Latest Art Project

There are times when the unintentional ends surprise the mundane means. Angel's latest art project turned into an unusually patterned abstract with bold color and hidden pictures. Note the cat's eye and a few faces.

Sorry, but I can't give you any trade secret details about how she did it.

Happy New Year from our neck of the woods to yours. May God have mercy on us all.

December Drenching

A second straight year of flooding is confirming our fears of Global Warming with these southern hemispheric storms being pushed into the west coast. This is the wettest December since 1955. Local t.v. stations are airing full time coverage of the Global Warming flooding. A bank of Global Warming thunderstorms is fast approaching the central valley north of us.

Our t.v. has just gone blank with a severe Global Warming thunderstorm warning. They should hit us in 1/2 hour, Global Warming Time. 60 mile per hour Global Warming winds.

Guess I better sell my old pickup and get a new Passat that emits no harmful Global Warming emissions. Global Warming will stop worrying me and I will be able to focus on the other MoveOn.org crises in my life. Did I mention Global Warming?

Great Wal of China

China's new Wal(Mart) has made the old Wall obsolete. The old wall has fallen as New China partners with New America. It won't be long before China's product quality exceeds 'Made in the U.S.A.' brands, and our manufacturing sector disappears. At least until there's a revolution and the Red Menace is replaced with free-for-all capitalism. Then wages will rise and we can start competing again.

So our biggest concern is a political one. Democracy in China. The two-party system in China. Real freedom of religion in China.

"With God all things are possible," Jesus said.

Taped Out

Wrapping gifts is not my favorite avocation and it's done in haste and sloppiness. Sorry, but it's the testosterone in me. My creativity ends before it begins with each present. But I do like using years-old bows that have multiple layers of tape on the back of them. Practical, thrifty and nostalgic --- now what wonderful gift was this on in 1975?

Tape is the essential article. Tape is great stuff. They pay me big bucks at work to use it, so I'm an expert after 38 years. Need something taped? I'm your man.

The Missing Annual Update

This year's annual Christmas letter never made it to press. This will be a delight to some and regret to others. We get about a half-dozen of these yearly updates. At one time some friends who live in Sacramento would send about a detailed, 5-7 page, handwritten both sides (but copied) account of everything. Most send a single page that's not even filled. Our friend Mike M. absolutely opposes giving or receiving anything during this season and told us so in a long letter a few days ago. He says, "Whenever I receive a form letter from somone on Christmas [seldom, I am happy to report!] it paralyses me. They do not ask about me. I assume they are not interested in my life. Then, if I write throughout the year, they do not respond."

Mike believes since celebrating the birth of Christ is neither mandated nor seen in the Bible, we shouldn't do it. Furthermore, he cites the history of the celebration beginning with the Roman Catholic Church and eventually being accepted in Protestantism, although rejected initially. I can understand both views, but now isn't the time for me to argue the points.

Mike also feels uncomfortable answering any kind of correspondence from women. "But often it is the wife, not the husband, that sends these December holiday letters, and I feel awkward writing to any man's wife for extended chatting."

This just goes to show there are all kinds of people in the world. So I am trusting that most of those folks who usually get our perennial letter [always written by me] will take it in stride and afford a measure of forgiveness. This blog comes close to highlighting a few things that are a bit more interesting than a detailed account of dental visits, number of pills we take or how many times I mowed the lawn this summer anyway.

Suffice it to say that God in His grace and mercy helped us through another year, granted us visits with family and friends, and met all our needs. Now you know.

Paso's Martian Connection

Far more important than life on Mars is the little known rock that bears the name of "Paso Robles." Yes, the Mars Rover scratched the surface of this sulfur laden piece of lithic mass and immediately surmised an appropriate name.

Let's see . . . a rock on Mars named Paso Robles. And the possible reasons are . . . 1. The Mars Rover was test driven on similar terrain - downtown Paso. 2. The Mars Rover was looking for a parking spot and couldn't find one. 3. The Mars Rover was stuck. 4. The Mars Rover smelled sulfur. And yes, folks, that last one must be the real reason for the appellation.

Thankfully, the good citizens and leaders of this growing community have enough git-up, gumption and go to solve the parking and sulfur problems. In the mean time, someone needs to write NASA and get this rock renamed.

Getting To The Church On Time

Saturday morning's overtime mandate dragged me out of bed at 6. It would be cold again in that old pickup. It doesn't really warm up until I'm a 1/2 mile from work, so I usually don't turn it on. What! Waste gas warming it up before I go? Forget it!

