ones you hear mentioned by Jeff Foxworthy and others all the time. Now I want to share with you a few really deep cuts that you won’t hear on My Big Redneck Vacation or any of the other homogenized hillbilly’s on CMT. Words like: geehaw, as in, “We tried out a new preacher, but he just didn’t geehaw with us.” Geehaw means “to fit in, connect with, get along with.” It comes from two words “Gee” and “Haw” which were the right and left commands for farmers plowing with a horse, ox or mule. An animal that wouldn’t gee or haw, wouldn’t work with the farmer. 40 forevers or a month of Sundays, as in, “ I haven’t seen ya’ll in 40 forevers” or “We haven’t been down there in a month of Sundays.” Both expressions are pretty simple. They just mean “a long time.” My two favorite, deep south, old school, country expressions are “drectly” and “trompsin” (no clue about how to spell those because I’ve only heard them spoken, never written). These two expressions were favorites of my Big Mamma. Drectly, I believe, is a contraction of the word “directly”. She used to say things like, “We’ll be down there drectly.” It was used to denote a time frame that could mean in a few minutes or a few hours. I loved hearing my grandmother say this word. On the other hand, I hated to hear her use “trompsin”, as in, “Don’t ya’ll come trompsin through here after I just finished mopping this floor.” Trompsin was to track up a just vacuumed, swept or mopped floor. It meant you were walking through there making a mess like you owned the place. When I hear someone use one of these expressions I know they are as country as collard greens, and not just a midwesterner playing hick (I'm talking to you Larry the Cable Guy).

People Let Me Tell You ‘Bout My Best Friend

Day 178 (Written Thursday June 7) ~ Someday I’m going to tell you all about my “Brain Trust” (four best friends that I turn to in tough times or when I need to make big decisions and get serious advice), but for today I’m just going to focus on one of them. The first time I saw Tony Choate was when he walked into the Knight Arnold Church of Christ auditorium on the Sunday night before we began the fall quarter at the Memphis School of Preaching. He was wearing a bright purple suit. He looked like Where’s Waldo and Barney had a child. I will be the first to admit that I am not a great judge of character on first impressions. Too often I am quick to judge on first impressions and then change my mind in time. This was the case with Tony. At first I didn’t like him. I thought he was goofy, weird and didn’t take things serious enough. Fifteen years later I KNOW he is goofy, weird and doesn’t take things seriously and those are good things. I can’t honestly remember when we started being friends, but I think it was shortly after the school and church moved to the new building. Tony and Emily had an apartment by the new school and we started going there for lunch every day. We would watch Jerry Springer (we thought we were being such rebels) and play video games. Keep in mind, although we were married (and I had kids), we were by age just juniors in college. Somewhere during that time we started going to drive in movies, college football games, pro wrestling and hanging out playing games at each of our houses, and became best friends. He is a great youth minister and he is a huge reason why I am in mission work today because he kept after me until I finally went with him on my first mission trip a few years ago. Needless to say, we had so much fun on that trip too. When I was asked to go into missions full time, he was one of the first people I called to get advice and guidance from. I was reminded of how much fun we’ve had together this week when I went to visit. We spent an hour talking about things we were doing and working on, plans we had and swapping ideas about church stuff. He has always been one of my greatest motivators and idea givers. He went with me to hear me preach and on the way back we spent an hour laughing that kind of laughter that is like therapy. It was such a great visit and such a greatly needed night of laughter. Its great to have a friend who can laugh with you, inspire you and advise you in the toughest moments of your life. The only thing I can think of that I don’t like about him is that he lives too far away and I don’t get to see him nearly enough.

