I'm not 50... yet

I turned 49 yesterday. I have to say that I wish that I could have taken the day away to enjoy it a little more, but I had plenty of work to get done, but for me, it's not so much about the "day" as it is about the "celebration". So this Saturday will be the day - doing a Walk in support for Down Syndrome at Pierce High School in the morning, and then going to see Bob Newhart (you know, the EMMY AWARD WINNING for his appearance on the BIG BANG THEORY Bob Newhart)
(Yeah, I'm a fan)

I can recall my 30th birthday because of someone calling me in the middle of the night to be the first to wish me a happy birthday.
I can recall my 40th birthday because the choir of the church I was serving would start the Worship with a song, and the song that day was "Happy Birthday".
And now that I'm getting closer to 50 - much closer - I have to admit that I can feel my heels dragging just a pinch.

The other day as I was driving down the road, I recalled a trip I took with my dad when I was little. I believe we were going to my Grandpa Burkhardt's 50th birthday party.
I could be wrong on a detail or two, but again, I reference my newly acquired age.
I do remember thinking about Grandpa being 50, and thinking "Boy, he's really getting old". Umm, yeah.

I also remember doing the math in my head as I was walking home from elementary school on Columbus Ohio, and thinking "how old will I be in 2000, and what year will I be 30, 40, 50, etc?" And again, the idea of a new century seemed far fetched, let alone being 50 years old. Thank God there was a nice old lady that lived a couple doors down from us who taught me about Heaven and such (it's where I remember first learning "...red, and yellow, black, and white, they are precious in his sight..." and learning about "letting Jesus into your heart", using a particular picture as an illustration).

But as I've rounded the last corner on the road to 50, the idea of being "old enough to be a grandpa" and not being so shocked when the movies I enjoyed in my younger days comes on American Movie Classics.

But one thing that sticks in my head was a recent trip to meet my new doctor. As we were going through my file, I noticed my age and discussed my family history and mentioned "you have a couple of years for "that" procedure.
Then he saw my birth date and said "see you soon".

The Power

When I started preaching, I would be amazed at the number of people that would tell me "good Message" or "great Sermon". I was even more amazed at the number of people who would say that and then I'd remember seeing them sleeping during the Message.

 

But there has been times when someone will come back and chat about a particular part of something I preached. Maybe a sermon illustration, or how the key topic rang in their ears, or how something said reflected on their own life.

In more than a few times, these instances have brought people to tears.

I hope that the tears were from the power of the Holy Spirit touching their lives in some way - maybe a caring memory, or a reassurance of grace. Sometimes people have told me directly how they were touched by something in the Message or the Scripture that particular day.

 

On the other side of that coin are those who see someone moved in a particular way and then will stop and stare, or point out how someone was crying on the way home after church.

 

I've had moments when I've been moved to tears because of a Message or the Word. Heck, there are some hymns that I can't sing because they make me cry (but yes, they will pop up during my churches' Worship Services... there is an advantage to having the pulpit far from people). And to this day, I still get choked up when I think about certain parishioners from my past, young and old, still alive and passed on, and the impact they've made in my ministry.

 

When the Spirit has touched someone in such a visible or meaningful way, it's a great thing to celebrate, especially in a time when we're so rushed that we can't find out own glasses on the bridge of our noses.

 

Let's shout out "I've got the Power!"

 



 

The good ole days

I just spent a few days with my brother. We spent our time looking at old cars, remembering what it was like to drive or ride in certain makes or models. We also drove a couple of hours so my brother could do his #12 on his 48 state run tour, which turned out to be his coldest. I also signed up for a one mile walk, and beat my record pace time. Returning, we stopped at the Ice Cream Capital of the World, Le Mars, Iowa, and among other things, stopped at the Freking Law Office (yeah, that's really it's name). We also watch a OSU game and a couple of Pro Football games on TV. On top of all of that, we got to spend a lot of time visiting.

In the 72 or so hours, I learned to laugh and remember again. I learned to enjoy things that seemed to be forgotten by the rush of my "everyday life". I recalled what it was like to "have fun", even if, as I said, "I rode 2 hours to walk a mile in the rain, and all I got was a t-shirt (and it was a blast!)"

Sure, I miss my brother already, but I'm already looking at my calendar for vacation plans to Ohio to see family and old friends. I'm also looking more at my walking schedule, working at getting my leg back in shape, with a goal of entering a Run at "some point".

It's those times in life when you can step back and not take things so seriously... laughing at those comments you or someone else makes (like someone having two broken arms - as opposed to three? or "you're gonna shake your what"?! (inside joke)).

So go laugh, smile, and have a good day.

Welcome to the Circus

If you've been living under a rock recently, you haven't heard about the auto auction in Pierce, Nebraska this weekend. All sorts of vehicles are being sold, as well as parts and memorabilia.
This has created a circus-like atmosphere for the tiny city of Pierce and the surrounding areas. No one can get a hotel room for hundreds of miles, nor a camping spot. Farmers and businesses have cleared fields to help out, as well as make a few bucks.

Some of this will be interesting. Some cars are unique, sitting on a showroom floor for years, whereas others have sat in a field, exposed to the elements as well as vandals and thieves.

