Left Turns. Ever made one?

LEFT TURNS

Right turns when driving are fairly easy, aren't they? Most states allow a right turn on red light, if no other traffic is coming. Some times there are arrows that allow right turns. But for the most part in America we could all agree that turning right is fairly simple.

Left turns however are another matter entirely. My most poignant remembrance of a left turn was when I was a little bit younger (OK, a lot younger!). I met regularly with two older men on Saturday mornings for coffee, encouragement and prayer. The route to our meeting place required a left turn at an intersection. One particular morning when at the signal light and turning left, I proceeded to make my turn at the end of the light’s cycle.

On the other side of the intersection another driver was coming through the intersection, also at the “end” of the cycle going straight. That morning we met without a handshake. It was a small disaster. The other driver T-Boned me on the passenger side of my car. I had my driver’s window down at the time and the impact flung my eyeglasses into the street and we run over later. The right side window exploded and some of the flying glass now resided in my face.

After the spinning stopped I surveyed the scene and realized my little car was done, Caput, totaled and basically a nice new U shape.

I made my meeting that day after a brief discussion with the other driver, the police, paramedics and a few other "concerned" citizens that were worried about us clearing the intersection. My meeting guys saw the blood and the no glasses on my face and said, “What the heck happened?” “I said, well I was just making a left turn, when………”

I survived that crash. My car didn’t. Had my pregnant wife been with me in the passenger seat that morning most likely she or my unborn son might not be with us today. It was that bad of a collision.

How can out life be changed so quickly and drastically with a simple left turn?

As I look back on that day and survey the many days of my life since that time, I can tell you I’ve had and seen many other “Left Turns” in my and countless other lives. Can you recall those times when your world changed in an instant? Was it a phone call? Was it a birth or death you witnessed? Was it coming home to an empty house unexpectedly? Or maybe it was that day you were called into the boss’s office for some bad news?

My bride and I were discussing just last night how many of our friends, co-workers and others we've known of the past couple of years who’ve had some drastic and even fatal left turns. Often without any warning, we’ve seen settled lives get toppled in an instant. Is it that we are just getting older and everyone around us is too, or does it seem that problems for all of us are mounting up like pending storms?

Regardless of why, we will ALL have LEFT turn(s) in our lives. It is just part of the human experience. How, oh how, do we prepare for such events and drastic changes? I think we can’t. We just have to live our lives in such a way that we keep our “bags packed” to some degree. Bags packed thinking also means we need a level of faith and trust in our creator God that He is the one that is ultimately in control of our lives. If you don’t believe this to be true, I surely wish you would consider seriously trusting Him for your own destiny. He’s the one whose set my life back on the road after many, many left turns. He is working out his will in our lives and HE is good ALL the time!    

Clearing the Cobwebs - Seinfeld Style

Clearing the Cobwebs - Seinfeld Style

Ever feel like your mind is a jumbled mess, sort of like a desk with much paper in disarray? Being an ADD type person I can live with a messy desk. I can put my hands on just about anything I need with no Post-It Note or color sticker tab attached. I can locate one page in a three piles of fifty. In my drawer I can locate an obscure item in the midst of a total mess. But my mind is a different matter. I get so many things floating or flying around in the 7 inch hat rack known as my head, that there are times I have to just force myself to sit down and write (type). Today is one such day. Time to arrange my thoughts, release some frustrations, take a stand, clean out the recesses of my gray matter, whether it matters or not.  

Seeing other people blog about subjects ranging from Apples to Food to Faith to Zoology, makes me see that there truly is a place for Seinfeld like writing. Seinfeld was the master of making a long running popular show about nothing. And it worked.

Although I am very busy at this time of year (decade) I seem to thrive on always being a little bit behind and with 40 tasks up in the air at the same time. But I just can’t seem to get that dang belt rack hung in closet at home. It’s been at least three weekends since I promised my wife and myself I’d hang it. Whoops. Hasn’t happened yet. Just can’t seem to get back around to it? I guess she needs to “write me up” or put me on probation from Blue Bell for a while until I get those small tasks done.

I can tackle projects involving millions of dollars (literally) but can’t seem to move that old bicycle from the back yard to a better place. Being the unorganized person that I am Excel has been a godsend lifesaver helping me organize a wee part of my life. Who would have thunk it? I guess it must help because I can add colors to the cells and set up large fonts in BOLD and I can even highlight different columns with the spectrum of the rainbow.

