The following is a quote from Hallowed Ground Outdoors:
"Hallowed Ground Outdoors is the story about the roots of who we are as hunters. It's the story about what drives us as outdoorsmen and where that passion takes us. When we step into the outdoors, we have the privilege of standing in the presence of God through the power and majesty of His creation. That makes hunting more than a sport or a hobby. It's a calling to something greater. And that transforms the places that we stand into something more than a cropfield or a pasture or a mountain. It makes that place Hallowed Ground".
I have been blessed with two children who love the outdoors as much as I do. What an opportunity I have as a father to use the outdoors to teach my kids about the cycle and value of life! When a child goes hunting or fishing they endure the lows of waiting for animals that might not show up....and the occasional highs of encountering a big deer or a strong fish. Recovering, skinning, and dressing a kill teaches them about appreciation and sacrifice. These are all life lessons that parallel the seasons in our faith and life, but the most important lesson is in the process!
When we sit in a tree we should notice if it is an Oak, maybe a Poplar, or whatever. What does the bark smell like? Seeing a deer blowing steam from its nostrils as the sun glistens off of the frost is majestic in its own right! Including my kids in these activities allows me to remind them (and myself) that they aren't just engaging in a hobby. They are taking part in a symphony from the greatest composer of all! We must realize that the talks we have, the encouragement we give, and even the flat rocks we skip are more important than what we catch or shoot. After a day of hunting or fishing we will either bring something home...or not. Learning to appreciate the "in between" rather than focusing on the result is where God will shows us peace, contentment, and fulfillment. That is when we stand tall on Hallowed Ground!
Sunday, August 11, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Val vs El Toro Loco
Enjoying a fresh a fresh cup of coffee before the kids awaken often allows me to ponder a few random thoughts. Sometimes they are meaningless thoughts about the birds and squirrels I see or maybe reflections of life in general. This morning I am sitting here thinking of how my two boys have fallen in love with catching fish...any kind of fish. It is a joy to watch them interact at a creek or river while on the quest for the next fish. Their enthusiasm constantly inspires me!
Case's first name is actually "Brazos" which is the longest river in TX as well as the name of the county in which he was born. The early Spanish explorers called it "Rio de los Brazos de Dios" translated as "The River of the Arms of God". It flows approximately eight hundred forty miles through the center of Texas and is mentioned in many songs form all genres of music from Lyle Lovett to ZZ Top. A battle between the Texas Navy and the Mexican Navy was fought on the Brazos during the Texas Revolution as well. It is dammed in three places and runs along side nineteen major reservoirs before it empties into the gulf near Freeport, TX. In Brazos County, TX there was one historic event that I haven't read about in a book.
I had heard that many monster size Catfish called the Brazos River home, and had seen evidence along fences near the river. Locals displayed their trophies by hanging big fish heads over their fence posts. Valerie and I decided to see if we could catch a monster so we headed to a friend's farm that would give us access. Here, the Brazos River cut through fields and pastures and had muddy steep banks with many fallen trees. A few head of cattle took shelter nearby as we walked through the woods with our fishing poles. There were feral hogs all over the river valley so we took our guard dog, "Gretta Bean" just in case.
Gretta Bean was a mighty black and tan hound that stood a full eight inches tall and measured over a foot long. There was never a slice of Granny Smith Apple or any pecan half that she didn't tear to pieces and devour. It is safe to say that we were protected.....from apples and pecans maybe...
Val and I grew up in Tennessee near the same town and went to the same schools. We were both as country as jelly beans but I was around cattle a lot and had zero fear of the bovine critters. I was about to discover that Valerie and I did not share in this same temperament! As we walked up and down the edge of the high bank searching for a place to fish, a distant bull screeched. The screech I am talking about is the classic high pitched "whoooooooh" that you hear them do all the time. "What in the heck was that?" she exclaimed. "A bull" I said without looking at her or breaking my stride. After she asked me a time or two more, I paused to reassure here that he wasn't close and that there was no danger. I did notice that here eyes had gotten sort of big and she had taken the persona of a very paranoid individual.