A sad part in this seems to be a hype that has been placed on everything. Sure, there is some history in this old dealership that closed its doors some time ago, but what people don't know about is the stories that the auction company didn't tell - like when they went to interview some old residents at the care home for some video footage and couldn't get anything "nice" to film. Or how the old used cars have been sitting in a field for so long that it's really like seeing a used car lot.

I'm not trying to take away anything from the town. Pierce is a great city full of great people. But the people here know the real history that doesn't always make it to print or the video press.

When everything is back to "normal", I'm sure we'll all have a big sigh of relief. =)

A battle of wits with an unarmed man

I’ve attempted four times to write something, only to roll my eyes at myself, shake my head, or make that sound that sounds like a chipmunk just got hugged too hard.

 

Maybe it’s because I’m surprised at humanity. But given my ‘occupation’ and route through life, I’ve seen a lot. So I can’t really be too surprised.

Maybe it’s because I’ve confused why some people do what they do. But seeing how they go on and on about this, that, or the other via social media, socializing, or any other form of gathering, I just chalk it up to different things. So I can’t be too confused.

Maybe it’s because I don’t remember this sort of behavior when I was growing up. Some old high school friends have told me things that happened that I never knew about, and that did catch me off guard. But these things are happening right in the open for the world to see. So it’s not really a shock.

The only thing I can come up with is that some people think that somewhere in this vast universe, someone owes them something. Maybe because they didn’t have enough as a kid. Or maybe because they had too much. Or maybe because they didn’t understand the meaning of “get all of the facts”. Or maybe no one taught them how to ask a question. Or maybe they think they already have the answers and no one can tell them different. Or maybe they think that no one has the answers and everything is a waste of time.

But then there is that moment when someone comes along and takes that person and puts them in their place. Maybe in a subtle way, maybe direct and blunt. It’s like a bully trying to show up on a playground with a big stick, and the other kid shows up with 20 kids, all with bigger sticks.

Instead of trying to bring your big stick to the playground, how about leaving it at home and seeing how much fun and interesting it could be to just have a good time and learn something from the others?

Someone always has a bigger stick.

Have you ever seen a "Mad Monster Truck"?

I just left my appointment with my new health care provider. I had to switch doctors, as the previous one has retired after many great years of service.
And of course, as most clinics do, I had to step on the scales. The dreaded scales. I knew I wasn't going to be happy with the number because my pants have been getting a little tighter.

Well, let's say that "wasn't going to be happy" can't come close to describing my feelings.
Maybe something like "downright pi$$ed off" could be a better term.

Over the past few months, I've had plenty of changes in my personal and professional life. A lot of great things, but change is change, and change causes me a get a little (lot) stressed out, and then I may "stress eat".
In the past, I've done really great, but lately, it has been as easy. I can make a ton of excuses why, but it all lies in how I'm going to handle everything from here.

I made a commitment some time ago to hit a certain goal, and now instead of getting closer to that goal, or at least teetering in a certain area, I'm watching that goal slip away.

Now I know that some might say "But Kevin, you were walking and stuff, and muscle weighs more than fat.
Well, thank you. But I also don't have the build like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

So here's how's it's going to be... I am going to hit this thing full steam, rolling over anything that gets in my way. Head on. Direct. Kicking butt and taking names later. Over the top and laughing all the way. Gritting teeth and snarling the the nay-sayers.
So here's the starting number - 318.
... And bless your hearts. 

Look inside or fall on the outside

It has been a while since my last blog. A long while. A very long while, considering when I started this a couple of years ago, it was a challenge to be my “Wesley-like” and keep up with the discipline of journaling.
It is what it is.

Just because I haven’t kept up doesn’t mean that nothing has happened. Oh, trust me, as the saying goes, “life is what you make it”, and I’ve got enough to feed an army!

I’ve started reading “Generation to Generation” by Edwin Friedman. It’s for an 18-month course that I’m taking that is dealing specifically with dealing with Family Systems Theory. It will probably be one of the best courses I’ll ever take.

Something that has been brought up in Friedman’s book as well as the course is how people become excited or anxious in particular situations, and when they do, it causes other people to become just as excited in many different ways. I’ve seen this SO MUCH on social media. Things like the recent news in Georgia of a young man who went into a school intending not to hurt any students or staff. Or the different drills around the country of how to deal with particular situations.

Other situations poke their head up in similar situations… “my problems are bigger than yours”, or “why does so-and-so have to keep everything private”, or “this is what happened with me, so this is how it’s going to happen to you”, or how someone has no concept about a person’s job, but will dictate how that person needs to do their job.

I recently did an experiment with a group of people where I sat in a room and said nothing. Absolutely nothing. For some of you, this may seem impossible, and maybe even shocking, but really, I did it – said nothing. Doing so, there was a noticeable rise in the anxiety level because a certain group of people (let’s say, um, the “test subjects”), expected a reaction and didn’t get any. The funny part was when I was later approached and asked if there was a problem because all I did was smile the entire time.

… Did I have a problem because I was smiling? That will be a chapter in my book someday.

 

The point is – sometimes our true happiness isn’t in the issues around us, but in the happiness within us.
If we worry about ourselves instead of trying to stand on a pedestal, our insides will feel much nicer.
(and the higher you try to put yourself on a pedestal, the harder you’ll fall when someone easily knocks you down)