My Fine Furry And Feathered Friends

Day 176 (Written Tuesday June 5) ~ Today I walked around the farm a little bit and was reminded of some of the things that I am missing since being gone. During our ten years on the farm I had gotten used to seeing an array of critters that entertained me. One of them was the large blue herron that enjoyed perching on our rock wall and fishing in our creek. I always thought he was so majestic standing on one leg for long periods of time remaining perfectly still. However, he scared the mess out of me on more than one occasion when I would walk out the back door in the mornings to go to work, only to have him take flight about twenty feet from me. If you’ve ever heard the loud “whoop, whoop” sound their wings make as they lift off, you know what I mean. Then there were the turkeys, to whom our back pasture was apparently a singles bar. I have seen over three dozen back there at one time. In early spring (March and April) we would leave our windows up all the time and when I got up in the mornings I could hear them gobbling on the back ridge. I would usually stand there in the morning when I got up and watch them strut across the pasture. A few times they even came up as close as the sidewalk at my front porch. Turkeys are one of my absolutely most favorite animals in the world (mainly because they remind me of teenage boys, but that is another post for another day). Another favorite of mine is the big, fat groundhog who sat by the side of the road every couple of weeks. I would laugh every single time I saw him. He would just be sitting up on his hind legs, chewing on some grass and watching the cars go by in the morning. He always looked so chill and it cracked me up. He may have been the coolest animal I’ve ever seen. I always imagined that he was taunting everyone by saying, “Enjoy work today humans. I’ll just be kickin’ it by the road, eatin’ me some food.” You don’t have to say it, I know, I’ve got issues, too much time on my hands and a way too active imagination. Hands down, my favorite of them all was Huey P. Long. This was the name I gave to the Kingfisher who perched on the power line at the end of my driveway virtually every day. For those of you who aren’t Louisiana history buffs, Huey P. Long was the governor of Louisiana in the 1930’s who’s slogan was “A chicken in every pot and every man a king.” He was probably very corrupt (aren’t all Louisiana politicians?), but he was also very adept and getting things done (read about how he got LSU’s football stadium expanded and roads built all over rural Louisiana). His nickname was, the Kingfisher. He is without a doubt my favorite historical politician (what? doesn’t everyone have a favorite historical politician?) and so I named my favorite bird in his honor. I saw this bird almost everyday of my life for nearly ten years. Perhaps it was actually children of the original Huey P. Long bird that I saw year after year (I don’t know the life span of Kingfishers), but I could count on that bird being there each day and he rarely disappointed. Perhaps I should note that since returning, I have yet to see him. Actually I haven’t see any of them. I wonder if they have been thinking the same thing about me?

The South You Won’t See On CMT

Day 173 (Written Saturday June 2) ~ I am often amused, and even more often frustrated by the stereotypes of southern life that you usually see in the movies or tv. The worst offender is actually “country” music (shame on you, you’re as bad as rappers using derogatory racist terms). If you watch an hour of CMT you’d reach the conclusion that all we do is have impromptu parties down by the creek, out by the lake, up in a barn loft or in the middle of a corn field, where girls in cowboy boots, daisy dukes and tied up at the belly flannel shirts dance in truck beds while we good ole boys in our sleeveless t-shirts fight or play a guitar. Have I done all of these things? Yes, but nowhere nearly as often as depicted in country music videos. And the only girls I have ever known that actually wear cowboy boots and hats are the city girls who are trying to “look country” because of what they see in videos. Sorry I’m getting on my soapbox and off my subject. There are, however, a number of stereotypical southern thangs that are very accurate and, by me, dearly beloved. Sweet tea. My Big Mamma made what was essentially tea flavored Kool Aid, with so much sugar in it you could stand a spoon up in the glass. Fried chicken. Yes we eat it a lot and no KFC and Cracker Barrel can’t hold a candle to pretty much anyone’s granny’s recipe. But my favorite of all is southern ceremonies like weddings and funerals. Have you seen the wedding scene from Steel Magnolias? That captures it as well as anything I’ve ever seen. This weekend I got to enjoy a wonderful Southern wedding (Congratulations Jake & Leslie!). It was outdoors in the evening, lights in the trees, hydrangeas on the tables, the mommas and grandmothers made most everything, Coca-Cola, Sun-Drop, Orange Crush and Nehi Grape in the bottle in ice tubs, mason jar lanterns and barefoot brides and bridesmaids. It was everything I love about being Southern. You won’t see this in a Kenny Chesney video, but this is the real South. I’m American by birth and Southern by the grace of God, ya’ll.

Mamma, I’m Coming Home

Day 172 (Written Friday (June 1) ~ Today I make the long journey back home to visit. I don’t live there anymore and I don’t have a house to go to. I will stay at my parents house. I haven’t lived with my parents since 1994 and have only stayed with them overnight a few times during that time. I’m both excited and dreading it. We have only been in Georgia for three weeks so we really haven’t had time to put down roots and I am enjoying doing that. I am sure I am going to begin missing my hometown eventually, but I haven’t been gone long enough for that to start (how can I miss you if you won’t go away?). It will be fun and I will enjoy getting to see our good friends that I haven’t seen in nearly a month (which actually isn’t that unusual because our life has always been a hectic stay on the go type of lifestyle), and I have plenty of work to do while I’m there. Also, it will be nice to have a little time before we head overseas. After these couple of weeks I won’t be back for two months and after that two more months and after that, who knows.