After a few minutes the bull "whoooooohed" a few more times as we walked passed cows on our search for water access. By this time,Val had gotten plain old skittish. She was looking from side to side and creeping like she was stalking a cougar or something! Our attack hound, Gretta, was happily trotting ahead of us sniffing all things stinky. I must say that I was amused at Val's obvious fear of the distant bull. O Father forgive me for I could not resist the temptation to be mischievous! I fell behind her a few steps and just kept chatting with her from behind. When the bull screeched again she asked "Can you see the bull yet?". I didn't answer her. I just paused a second or two and then sprinted past her. As I passed, I was looking backwards over my shoulder and exclaimed, "You Better Run!" in my most fearful voice. The next few seconds made Brazos River history...
I will tell you that it doesn't really matter how short your legs are. If you have the proper motivation, you can run FAST! Before I even had my head turned back around straight, Val had sprinted passed me, reached down and scooped Gretta Bean up, and was melting the soles off of her shoes. Before she reached the next zip code she turned to see if I was close behind. What she saw was me gasping on my hands and knees laughing uncontrollably. The bull was still off in the distance but he stopped screeching and started laughing too! As soon as the color returned to my beautiful wife's face, she chuckled a little in between all of the threats she was shouting at me.
I don't even remember wetting a line that day. If we did, we certainly didn't catch a fish! What would life be without a little light hearted humor? We need to remember to live in the "now" and try to make every single day one worth writing a story about. If we do this, it will keep our perspective and maybe make our history books a little bit thicker!
Case's first name is actually "Brazos" which is the longest river in TX as well as the name of the county in which he was born. The early Spanish explorers called it "Rio de los Brazos de Dios" translated as "The River of the Arms of God". It flows approximately eight hundred forty miles through the center of Texas and is mentioned in many songs form all genres of music from Lyle Lovett to ZZ Top. A battle between the Texas Navy and the Mexican Navy was fought on the Brazos during the Texas Revolution as well. It is dammed in three places and runs along side nineteen major reservoirs before it empties into the gulf near Freeport, TX. In Brazos County, TX there was one historic event that I haven't read about in a book.
I had heard that many monster size Catfish called the Brazos River home, and had seen evidence along fences near the river. Locals displayed their trophies by hanging big fish heads over their fence posts. Valerie and I decided to see if we could catch a monster so we headed to a friend's farm that would give us access. Here, the Brazos River cut through fields and pastures and had muddy steep banks with many fallen trees. A few head of cattle took shelter nearby as we walked through the woods with our fishing poles. There were feral hogs all over the river valley so we took our guard dog, "Gretta Bean" just in case.
Gretta Bean was a mighty black and tan hound that stood a full eight inches tall and measured over a foot long. There was never a slice of Granny Smith Apple or any pecan half that she didn't tear to pieces and devour. It is safe to say that we were protected.....from apples and pecans maybe...
Val and I grew up in Tennessee near the same town and went to the same schools. We were both as country as jelly beans but I was around cattle a lot and had zero fear of the bovine critters. I was about to discover that Valerie and I did not share in this same temperament! As we walked up and down the edge of the high bank searching for a place to fish, a distant bull screeched. The screech I am talking about is the classic high pitched "whoooooooh" that you hear them do all the time. "What in the heck was that?" she exclaimed. "A bull" I said without looking at her or breaking my stride. After she asked me a time or two more, I paused to reassure here that he wasn't close and that there was no danger. I did notice that here eyes had gotten sort of big and she had taken the persona of a very paranoid individual.
After a few minutes the bull "whoooooohed" a few more times as we walked passed cows on our search for water access. By this time,Val had gotten plain old skittish. She was looking from side to side and creeping like she was stalking a cougar or something! Our attack hound, Gretta, was happily trotting ahead of us sniffing all things stinky. I must say that I was amused at Val's obvious fear of the distant bull. O Father forgive me for I could not resist the temptation to be mischievous! I fell behind her a few steps and just kept chatting with her from behind. When the bull screeched again she asked "Can you see the bull yet?". I didn't answer her. I just paused a second or two and then sprinted past her. As I passed, I was looking backwards over my shoulder and exclaimed, "You Better Run!" in my most fearful voice. The next few seconds made Brazos River history...
I will tell you that it doesn't really matter how short your legs are. If you have the proper motivation, you can run FAST! Before I even had my head turned back around straight, Val had sprinted passed me, reached down and scooped Gretta Bean up, and was melting the soles off of her shoes. Before she reached the next zip code she turned to see if I was close behind. What she saw was me gasping on my hands and knees laughing uncontrollably. The bull was still off in the distance but he stopped screeching and started laughing too! As soon as the color returned to my beautiful wife's face, she chuckled a little in between all of the threats she was shouting at me.