And gadgets seem to help me too. If I see a new product or gizmo and can plug them in or set them up, that seems to help a boring day seem much brighter. I guess us ADD’ers have to have color and variety to give us a buzz?! Go figure?   

While I’ve been typing I see that I am up to 139 unopened emails at this time. So I supposed my project list has just been boosted to orbit (again). Let’s see, where was I before I started writing? Oh I remember I was on my way to get coffee or was that Friday? Oh well I’ll just go get a coke since it is almost noon.

OK, my mind is clear again. I feel much better. Feeling a bit like Cozmo Kramer today.

Ready to Retire? Always!!!

Well, today we say farewell to my good buddy Curtis. I've had the privilege of working with Mr. Curtis for almost 4 years. When I walked into this place for the first time (through what I thought must have been the back door to the business) I was smack in the middle of the customer service department. I was there looking to interview for a new job and Mr. Curtis was the first person that greeted me.

It really helps when you walk into a new place seeking employment to find some like Mr. Curtis. Whatever fear and trembling I must have felt was tempered quickly by the ease of style and friendly character of this fellow. While waiting for the person interviewing me, it was only a few sentences in that I and my buddy were talking food and especially BBQ. Funny how God uses people and passions together very quickly, isn't it?

Well, I ended up getting the job. And I worked in a different building but shortly thereafter we moved to another location and all of us were finally all together. It was here that I learned about the life and adventures of Curtis. And what a storied life! I thought I had done a lot of things in my time. But I met my match.

Once you meet Curtis, you will never be the same. And if you've met him you will understand (without a doubt) that he has a deep and abiding faith in our God. And yes we do share the same One and only God, expressed in the form of Jesus the Christ.

Speaking of Jesus, one of Curtis's common questions is to anyone he knows is this - "Did you know that Jesus loves you and I do too?" I would kid him at times and say "I sure hope so!" Or I might tell him "I know Jesus does, but I'm not sure about you."

He ends all Facebook or email messages with "Love Ya". Now it takes a real "manly man" to boldly tell someone (anyone) that he Loves You. But that's how he rolls. And it is his signature.

He told me last week that he would be moving on to greener pastures this week and move to the retirement home. Well, at least he has plans of staying home more. And fishing. And singing and whistling and humming. And doing just about anything he wants to.

But I have a suspicion that as he enters this new phase of fun that God will have some new things for Mr. Curtis to be involved in. And I'm sure it will be spreading good news somewhere in his world.

We all have “stories” to tell about our lives. But Curtis really does have a life changing story of redemption. He’d be the first to tell you that he was a real stinker in his earlier life. And it wasn’t just doing all the wrong things. He was a real life agnostic. Webster’s defines this with several flowery words. Doubter, Scoffer, Cynic, Skeptic, Unbeliever.  

agnostic - a person who claims that they cannot have true knowledge about the existence of God (but does not deny that God might exist)

It’s interesting that the descriptors of such a person seem to all be negative. But the Curtis that I know is anything but negative. So how’d that change happen?

It was a complex, yet simple, change that he attributes only to God’s “wonder working power”. Not only was Curtis ill and close to death more than once, but he was despondent, depressed and pretty much without hope. Yet in the midst of his pain, someone kept praying for and encouraging Mr. Curtis that he’d turn to God for help and healing. Finally Curtis did “simply” turn to God for his “complex and complete healing power”. I can’t recall how many years ago that was, but the main point is, it was not a temporary “fix”.

God took that piece of clay that was broken and made it pliable again. And what he reconstructed was a “man after God’s own heart”.

I didn’t know the old Curtis Shelton. I only know the redeemed man that God healed and changed. Happy Trails my friend! I know you’ll keep telling the Good News of God’s redeeming power.  

Giving Thanks? Really?

Giving Thanks – Why?

Tomorrow is a day designated as the time we reflect and give thanks for all of our blessings, both large and small.

But can we really give thanks when someone we dearly cherish is desperately ill or when our spouse of many years has taken the trip to eternity this year?

I know that God’s word teaches us that He makes it rain on the just and the unjust. He created us all, therefore he loves us all terribly. We make him smile and we also make him grieve.

But we’ve lost dear friends, comrades in faith and even our Mother this year, how do I REALLY give thanks?

I heard a familiar tune this week at the memorial service of a friend. The tune is called “God is Good - all the time”. The grieving (but joyful) family sang along with this song because their husband, dad and grand-dad believed this little catchy song. That God IS good ALL the time. In the good and the bad.