Riders On The Storm

Day 168 (Written Monday May 28) ~ Today we experienced our first Tropical Storm, Beryl. It formed quickly off the Atlantic Coast and made landfall in Jacksonville and moved inward to Valdosta. How did we deal with the storm? We hopped in the car and headed West to Seaside, Florida and outran it. In Valdosta there was a torrential downpour, but three hours West it was blue skies and sunshine. We had a beautiful day at the beach and it was fascinating to see the swirling clouds as we got to Tallahassee on our way back home. We got tickled at all of the family in friends in Tennessee that were worrying about our safety (I can assure you we were never in anything close to danger). Tropical Storm Beryl was actually a blessing because he deposited a bunch of much needed rain. Now I’m curious to see what happens when a hurricane hits nearby. When that happens, we may be making an unexpected trip back to Tennessee.

Daddy’s Hands

Day 166 (Written Saturday May 26) ~ Growing up my dad and I always related to one another through sports. From the time I was five until I started playing high school ball my dad coached me in most all the sports I played. We have watched a thousand games on tv and in person together, even the bitter rivalry of the Third Saturday In October (Tennessee vs. Alabama, we root for opposite teams). We have played more rounds of golf together than I can remember. We’ve gone to high school, college and pro games in baseball, basketball and football. We’ve gone to Nashville, Memphis, Birmingham, Knoxville, Tuscaloosa, Atlanta, Boston and Chicago. Sports is our thing. Sports have always been our thing. But sports is kind of our only thing. We just don’t have a great deal in common outside of sports. We don’t like much of the same music (we do both like 50’s, but he also likes Train, yikes), he isn’t a fan of reading (although he read a couple of mafia related books that I liked) and he thinks most of the movies I like are weird. We do both love food, a lot, although he doesn’t share my love of cooking it. There have been times when I have wondered if we were even related. We can just be so different, but then there are days like today. I bought a fixer upper lawnmower for when I moved to Georgia and I got it cheap. I invested a small amount into getting it fixed and was ready to go. Only I wasn’t. Once we got it off the truck and started it up there was a problem, the blades didn’t work. It’s funny how adversity can often be the ingredients for magic. One way in which I am just like my dad is in our disdain for and frustration with mechanical things. I have had people screaming in my face, spitting all over me in the process, grabbing me by my tie and all the while I stay as cool as the other side of the pillow, but you let a weed eater not start after a few pulls on the cord and I might literally throw it into the creek while screaming incomprehensible syllables of rage. This fact is what makes today all the more amazing in my mind. So what happened? Dad and I got under the lawnmower, got out the tools, figured out what was wrong and fixed it! For many men this would be a “So what?”, but for us this was a really big deal. We are not the fixing kind of guys. Granted, I have noticed in the last eight or so years that my dad has really gotten good at fixing stuff, and I am getting better, but this was a big deal. Not just that we did it, but that WE did it. He needed my help and I needed his. I couldn’t have ever done it without him. This may sound silly to some who are more mechanically inclined, but this is one of the proudest moments of my life. I had such a sense of accomplishment and pride and closeness to my dad. It was the same feeling I used to get when we would play catch in the yard when I was a kid. Who would have ever thought that a tool in my dad’s hands could not only fix my lawnmower but also build a bond between us?

We’ll Leave A Light On For You

Day 165 (Written Friday May 25) ~ This weekend is a special one in our house because it marks the first visitors from home to come and visit us in Georgia. My parents, along with the Glovers are coming to visit and go to the theme park to see The Band Perry in concert. We’re excited because we love it here, we love them and we want them to see why we love it here. For those of you thinking about stopping in to visit us, let me mention a few reasons why you might want to: the weather here is nice (hot in the summer, but very mild winters), it has a very tropical/coastal feel to it (lots of water, palm trees, sand, sun), the coast is very close....both of them (Gulf and Atlantic), water is everywhere (beautiful lakes), there is stuff to do here (locals don’t think that so much, but compared to Pulaski, there is stuff to do here), Spanish moss in ancient oak trees are everywhere, we have an amusement park ten minutes from our house (Wild Adventures, look it up online) and all of the following places are within a 3 hour drive: Orlando (Disneyland, Universal Studios, what what!), Savannah, Saint Simons Island, Destin/Panama City Beach/Seaside, Atlanta, Jacksonville, Tampa and for you football fans Gainesville and Tallahassee. If you can’t find something around here that will entertain you, then you must not be interested in anything. Ya’ll come and see us when you can. We’ll leave a light on for you.