I don't even remember wetting a line that day. If we did, we certainly didn't catch a fish! What would life be without a little light hearted humor? We need to remember to live in the "now" and try to make every single day one worth writing a story about. If we do this, it will keep our perspective and maybe make our history books a little bit thicker!
Tuesday, May 28, 2013
Fishing
As a young boy I always loved to fish. While I always enjoyed fishing, I had yet to be "hooked". One day while at our own pond.......a behemoth catfish broke my twenty pound test line! I had fought him up to the bank where he snapped the line right before my eyes! A couple weeks later my neighbor landed that six pound Catfish. It may have only been six pounds, but it was a whale to me!
After hearing about the Catfish experience a man in our church told me how to fish for Largemouth Bass. With new tackle employed, my friend and I went down to the creek. I approached a small log with water swirling around it and tossed my "Texas Rig" beside it. Before I even engaged the reel, my plastic worm vanished in a silvery flash while my rod was nearly jerked from my hands! That first Bass changed my life. Now I was officially "hooked"! From that day forward every time I saw murky water, I saw endless possibilities and potential. There was simply no end to the wonder and excitement I felt with each cast of the line! It was like a lump of adrenaline contained inside my chest that could burst at any moment...or just leak tiny shots of excitement every few minutes.
My two boys are just getting to the age where they are able to experience those same exciting feelings of heightened expectancy! I love to see their faces light up when they feel the tug of a fighting fish. There is something about experiencing something firsthand that separates it from just knowing it exists. My wife has always enjoyed fishing but hasn't been for a long time. Recently she took the kids to the pond and just happened to hook a Crappie barely bigger than a peppermint patty. The excitement she had couldn't be contained!
We all have a tendency to become overworked and complacent to passions we once had, but thank God for reminders! I am glad that God never loses his excitement for His children! Luke 15:10 says: "In the same way, I tell you, there is rejoicing in the presence of angels of God over one sinner who repents". It is my belief that God is in heaven with a huge ball of adrenaline in His chest. He is throwing hints at each one of us waiting for us to catch hold of His vision for our lives. He wants an explosion of excitement so He can show up and supernaturally make the way for us. His blessings are already there but it is up to us to grab the string and rip the sack open! "Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert" (Isaiah 43:19) Oh Lord, help me to see myself and my possibilities through Your eyes and not my own!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
God's Knees are Bruised!
As soon as I realized this I was mortified! Especially because I know that I am to blame for this atrocity! How did this happen? To answer this, I must start off to say that for a while my family has been in a time of transition.
In true manly man fashion I have been re-checking where I am in life at this point versus where I think I should be...and so this behavior has replicated itself in my prayer life. I constantly "weedle" God, trying to wear Him down to a definite response. Of course this has had no effect so I recently formulated a plan. My next prayer sounded something like this: "God, I haven't heard Your answers to my questions....so until You answer me, these are my plans for what I am going to be doing." Folks, this is just plain silly. There is no other way to describe it.
I do believe it began to thunder....I could almost hear God cackling up in the sky as He began to laugh hysterically at my plans! The thunder must have been Him slapping his knees while he hee-hawed and giggled at my silly ideas! I guess He appreciated a good laugh because He immediately prompted several things in my spirit, such as:
Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
Mathew 6:28 "Can any on of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
So there you have it. If God's knees are in fact bruised, I am to blame! We must all learn to embrace and learn from the seasons in our lives. Sometimes no answer is "THE" answer. Maybe when there is no answer, He is waiting for us to master the small things so that He can lead us to the big ones!
In true manly man fashion I have been re-checking where I am in life at this point versus where I think I should be...and so this behavior has replicated itself in my prayer life. I constantly "weedle" God, trying to wear Him down to a definite response. Of course this has had no effect so I recently formulated a plan. My next prayer sounded something like this: "God, I haven't heard Your answers to my questions....so until You answer me, these are my plans for what I am going to be doing." Folks, this is just plain silly. There is no other way to describe it.
I do believe it began to thunder....I could almost hear God cackling up in the sky as He began to laugh hysterically at my plans! The thunder must have been Him slapping his knees while he hee-hawed and giggled at my silly ideas! I guess He appreciated a good laugh because He immediately prompted several things in my spirit, such as:
Isaiah 55:8 "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future"
Mathew 6:28 "Can any on of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?"