From my limited knowledge of God and His place in my life I know that he has strategically placed me or allowed me to be in situations when good has resulted when all indicators pointed toward defeat. This concept is hard to verbalize or explain to folks who don’t yet know and understand the grace and mercy of God. It is outside of reason and comprehension. And I understand. It’s a faith thing. It’s a God thing.

Unrighteousness or “darkness”, if you will, is blinded by the bright light of truth and goodness. But as we all know from living on a planet that craves and needs light for sustenance and survival, we also deeply crave truth and “light” in our human lives.

Even if we are not willing to openly express this, our creator placed an urge in us to desire goodness, even though this seems to be in contradiction to our nature after the “fall” of man. Our tendency or “bent” to do wrong is strong and came to us because of what happened in a garden one day. But I submit to you that the urge God imparts a “longing for truth”. And that force is greater, wider and deeper than we can possibly understand or fathom. Some call it “imputed righteousness”.

How can righteousness be injected or “imputed”? Does God insert a magic syringe and give us goodness and faith? Might be a graphic way of saying it, but He does inject into those who know Him, His very “own” righteousness. That new force breaks the bent to wrong and replaces it with a bent to do what we “know” is right. And that struggle goes on each day we live.

Have you experienced the injected righteousness of God? If so you do have something HUGE to be thankful for. Not “injected” yet? Ask me and I will tell you how.

I am VERY thankful for the wife and children (grands too) God has blessed me with. I bless His name for giving me a healthy body and a good job in a tough economy. I prayed today that God would give me a renewed for compassion for others that are going through dark times. I feel his hand moving today. Do you?    

November 2nd, 1973

The day it all began for us

Today we celebrate 38 years of marriage.  Wow, has time flown! Seems like only a couple of months ago that we celebrated 25 years.

We were so young and innocent. But that’s not so bad. We, together, lost our innocence as life happened. And boy did it happen. I could dwell for hours tell about what we’ve “gone through” together. Admittedly, life was tough for way too many years. But life has a way of being that way. Some parts of our lives are brought about by choices we make. Others might be “chance” or “circumstance”. Or are they really?

Details are not important, but the big picture is important. The woman that God brought into my life and the person she was and is today is the important part of the big picture. She is my rock and my joy at the end of the day, everyday. She deserves much more than I’ve been able to provide her. She is my crown and my joy. She is a Proverbs 31 woman. (look it up).

When we joined our hearts and lives together  (even at our teen ages!) we made the commitment to each other that the “D” word would never be in our vocabulary. We were and still are committed to each other. All in. Sewed up. Sealed and delivered. Anything other than a complete life together would never be acceptable. …for better or for worse.

Having said that, there have been issues and events in our 38 years that have tried desperately to destroy us and the life we have. But the commitment we made and the love that we share transcend “issues” , “challenges” and time.  I must tell you that the basis of our love and commitment began on the foundation of commitment to our faith in God. He has been the one that has given us everything we have together. And that list is a long one.

Somewhere along the way we picked up 3 munchkins. What can you really say about your children in a public forum? I will attempt it since I am not ashamed. And the reason is because what I tell you about each of them is a good story. They are each one in their own ways, amazing adults full of faith, creativity and joyous life. We cherish each one. They have been a cosmic glue that God gave to help hold us all altogether. And to add joy to fullness, we have a daughter-in-law and son-in-law that we adore and consider them our own.

Now for some icing on this cake. Grandkids!!! Our quiver of  blessing grew this summer  with the addition of 2 little princesses. Verbal explanation about what these little girls mean to me (us) cannot expressed. All I can say is “wow” I (we) love these little gifts from heaven.

Life’s road has leveled out for us a bit. There are still bumps in the lane, but we take them as they come. Surely there will be more obstacles as we grow old, but we’ll take each day  we have and attempt to live our lives “to the full”.  We laugh a lot now. And when we do cry, they are worthy tears.    

So for those of you who are not yet married, don’t fall prey to society telling you it doesn’t work. And when you give it a go make the commitment ahead of time to stay the course. Finish the race. The rewards greatly outweigh the risks. Commit your marriage and life to our great God. He will see you through it all. We owe it all to Him.  

Doll, I love the life we have together. It is getting sweeter all the time. Let’s try for 38 more years!       

Love,

JWH (Jimmy)

Do you have Gains or Losses?

Gains…..or losses?

Recently my mind has been fixated on something. Strange, but I can’t get this issue out of my mind. As I review my life I find that there have been a great deal of things that I’ve lost.

