One Crazy Month!

June has really been a busy month for me. We have worked a lot of overtime at work and that, along with the rest of my "normal" life has really kept me on the go. I'll give you an example:

This past week was our Regional Campmeeting. Services started on Wednesday and went through Sunday night. Since I work 2nd shift, I was only able to make Saturday and Sunday but on Thursday night they were having a recognition for all of the MIP candidates. I had worked hard for it and wanted to be there but since I have missed so much work this year with my Toe problems, I knew I couldn't make the entire service. Since the Campmeeting was only about 1 mile from where I worked, I asked if I could leave for awhile and that request was granted.

At 7:00 p.m. Debbie picked me up from work. I had brought a change of shirt and Tie and a Sportcoat so when we arrived at 7:05 I went straight in to change. By 7:15 they had started the presentation which went very well. By 7:40 I was back at work for the rest of the evening.

Looking back on it, it was a little strange. Not the ceremony but the course of the day. At one point I was at work, directing people in what to do in order to get the job done. Within 15 minutes I was standing in front of a few hundred people with my fellow classmates and within 40 minutes I was back at work as if nothing had ever happened.

That one evening is a snapshot of June for me. I wonder what July will bring???

Politically correct incorrectness??

The "buzz word" of the past decade or so has been "politically correct." (or incorrect depending upon ones usage) I have always found this to be a fascinating ideaology for several reasons.

Who determines what is politically correct or incorrect? And how did we ever survive all this time without it? :<) Is it a Committee function or a dictatorial one? Is there a Political correctness Police force? Or is it a Volunteer effort.

Hopefully by now, you can see that I am rather tongue in cheek about this but there is a whole boat load of hypocrisy in the ideaology, that's for certain.

What do I mean? Well, let's look at it this way, shall we? For generation after generation the Church was the moral compass that society lived by. Those that lived within the codes of faith were generally good, hard working and respectable people and those that did not live within those same codes were generally respectful of those that did. How people behaved publicly was, in great part, due to these same values or codes.

Then we went into an era where "seperation of Church and State" became perverted from what the framers of the Constitution originally intended. If you were to do a true historical study you would see that the said intent was to prevent the State from dictating to the Church. It was never intended in a vice versa manner. This is obviously true from everything that those early Fathers of our nation did. "In God we trust", beginning sessions of Congress with prayer, and even beginning the convening of the Supreme Court in like manner.

So what happened? As a Nation, we forgot how to behave in a respectable manner. I remember a time, "back in my day" (LOL) when men would not swear with women or children in their company. Now days, women and children could teach a Sailor a thing or two! We discarded the Church and upheld our "freedom of speech" to the point of abuse. And then we decided that "something had to be done!" So now, we have "Political correctness" in an attempt to restore what had been done so well and for so long. It's hypocrisy, plain and simple.

I know how to act and I'm sure of what I think. I may be wrong but I also believe that I have a right to be wrong. I also believe that you have a right to be wrong and it seldom offends me when you are. I've come to a conclusion in life and that is this: The most often offended people in the world are the ones continually looking to be offended. What a sad way to live! Pardon my incorrectness.

Back in my Day!

Is there anything more funny than the premise of the "back in my day" thinking? It seems that every generation takes great joy in looking back on what they have "suffered" and are certain that the present generation couldn't cut the mustard of "my day!"

I chuckle every time I hear someone older than I, bemoaning the fact that we now have remotes for our remotes! The insinuation is how lazy we are for our technology! The reason I chuckle is that I grew up as part of a generation that would get called into the house on a Saturday so that WE could change the Channel! AND WE ONLY HAD THREE BACK THEN! lol It's no wonder we have developed so many remotes.

Yes, things have changed over the years but at the heart I think we are mostly the same. I would hate to have to prove that by going through a "Great Depression" but I think the spirit that made America still exists in more measure than most believe.

I've been practicing a new discipline recently and that is to always attempt to look for the best in everything. Admittedly, it is a tough discipline because our very nature seems to focus on the worst, first. But I believe that this discipline is worth the effort because I believe that there is a whole lot more "good" out there than we generally believe. On the plus side, I can afford to be wrong. I'm betting someone reading this probably thinks I am! LOL

This "Dad" thing

I've been a Dad for more than 9 years now and it just dawned on me this past weekend, that I'm just now getting to the tough part!!!

I went to Sam's little league game on Saturday and I wasn't sure that I would survive! It was really funny too because it was a totally different side of "pressure" for me. I played in Softball leagues for many years and I loved the pressure side of it. I wanted to be "at bat" when the game was on the line. In the field I wanted the ball hit to me, especially when it counted most. Sometimes I was succesful and sometimes I would blow it but the point is that I welcomed pressure filled situations. Saturday, I found out that I didn't like them too much as a Dad!

Sam hasn't quite embraced my love for baseball in the manner that I have. I have never made him play but we have maintained one rule concerning sports and that is: "you can try whatever you think you might like but no matter what, once you start you will finish the Season." I do that for two reasons. One is, the emphasis on being part of a Team and two is, Quitting never gets you anywhere in life. So this year has been an interesting one to say the least. Sam hasn't wanted to quit but he is looking forward to the end of the Season! LOL

I'm not one of those "live your dream through your child" little league Dads. While I want him to succeed, I have always emphasized doing your best and walking off the field with your head held high for doing so no matter the outcome. I've only had words with his Coach once and that had nothing to do with the game itself but his langauge during it.

Anyway, on Saturday, Sam's team was facing a team with an identical record with both teams vying for a playoff spot. Definitely the most pressure they have faced this year! The first two innings, Sam's team got it handed to them pretty good but by the third inning the comeback was on. By the final inning, (Sam's team being the home team) they were down three runs, the bases were loaded, there were two outs and yep, you guessed it, it was Sam's at bat. I have played in Tournament games where I never experienced what I experienced Saturday! I was nervous almost to the point of being sick. This is how the rest played out: (italicized words are my thoughts)

1st pitch, Ball one. "hey, maybe he will get a walk!"

2nd pitch, Ball two. "Alright, walk one in and let someone else have this!"

3rd pitch, Strike one. "That's OK, just need two more balls"

4th pitch, Sam swung and made contact. "Alright! He hit it good! But it's going foul."

I would like to finish with a 5th pitch that he hit over the fence to win the game but the fact is that on the 5th pitch, Sam went down swinging. Game over.

After his team briefly met, I walked over to him and he looked up disappointed and said, "Dad, I lost the game." I wrapped my arm around him as we walked and said, "No, you didn't lose the game, your team lost the game and I want you to know how proud I am of you because even though you didn't hit the last pitch, you tried!"

I don't know how I would have reacted if he had the game winning hit. I couldn't sit down while watching the at bat, I had to stand and then at times, I didn't want to look but I couldn't stand not looking. I'm certain that I would have been one proud Papa given a different outcome but I don't think I could have been any more proud of the young man that walked off of that field and in that moment, I understood a whole lot more of what being "Dad" is about.

Schools out

I have recently finished my classroom studies for the Ministerial Internship program. While I still have a few test to make up, I am on my way to eventually becoming Ordained. I am proud to be part of this particular group of people. I believe the friendships fostered here will last a lifetime and I look forward to seeing what each of these individuals will bring to the kingdom of God.

The past few weeks have been extremely busy with overtime at work, coupled with the duties of the Church but hopefully, things will slow down a bit in the near future and I can get back into posting something semi-regularly. Thanks for your patience!