So there you have it. If God's knees are in fact bruised, I am to blame! We must all learn to embrace and learn from the seasons in our lives. Sometimes no answer is "THE" answer. Maybe when there is no answer, He is waiting for us to master the small things so that He can lead us to the big ones!
Thursday, March 14, 2013
Above Average
I have been absent from competitive cycling for several years now but recently I have found the time to start grinding in some base miles. I haven't made any racing plans but I know the importance of laying a base down in case something changes. The base miles are what make it possible for a cyclist to launch into full "assault" mode with little or no ill side effects of over training.
Am I just average? I can't escape reality no matter how much I wish I could. A few years ago, I was lean and pretty mean, entering 24 hr endurance races solo. Now, I am grabbing granny gear like chocolate pie on the buffet just to keep rolling! While my primary reason for riding is just because I love to do it, I confess that I truly miss the "superman" feeling of being in better shape. In due time I will feel like Super Man again, after a couple thousand miles of sweat have paid their dues.
My last ride was thirty one miles and took a couple ticks over two hours...average at best. As I rolled up the driveway with one of my lungs dangling out of my mouth, my two young boys shrieked "Daddy you're back!". They squealed in excitement and sprinted to hug me bundled in their thickest winter clothes. At that moment, they hugged every bit of pain out of my body. My house could have been burning behind me and I wouldn't have cared. The joy and satisfaction my two boys bring to me are indescribable!
Any man who hasn't embraced his role as a father is missing the boat! As a father, a man needs to lay down the "base miles" for his children as Christ did for us. How else will they be able to respond to the seasons in their lives without missing a beat? God gave us His son to set the example. I want my boys to be mentally aware and hard wired to act and react to life in a Godly manner. What better way is there to teach this but to lead by example? It can make them tougher than a pine knot and steadier than a rail when their time to launch into "assault" mode arrives! As a biker, being average is acceptable. As a father, not even close!
Am I just average? I can't escape reality no matter how much I wish I could. A few years ago, I was lean and pretty mean, entering 24 hr endurance races solo. Now, I am grabbing granny gear like chocolate pie on the buffet just to keep rolling! While my primary reason for riding is just because I love to do it, I confess that I truly miss the "superman" feeling of being in better shape. In due time I will feel like Super Man again, after a couple thousand miles of sweat have paid their dues.
My last ride was thirty one miles and took a couple ticks over two hours...average at best. As I rolled up the driveway with one of my lungs dangling out of my mouth, my two young boys shrieked "Daddy you're back!". They squealed in excitement and sprinted to hug me bundled in their thickest winter clothes. At that moment, they hugged every bit of pain out of my body. My house could have been burning behind me and I wouldn't have cared. The joy and satisfaction my two boys bring to me are indescribable!
Any man who hasn't embraced his role as a father is missing the boat! As a father, a man needs to lay down the "base miles" for his children as Christ did for us. How else will they be able to respond to the seasons in their lives without missing a beat? God gave us His son to set the example. I want my boys to be mentally aware and hard wired to act and react to life in a Godly manner. What better way is there to teach this but to lead by example? It can make them tougher than a pine knot and steadier than a rail when their time to launch into "assault" mode arrives! As a biker, being average is acceptable. As a father, not even close!
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Val's Scary Fish
Take a moment and picture your version of a perfect day of fishing. It probably involves beautiful scenery, a perfect day, and an image of yourself fighting with a big fish. To be completely honest, I don't know how many...if any...fish were caught on this particular warm summer evening. My wife Valerie, Daren, and I were fishing in a flat bottomed boat in an old isolated gravel pit pond. This was a peaceful place away from everything, and it contained an abundance of bass along with the occasional big catfish.
We fished for a couple hours casting for bass while each of us had a catfish rig hanging peacefully off the side of the boat. To display an accurate picture of how "professional" we must have looked, we always kept our trusty .22 rifle in the boat to shoot the bigger fish as soon as they surfaced. This kept them from getting free or snapping the line during the fight to get them completely in the boat. Daren was barefoot of course, and wore his usual frayed, scissor shortened Liberty brand overalls. His paper sack of "flea market wonder" fishing lures was present. Valerie was a beautiful sun tanned country girl with sunglasses and shorts. Insert mental image here: Val-- "country music video girl casting her line" in slow motion. As for me, I am telling the story, so I was naturally the the smartest one in the boat. We'll leave it at that.