My Favorite Poems: Desiderate (Desired Things) by Max Ehrman

Day 174 (Written Sunday June 3) ~ This poem is almost hypnotic to me and is in so many ways the epitome of why I love poetry. It has the ability to put you in a trance with its flow, all the while it educates you and fills you with optimism. This poem reads, to me, almost like an excerpt from the book of Proverbs and I have tried to live out its challenges in my life. Wherein I have succeeded, it has produced tremendous contentment. Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, 
and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible, without surrender, 
be on good terms with all persons. 
Speak your truth quietly and clearly; 
and listen to others, 
even to the dull and the ignorant; 
they too have their story. 
Avoid loud and aggressive persons; 
they are vexatious to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, 
you may become vain or bitter, 
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. 
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. 
Keep interested in your own career, however humble; 
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. Exercise caution in your business affairs, 
for the world is full of trickery. 
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; 
many persons strive for high ideals, 
and everywhere life is full of heroism. 
Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. 
Neither be cynical about love, 
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, 
it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, 
gracefully surrendering the things of youth. 
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. 
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. 
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, 
be gentle with yourself. 
You are a child of the universe 
no less than the trees and the stars; 
you have a right to be here. 
And whether or not it is clear to you, 
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, 
whatever you conceive Him to be. 
And whatever your labors and aspirations, 
in the noisy confusion of life, 
keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, 
it is still a beautiful world. 
Be cheerful. Strive to be happy.

Even More Quotes I Love

Day 171 (Written Thursday May 31) ~ We should prepare our children in such a way that our ceiling is their floor. A church is a spiritual crock pot, not a microwave. “Never cry over anything that can’t cry over you.” Vittorio de Sica to Sophia Loren after her jewelry was stolen “Wrinkles only go where the smiles have been.” Jimmy Buffett (Barefoot Children In The Rain) “Pain is inevitable. Misery is optional.” Jesse Duplantis “To reach the port of Heaven, we must sail, sometimes with the wind and sometimes against it -- but we must sail, not drift, or lie at anchor.” Oliver Wendell Holmes “There is only one way to acquire wisdom. But when it comes to making a fool of yourself, you have your choice of thousands of ways of doing it.” E.C. McKenzie “Once upon a time in a fabulous, far-away land a frog was transformed into a handsome prince with just a kiss...we call this a ‘fairytale.’ In an equally fabulous, but less far-away land, a single-cell organism was transformed into a man with just a lot of wishful thinking...we call this ‘the general theory of evolution.’” Rex Banks

My Favorite Poems: Slow Dance

Day 170 (Written Wednesday May 30) ~ Lately my life has been a little hectic, a little frantic, and as I told my mom, seems to be stuck on fast forward. With that being the case, the timing of this poem couldn’t be better. Perhaps you can relate. Have you ever watched kids
On a merry-go-round?
Or listened to the rain
Slapping on the ground?

Ever followed a 
butterfly's erratic flight?
Or gazed at the sun into the fading night? 
You better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

Do you run through each day
On the fly?
When you ask How are you?
Do you hear the reply?

When the day is done
Do you lie in your bed
With the next hundred chores
Running through your head?

You'd better slow down
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last. 
Ever told your child,
We'll do it tomorrow?
And in your haste,
Not see his sorrow?

Ever lost touch,
Let a good friendship die
Cause you never had time
To call and say,"Hi"

You'd better slow down.
Don't dance so fast.
Time is short.
The music won't last.

When you run so fast to get somewhere
You miss half the fun of getting there, 
When you worry and hurry 
through your day,
It is like an unopened 
gift....Thrown away.
 Life is not a race.
Do take it slower
Hear the music
Before the song is over.

More Quotes I Love

Day 169 (Written Tuesday May 29) ~ Many of you enjoyed the first round of quotes, I hope you like these too. Those of you who love sports will likely enjoy these the most because they are all football related. “The man who complains about the way the ball bounces is likely to be the one who dropped it.” Lou Holtz / Arkansas “I make my practices real hard because if a player is a quitter, I want him to quit in practice, not in a game.”  Bear Bryant / Alabama “Football is not a contact sport - it is a collision sport.  Dancing is a contact sport.”  Duffy Daugherty / Michigan State “Son, you've got a good engine, but your hands aren't on the steering wheel.”   Bobby Bowden / Florida State "The first person I would like to thank is the good Lord, for giving me the ability to play the game of football. Because without the ability to play the game I would have been at Auburn." -- Marty Lyons