A few nights ago I had a dream that all losses had turned back into gains. Things and people that were gone much too early were suddenly and systematically reappearing. It was a euphoric feeling. Then I woke up.

When we think of gains….and losses we usually equate that with the monetary and the physical. It could be a job. It could be our dream car that we just couldn’t afford and had to give up. It could have even been a job we loved (there’s a concept!) we lost for whatever reason. But besides monetary, the next thing that immediately come to our minds, is who we’ve lost. It may be a spouse, a parent, or a close friend. It could have even been a lost love that never quite happened. When we survey the landscape of our lives we very often think about and pine over things or people that we’ve lost.

As we lay awake at night trying to imagine what it would be like to have someone or thing back  we think of all we think of what we should have done differently. Maybe if I’d only said this differently, maybe they wouldn’t have left. Maybe if I’d been a little more understanding and patient? Or if only I’d not spent all of my savings on building my business, only to see it fail and with it my nest egg for the future.

We do a lot of second guessing, don’t we?

The emotions associated with our losses run the gamut. We go from shock to sadness to madness and move on to the blame game. It’s usually somebody else’s fault! And at times that might be true and justly laid at someone else’s feet. But at some point we cave in and realize that the loss is just our reality. Then what do we do? We try to pick up whatever pieces are left and move on. But in our pursuit of sanity we end up lugging around guilt, shame, hurt, regret, and other heavy millstones needlessly. So what’s next?

During a particularly difficult and dry period of my life I came to the conclusion that I was an expert at failure. I would take walks in the morning and have little discussions with myself. My self told me, “Self you are much better at failure than at success”. There was a realization that I felt safe missing the mark or loosing the game. And I was an expert at feeling sorry for myself and being content there. It finally became clear. I was afraid of succeeding and winning.     

This thought process led to me asking God to simply help me accept what had happened in the past and let it be. And to also ask God help me move from fear of failure to success in faith. Failure was about me, faith is about God. I owned failure. God owns success. So I finally let go of the past and decided to live in God’s success, whatever that would mean.   

Let the past go. Don’t deny your memories, but live for now. The future is in God’s hands. I believe and trust that He cannot fail. What about you?

W.W. Samuell 1971 - 40th Reunion

Survival of the fattest…. 40 years.

Well I never in a million years thought I would ever be old enough to have 40^th high school reunion. This means I’m officially old.

You always don’t know what to expect seeing old classmates. For our 40^th the word “old” does have a new meaning. You know you are old when the music sounds very familiar but is just too loud. You cannot hear anyone talking 2 feet from your face. And so you just nod and smile and hope your reactions are correct. The lights are so low at these things that you have a hard time even seeing peoples faces (maybe intentional). And the name tags with "Senior" photos must have been done in # 7 font.

In my opinion this one was a lot better than the 30 year reunion. People were more outgoing and friendly. People who wouldn't really speak to you in high school are now your BFF's. Maybe this is because of a realization that we might not be able to see or hear or even walk the next time we meet!

Many of my cohorts were not closely recognizable. Perhaps it would have been good to take a few long haired wigs in several different colors. Then when you that puzzled look you could throw one of those rugs on their heads to figure out who they were. It really makes you (me) appreciate the gray and white hair you (we) have!

And wrinkles. Wow there were a lot of wrinkles. I would have had as many as most but my wrinkles have been filled in for a number of year with no sign of retreating any time soon. But thanks to low lights that was not a real issue.

And you should have seen the belt buckles. Or should I say we wish we could have seen the belt buckles on most of the guys, including my own. Some days I can’t even look down and tell what color my shoes are. But I am not alone.

OK, now for the ladies. They faired a better than the gentlemen this time. Some of them were A-OK. I repectfully (to my wife) declined to use some of the modern terms for nice looking. But also remember the lights were very low. Some (and even the guys)were dressed to kill and others of them you wanted to kill them for the way they were dressed.

All seriousness aside, it was a fun time and interesting to reunite with people that are just as old as me. And I’m glad to report that I’ve found that most of us have mellowed and gotten better. Many Facebook profiles I've read encourage me by the books folks read, the people they quote and the God they embrace and worship now. So in conclusion, the bedroom community of Pleasant Grove instilled many good values into the lives of thousands of grove rats like me. This was a good place to live and a wonderful place to grow up and go to High School. I sure hope that good memories like this will inspire generations to come. We had fun growing up here.

Go Spartans!