As the evening sun sank into the horizon, we all knew that we had time for only a few more casts before we had to pack it up. Daren was switching lures every other cast at this point trying to surprise any wise old fish with something weird. While rustling through his paper sack, he noticed that he had a toy rubber snake inside. As he gestured and showed it to me, we engaged in a silent conversation with our eyes and hands while Val gazed at the sunset over her fishing pole....
Daren baited his catfish rig with that rubber snake. He let it sink to the bottom and must have waited for fifteen more minutes for "dusky dark" to arrive. Then suddenly, he sprang up from his seat, shaking the boat, and shouted "Got a big one!" He really played up a fight by making his rod dip into the water and dart from this direction and that. The whole pond had erupted with excitement! We were all whooping and shrieking with anticipation! As he reeled the line in closer, he caught a glimpse of the snake and knew it was close enough. "Grab the line Valerie!" he barked as it seemed to pull his rod toward her side of the boat. Excited, she leaned way over the boat's side and reached for his line. At that exact moment, Daren jerked the snake up out of the water and began shaking it right in front of her. "Snake!" she screamed as she scramble backward. I don't think at this point she would still appear like the "romantic country music video girl" from earlier. In fact, I'd say that my wife actually levitated above that boat for an instant while still managing to kick over everything within eight feet of her short legs! In an instant, Daren had to drop his fishing pole, and literally football tackle her to keep her from jumping overboard. During the commotion, he had to bear hug her for a bit longer to keep her in the boat! Me? I was already slumped over from oxygen deprivation from laughing so hard.
Her eyes were bigger than silver dollars, and after she realized that it was a joke, came her barrage of swats and threats...like "I am gonna keeel y'all!", and "you just wait!"...."it goes both ways!"...etc.... Of course she was shouting all these threats between long flurries of laughter. I will never forget the simultaneous look of terror and surprise on her face! The sound of Daren's raspy laugh mixed in with our own will be ingrained in my memory forever. I am sure that the laughter continued long after we left as the bull frogs and the mud turtles compared their own accounts of the event.
God puts us all here for a reason. If we seek after Him and live according to His will and purpose for our lives, random funny moments like these can come about so easily. Casting our cares on Him enables us to live with a "carefree attitude" that makes life less stressful and more memorable! Don't worry about tomorrow, just have some fun today and make some good memories.
We fished for a couple hours casting for bass while each of us had a catfish rig hanging peacefully off the side of the boat. To display an accurate picture of how "professional" we must have looked, we always kept our trusty .22 rifle in the boat to shoot the bigger fish as soon as they surfaced. This kept them from getting free or snapping the line during the fight to get them completely in the boat. Daren was barefoot of course, and wore his usual frayed, scissor shortened Liberty brand overalls. His paper sack of "flea market wonder" fishing lures was present. Valerie was a beautiful sun tanned country girl with sunglasses and shorts. Insert mental image here: Val-- "country music video girl casting her line" in slow motion. As for me, I am telling the story, so I was naturally the the smartest one in the boat. We'll leave it at that.
As the evening sun sank into the horizon, we all knew that we had time for only a few more casts before we had to pack it up. Daren was switching lures every other cast at this point trying to surprise any wise old fish with something weird. While rustling through his paper sack, he noticed that he had a toy rubber snake inside. As he gestured and showed it to me, we engaged in a silent conversation with our eyes and hands while Val gazed at the sunset over her fishing pole....
Daren baited his catfish rig with that rubber snake. He let it sink to the bottom and must have waited for fifteen more minutes for "dusky dark" to arrive. Then suddenly, he sprang up from his seat, shaking the boat, and shouted "Got a big one!" He really played up a fight by making his rod dip into the water and dart from this direction and that. The whole pond had erupted with excitement! We were all whooping and shrieking with anticipation! As he reeled the line in closer, he caught a glimpse of the snake and knew it was close enough. "Grab the line Valerie!" he barked as it seemed to pull his rod toward her side of the boat. Excited, she leaned way over the boat's side and reached for his line. At that exact moment, Daren jerked the snake up out of the water and began shaking it right in front of her. "Snake!" she screamed as she scramble backward. I don't think at this point she would still appear like the "romantic country music video girl" from earlier. In fact, I'd say that my wife actually levitated above that boat for an instant while still managing to kick over everything within eight feet of her short legs! In an instant, Daren had to drop his fishing pole, and literally football tackle her to keep her from jumping overboard. During the commotion, he had to bear hug her for a bit longer to keep her in the boat! Me? I was already slumped over from oxygen deprivation from laughing so hard.