My Favorite Poems: I Am Lousiana

Day 167 (Written Sunday May 27) ~ I won’t rehash my love of Louisiana, there are plenty of my blog entries that explain all of that. But I did want to share with you one of my favorite poems, written by Paul Ott, that just happens to be the state cultural poem of Louisiana (adopted in 2006). It tells so many of the things that I too love about the best money the U.S. government ever spent. I'm Spanish moss on a live oak tree
Cajun fried shrimp and a cypress knee.
I'm Bienville, Captain Shreve, Beauregard, Zack Taylor and Jean Lafitte.
I'm New Orleans, the land of dreams Creole cookin' and a Mardi Gras king.
I'm a thoroughbred racin' at Louisiana Downs,
Avery Island and a Catahoula hound.
I'm the Louisiana Hayride and the birth of the blues,
The Evangeline, Chickory Coffee and Baton Rouge.
I'm when the Saints Go Marchin' In the Superdome,
The Atchafalaya and an old plantation home.
I'm jambalaya, a catfish fry and a filet gumbo,
A sugar cane patch, Pete Fountain, French Quarter and Satchmo.
Well, I'm the Mississippi River as it rounds the bend.
I am Louisiana. Ya'll Come Back Again.

Quotes I Love

Day 164 (Written Thursday May 24) ~ I collect many things: rocks, copies of the book “Don’t Stop The Carnival” by Herman Wouk, vinyl records, Louisiana artifacts, and quotes. I collect quotes. I have lists and lists of quotes all over. They are written on random pieces of paper, typed in computer files, printed on plaques. They are all around me. I collect them because I love the power of words, their ability to evoke emotion and provoke action and shape thought. I decided that I am going to start sharing some of my favorite quotes with those who read my blog in hopes of passing on the wisdom and humor contained therein. Here are a few I love. I hope you enjoy: Life’s too short to worry, life’s too long to wait, life’s too short not to love everybody, life is too long to hate. Todd Snider Worry is like praying for what you don’t want to happen. A good teacher says 500 things one time, a great teacher says one thing 500 times. "God’s ways have always been mysterious. Who but God would select one childless couple to begin His chosen nation or allow His own Son to be born in poverty and live infancy as a refugee? Who but God would let the denier preach on Pentecost or call the persecutor to preach? Who but God would allow His lead evangelist to work and write from prison? Part of God’s ongoing mystery story is His amazing ability to use the most unlikely people in the most unlikely settings to accomplish His will. Prison bars may limit mobility, but they cannot limit service. They may limit freedom, but they cannot limit faith. God can work over, through, and around every circumstance." One Sabbath, a minister began his sermon in this way: "I'd like to make three points today.  First, there are millions of people around the world who are going to hell.  Second, most of us sitting here today do not give a damn about it."  After a lengthy pause he continued: "My third point is that you are more concerned that I, your pastor, said the word damn than you are about the millions of people going to hell."