Her eyes were bigger than silver dollars, and after she realized that it was a joke, came her barrage of swats and threats...like "I am gonna keeel y'all!", and "you just wait!"...."it goes both ways!"...etc.... Of course she was shouting all these threats between long flurries of laughter. I will never forget the simultaneous look of terror and surprise on her face! The sound of Daren's raspy laugh mixed in with our own will be ingrained in my memory forever. I am sure that the laughter continued long after we left as the bull frogs and the mud turtles compared their own accounts of the event.
God puts us all here for a reason. If we seek after Him and live according to His will and purpose for our lives, random funny moments like these can come about so easily. Casting our cares on Him enables us to live with a "carefree attitude" that makes life less stressful and more memorable! Don't worry about tomorrow, just have some fun today and make some good memories.
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Long May You Ride
Most of my stories are meant to be either funny or inspirational. This one is a retrospective of a good friend who is no longer with us.
As I was growing up I was the "baby" of the family. Being the "baby" meant that I was the third wheel when any of my three older brothers would go horseback riding, tromping through the woods, fishing, or shooting guns. They were all great about wanting to include me in their jaunts. Even their friends were were very accepting of having me along. One such friend was a neighbor named Daren.
His parents and my parents were great friends so naturally he was one of the crew. At different times throughout the years, he sort of became "hang out" buddies with two of my brothers. I could write an entire book on some of the crazy and hilarious pranks he and my brothers pulled while in high school. As time went on, my brothers all went to work or college and Daren stayed around. I can remember one or two summers where Daren, Slick (another neighbor), and I would load up into his classic 69' Chevy pickup and go fishing from sunrise till after dark every day. We'd show up at 9:30 pm at my house and start cleaning and cooking fish. Then we'd eat and talk till my mom would be nodding off at the table! The next day we'd leave early and do it all over again.
Daren was extremely witty, so much so that our conversation would already be over, before I would actually "get" the joke or pun he'd just made. Anyone meeting him for the first time would always be entertained by having a conversation with him. He was also a natural born leader. People would gravitate toward him and just sort of go along with whatever he was doing at the time. Some of the biggest church-youth group shindigs I can remember as a kid were a result of his coordinating.
On the other hand, when he wasn't taking me fishing or participating in the youth group at church he gained a reputation as the ultimate party animal. Being crazy, driving fast, drinking, pulling pranks etc....were his calling cards. He had also gained a reputation as a person with "sticky fingers". People would warn me about running around with him because he had been accused of stealing antiques out of old home places and barns. These accusations were valid.
As I got closer to graduating high school, Daren had put in an antique shop in town and had been trolling around on an old Huffy bicycle. He often rode by our house, stopping in to eat with us on occasion and began prodding me to get a bike. As a result of his nagging I eventually went with him to Walmart and brought home a Murray mountain bike. I figured I'd need one for college later anyway. Minutes after we got the green Murray unloaded, Daren and I were riding down a country road. I remember being amazed at how a bike with gears made it easy to cover lots of ground! A few days later, we had my next oldest brother along...then again and again. Soon after this, we began attacking logging roads and ATV trails. Little did I know then that this would change my life forever.
After I got married I began to see less and less of Daren. My wife and I spent several years out of state and when we returned he had really "fallen off the deep end". He had really been doing this for a while and we had just chose not to associate with him. More often I would hear of him "almost getting caught" stealing. He'd be at church every Sunday for a month, then he'd stop coming again. I would frequently see him out somewhere stoned out of his mind. It reached a point to where hes was not welcome in most places. At times he'd show up at my house or my mother's house wired up and talking at 110 mph about his plans....then he'd vanish. One evening recently, he finally was freed from his demons by a ditch bank on the side of a highway.
Before his death, he had burned almost every bridge he had ever crossed, hurting lots of people along the way. There was no denying that he had stole from half of the community. People seem to focus on these points as they were the most prevalent parts of his existence over the last ten or fifteen years of his life. While I do not condone his behavior in any way, I'd like to point out a few of the things he influenced in my life.
First of all, he taught me at a young age how important it was to appear confident even if I wasn't. He taught me the proper way to hold a fork and spoon. He was an excellent fisherman and the quickest shot with a .22 rifle I have ever seen in person. Through his actions he showed me how an upbeat and optimistic person was a welcome addition to any group of people. He was a free spirit and always willing to try something for fun. Once we positioned our flat bottom boat atop a steep gravel bank beside the river since there was nowhere to launch the boat. He got in, grabbed his seat and ushered us to push him off the bank. With a loud roar he hollered as the boat skidded down the bank...all to come to a halt just before the water's edge! This was followed by lots of laughter and a good day's fishing and joking.
I know that Daren is in heaven now because I know that he accepted Jesus into his heart. Many of his actions here on earth were contrary to a Godly existence, but he had "everlasting life" like anyone else who believes in Jesus's name. Daren lied, cheated, and stole from lots of people during his life but he also left a few gifts along the way. In my life, the memory of his wittiness and raspy laugh will always make me smile. He was the best fishing partner I have ever known and I can't remember a single time that he wasn't fun to be around. He lives on in my house when I show my kids the silly "Chicken Scratch" and "Tater Dig" dances that he used to do to the beat of loud music. Sometimes, while talking to people, my inner monologue still wants to use some of his sayings...but they might not be so appropriate most times!
Lastly, I have Daren to thank for introducing me to the sport of cycling. It is the consequence of this one thing that I have made some of the most cherished and worthwhile relationships in my life. Some people who have had the most profound influences in my life have came into my life because of the BIKE. I never feel more free than when I am watching the horizon and feeling the wind in my face from a bicycle. During the years since he begged me to buy that cheap mountain bike, I have joined groups, sweated, hurt, laughed, competed, and stayed physically fit on the bike. Yes, there have been stretches when I have not ridden my bike for months on end, but it is always there. And now, as a father I have two boys who ask me all the time to take them riding! I only have one answer for that question....YES! My wife loves bicycles too! Isn't it funny how something that might seem insignificant now can turn out to be very significant later? I pray that I affect people in a positive way that might change their lives down the road too. Daren was a hard friend to have, but a friend he was.
So to Daren, I say "Thank you my friend. Long may you ride!".
As I was growing up I was the "baby" of the family. Being the "baby" meant that I was the third wheel when any of my three older brothers would go horseback riding, tromping through the woods, fishing, or shooting guns. They were all great about wanting to include me in their jaunts. Even their friends were were very accepting of having me along. One such friend was a neighbor named Daren.
His parents and my parents were great friends so naturally he was one of the crew. At different times throughout the years, he sort of became "hang out" buddies with two of my brothers. I could write an entire book on some of the crazy and hilarious pranks he and my brothers pulled while in high school. As time went on, my brothers all went to work or college and Daren stayed around. I can remember one or two summers where Daren, Slick (another neighbor), and I would load up into his classic 69' Chevy pickup and go fishing from sunrise till after dark every day. We'd show up at 9:30 pm at my house and start cleaning and cooking fish. Then we'd eat and talk till my mom would be nodding off at the table! The next day we'd leave early and do it all over again.
Daren was extremely witty, so much so that our conversation would already be over, before I would actually "get" the joke or pun he'd just made. Anyone meeting him for the first time would always be entertained by having a conversation with him. He was also a natural born leader. People would gravitate toward him and just sort of go along with whatever he was doing at the time. Some of the biggest church-youth group shindigs I can remember as a kid were a result of his coordinating.
On the other hand, when he wasn't taking me fishing or participating in the youth group at church he gained a reputation as the ultimate party animal. Being crazy, driving fast, drinking, pulling pranks etc....were his calling cards. He had also gained a reputation as a person with "sticky fingers". People would warn me about running around with him because he had been accused of stealing antiques out of old home places and barns. These accusations were valid.
As I got closer to graduating high school, Daren had put in an antique shop in town and had been trolling around on an old Huffy bicycle. He often rode by our house, stopping in to eat with us on occasion and began prodding me to get a bike. As a result of his nagging I eventually went with him to Walmart and brought home a Murray mountain bike. I figured I'd need one for college later anyway. Minutes after we got the green Murray unloaded, Daren and I were riding down a country road. I remember being amazed at how a bike with gears made it easy to cover lots of ground! A few days later, we had my next oldest brother along...then again and again. Soon after this, we began attacking logging roads and ATV trails. Little did I know then that this would change my life forever.
After I got married I began to see less and less of Daren. My wife and I spent several years out of state and when we returned he had really "fallen off the deep end". He had really been doing this for a while and we had just chose not to associate with him. More often I would hear of him "almost getting caught" stealing. He'd be at church every Sunday for a month, then he'd stop coming again. I would frequently see him out somewhere stoned out of his mind. It reached a point to where hes was not welcome in most places. At times he'd show up at my house or my mother's house wired up and talking at 110 mph about his plans....then he'd vanish. One evening recently, he finally was freed from his demons by a ditch bank on the side of a highway.