My Favorite Poems: Allow Me To Introduce The Christ

Day 163 (Written Wednesday May 23) ~ Seeing as it is Bible study night, I wanted to share one of my favorite poems with you that serves as somewhat of a sermon too. I do not know the name of the girl who wrote this, but I once saw her deliver this as a half rap, half song, half sermon, half spoken word poem. It is quite lengthy, but I assure you the message is worth the time it will take to read it. I hope you enjoy: We’ve got a False Jesus being portrayed. As seen on TV, acting cool….you see he’s changed.
A different Jesus from the Bible so…allow me to bring the real Christ on stage. Not that whack Jesus, the one not based on fact Jesus, too often displayed. The Christ in Glory, not the one on your chain.
Because he’s the real Jesus Peace that only dwells in the saved. So allow me to paint the picture of Christ in the Scripture preaching faith and repentance that your too cool Jesus….never seems to mention. It seems like he’s down with all the things that you do. But come on, there’s only one Jesus who is true. So which one will you let reign over you? Who?
The Millionaire Jesus who just wants to make you rich? Give you some ice, fame, money, to prove that you are blessed? The Black Panther Jesus who throws up his black fist. The ‘Kan…Ye…West’ Jesus who walks with no Holiness. Which one will you choose? I said….Which one will you choose?
So I think it is long overdo to have a re-introduction of Christ. So there won’t be any confusion as to which one is right, because one leads to death, and the other IS life! So allow me to, re-introduce the Christ. Allow me to, re-introduce the Christ. I said allow me to re-introduce the Christ! He’s been distorted by the people and IT JUST AIN’T RIGHT!
Allow me to re-introduce the Christ. Not someone you can pimp around to propel your cause. Or a name you can proclaim just to cover your flaws. Look if this is true then you’re serving a different Boss. Your Christ is an idol and you’re probably lost.
Because Christ in the scripture? He gave a call to forsake all. Not to wear a cross but to take up your cross and follow Him. Because we’re holding a death sentence because of our sin. And it’s His Mercy that His wrath hasn’t burned times ten. Just like Sodom and Gomorrah but a curse within. You see He gives us a chance to learn of Him!
So that He can be glorified in His rightful place. So if we’re serving this imitation Jesus, dude, it’s like a blatant slap in the face, distorting His grace and disregarding His sacrifice. For a worldly Christ, like the ‘Purpose Driven Life’ Jesus, who prophesied you’ll be used by him before you’re living like Jesus.
Or that S.A.T. Jesus who helps you with all your quizzes, gets you into college, allows you to pass math and physics, the homosexual Jesus who doesn’t see you sinning. The ‘Destiny’s Child’ Jesus who sees your Beyoncé and starts grinning. Which one will you choose? I said…which one will you choose?
So I think it is long overdue to have a re-introduction of Christ. So there won’t be any confusion as to which one is right, because one leads to death, and the other IS life! So allow me to.. re-introduce the Christ.
Allow me to … re-introduce the Christ. He’s been distorted by the people and IT JUST AIN’T RIGHT!
So allow me to re-introduce the Christ.
Not someone that we can cover His mouth, so we can continue our nose in the dirt, so He doesn’t require us to repent of all sins, to be born again, to never blend in with this world, and Broadway is the street that walks the Material Girl, she’s got you seduced, she feeds you a phony Jesus that doesn’t want to save you from your sins but wants to…”Kick it with you.”
Like…”Jesus is my Homeboy”..or “Jesus got me employed” or “Jesus is my Decoy”, But will the real Jesus please stand up? The ONE who is TRUE! Because He’s been, knocked down, pushed down, and these idols come in, he wrecked it up, he wrecked it up to the point that if the real Jesus came back right now…Dude, the Church would probably hang Him upside down! Pin Him to one of these beams and crucify Him again. Because he’s not down with your sin! And it hurts me to see how the Church will defend their lifestyle. Like, Wow! Don’t we want to know Christ? The one who willingly gave His life to set us free from our sin you see.
And I must do this by ANY means necessary. See, I must NEVER hide the LIGHT! So tonight, I’m going to introduce Jesus Christ. I said I’m going to introduce Jesus Christ because He’s been distorted by the people and IT JUST AIN’T RIGHT! So I’m going to introduce Jesus Christ because one day…Dude…. He is coming back and it’s important that you recognize Him because the scripture talks about that.
Many people saying….”I’m Jesus….No, I’m Jesus…No, I’m Jesus” But which one is fact? And you got to get into the Bible to see about that, that He’s coming in the clouds with Power and Glory, and every knee will bow, testify to His authority. So this Jesus of the scripture better take priority, not the one that’s accepted every where by the majority, when He Himself said the world would hate Him! So why all of a sudden does the world want to date Him? Think about it.
Hopefully you haven’t given in to this ‘Come as you are, stay as you are’ Jesus. ‘He has this wonderful plan for my Life’ Jesus, ‘You don’t need repentance’ Jesus…or ‘All roads lead to Jesus.’ I hope you haven’t given in to this, but you serve the One who is Holy. Because it will be something if on Judgement day the Jesus you’ve been serving was simply an angel of light, which covered a legion of demons masquerading as Christ. All this time serving a Jesus who’s not been pierced at his feet and the wrists, who has no sword coming out of his mouth, No rod of Righteousness! To go on day by day by day, and willingly MISS because we’re serving a created image that leads you to the Abyss.
So lets get into scripture, so we’re not fooled by this Jesus who when were sinning he’s still with us, Won’t get into this Jesus that the world loves, and he’s cool with your worldly music, worldly TV, you going to the club, your sex, your lies, your vanity, your phony love, the very thing that caused Christ in the scripture to shed blood.
So let’s make sure we’re serving the right Christ, not a wolf in sheep’s clothing that’s got you enticed. The TRUE ONE, want to make you new ONE, The ONLY begotten SON!
So I think it’s long overdue for you to be introduced tonight. Everybody help me welcome…Jesus Christ!