Before his death, he had burned almost every bridge he had ever crossed, hurting lots of people along the way. There was no denying that he had stole from half of the community. People seem to focus on these points as they were the most prevalent parts of his existence over the last ten or fifteen years of his life. While I do not condone his behavior in any way, I'd like to point out a few of the things he influenced in my life.
First of all, he taught me at a young age how important it was to appear confident even if I wasn't. He taught me the proper way to hold a fork and spoon. He was an excellent fisherman and the quickest shot with a .22 rifle I have ever seen in person. Through his actions he showed me how an upbeat and optimistic person was a welcome addition to any group of people. He was a free spirit and always willing to try something for fun. Once we positioned our flat bottom boat atop a steep gravel bank beside the river since there was nowhere to launch the boat. He got in, grabbed his seat and ushered us to push him off the bank. With a loud roar he hollered as the boat skidded down the bank...all to come to a halt just before the water's edge! This was followed by lots of laughter and a good day's fishing and joking.
I know that Daren is in heaven now because I know that he accepted Jesus into his heart. Many of his actions here on earth were contrary to a Godly existence, but he had "everlasting life" like anyone else who believes in Jesus's name. Daren lied, cheated, and stole from lots of people during his life but he also left a few gifts along the way. In my life, the memory of his wittiness and raspy laugh will always make me smile. He was the best fishing partner I have ever known and I can't remember a single time that he wasn't fun to be around. He lives on in my house when I show my kids the silly "Chicken Scratch" and "Tater Dig" dances that he used to do to the beat of loud music. Sometimes, while talking to people, my inner monologue still wants to use some of his sayings...but they might not be so appropriate most times!
Lastly, I have Daren to thank for introducing me to the sport of cycling. It is the consequence of this one thing that I have made some of the most cherished and worthwhile relationships in my life. Some people who have had the most profound influences in my life have came into my life because of the BIKE. I never feel more free than when I am watching the horizon and feeling the wind in my face from a bicycle. During the years since he begged me to buy that cheap mountain bike, I have joined groups, sweated, hurt, laughed, competed, and stayed physically fit on the bike. Yes, there have been stretches when I have not ridden my bike for months on end, but it is always there. And now, as a father I have two boys who ask me all the time to take them riding! I only have one answer for that question....YES! My wife loves bicycles too! Isn't it funny how something that might seem insignificant now can turn out to be very significant later? I pray that I affect people in a positive way that might change their lives down the road too. Daren was a hard friend to have, but a friend he was.
So to Daren, I say "Thank you my friend. Long may you ride!".
Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Thanksgiving Pondering....
Usually around the Thanksgiving holiday in November people start talking about all the things they are thankful for. I hear people say all sorts of wonderful things such as their "church families" to just being thankful for "life", a "dog" or a "dependable car". Often, people use social media such as "facebook" to list things they are thankful for each day during November. Personally, I think this is great! A person who lives with a thankful heart is definitely a happier person!
Above all other things, I am thankful for PEACE. I am thankful for the peace in my heart knowing that Jesus died for my sin. Since I know this I don't have to ponder the hereafter. When His word tells me that my hairs are numbered and his plans for me a nothing but good, that gives me supreme peace of mind! Knowing that I am the "head and not the tail, above and not beneath", and that "no weapon formed against me shall prosper"....folks, that is peace smothered in gravy and served with imported coffee from heaven!
While I can appreciate these acknowledgements of being thankful, there is an underlying blessing that some probably miss. A person who is thankful for money, a dependable car, or any other inanimate object are really not thankful for the specific item. They are really thankful for the peace that it brings. Money is just paper and metal. Cars and houses are just boxes for us to drive around or live in. The peace that those things offer us is the real blessing.
Above all other things, I am thankful for PEACE. I am thankful for the peace in my heart knowing that Jesus died for my sin. Since I know this I don't have to ponder the hereafter. When His word tells me that my hairs are numbered and his plans for me a nothing but good, that gives me supreme peace of mind! Knowing that I am the "head and not the tail, above and not beneath", and that "no weapon formed against me shall prosper"....folks, that is peace smothered in gravy and served with imported coffee from heaven!
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