I'm there first to unlock, turn off the alarm, turn on the heaters, then start up all the equipment in pre-press. Pressman Miguel will be only one coming in with me. I'm "filling in" while Corey takes a two week vacation (one of them in Bermuda). It has been a week of 3 steps forward and 2 steps back. I've perfected the dance and wasted miles of film trying to make negatives for the press plates. There is NO substitute for hands-on training. This week's feelings of frustration, defeat and failure have been mitigated by an encouraging supervisor and a few victories. Hey, you can only do so much with so little.

Alarm set, doors locked, I head for home, have a hotdog lunch and shower for a 2 p.m. wedding at Morris Chapel at UOP. Barb is sick, so I'm going alone. It's raining. It's cold. It's miserable, but I have my trusty umbrella and a warm jacket.

I pull into the parking lot and find myself the only one there. Maybe they called it off. Or maybe it's at another church. No cell phone, so it's back to the house where Barb meets me at the door and asks what's wrong. "No one's home," I said. She finds the invitation and we both stare at it. "Sunday at 2 p.m." it says, not Saturday.

I jump back into the car and head for Target to do my Christmas shopping. The parking lot is full.

Mood Makers

Another winter forces us indoors against our summer-loving wills. December delights in delivering divine drama, while its trivial trappings take a taxing toll on our tranquility. It's the annual dilemma coming back to haunt and heal us. We decorate to celebrate. We beautify to beatify and bless.


"Then [the people] said to Him, 'What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?' Jesus answered and said to them, 'This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He sent.' Therefore they said to Him, 'What sign will You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, "He gave them bread from heaven to eat."'

"Then Jesus said to them, 'Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.' Then they said to Him, 'Lord, give us this bread always.'

"And Jesus said to them, 'I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst . . . and this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.'" -from John 6

This season's distractions will surely blind most eyes to the reason for celebration. May yours be opened to see the glory and wonder of grace that's found in the Lord Jesus Christ.

Remembering Glory Road Times

How very strange to hear they've made a movie so close to home.
Glory Road is the story of the 1966 NCAA Champions from Texas Western College in El Paso (now U.T.E.P.). No big deal, except I was there trying to earn a degree at the time. I joined a bunch of friends and partied while watching the final game on T.V. Pretty exciting stuff for a small town no-nothing like me.

I was also Dance Committee Chairman that next year, so we decorated with a basketball champion theme for one of the dances. I still remember drawing these huge players on 15' lengths of butcher paper to hang on the walls of the auditorium. Unfortunately, our shindigs were for the nerdier element, so I don't think any players actually showed up for the event, thankfully. Those renditions of 'Big Daddy D.' David Lattin and Nevil Shed were pretty scary.

Driven

Unbridled expression in all forms create the aura of excitement around Angel during this 5th year of life. Whether she is telling you about how her two front baby teeth popped out or her hotdog size bowel movements, you never worry about being bored. She is a lesson in transparency, energy and 'becoming.'

Now is the time to teach her about all that is good and right and true. Now is the time to show and tell your love to her. Now is the time to pray that she can skip the teen years.

The Patience of Job

BestBuy opened at 6 a.m. and I purposely didn't get there until 8:00. The ad prices were irresistable. I could tell this by the happy hoard already inside. The main aisles that circle the store were clogged with carts full of t.v.'s, electronics, video games and computers. One of the hired help was holding a red balloon way in the back of the store. That was the end of the line for the 10 front registers. A blue balloon wandered near the entrance to mark the back of the line for the 5 side registers. Pretty ingenious. Probably an hour wait in both lines. It was going to be a fun time for Wordydave.

My dilemma started when the item I wanted wasn't to be found on the shelves --- by me or three associates. Bill, a manager, took on the project while I followed him around the place. He looked here, there, everywhere, bringing back the wrong item. I'm still waiting about 40 minutes later up front --- having a great time talking to the girl who guarded an exit-only area that led to the front checkout. "Sorry, but you'll have to go to the end of the line" was her mantra for the day. Note: I didn't see any road rage cases, hear any cursing or feel a mood of frustration. Everyone was getting along and smiling! I couldn't believe it!

Finally Bill showed up, saying he'd found 17 items in the computer, but didn't know where the heck they were, so he took my name and said he'd call me. So I got the call later in the afternoon and decided to skip the crowds and go this morning. Another 8 a.m. visit, and again another hide-and-seek game (Bill wasn't there). After looking in four different places, my new software was in my hands and I was third in line at the checkout.

What we won't do to save a buck! ($100 actually).

River Walk

Our nature tends to blindness. Too many of us stroll through life oblivious to the simple beauty that escapes our view. It's right there under our noses and we perhaps glimpse something, but it's not worth a second look.

It's time to get on your knees --- to stop and really LOOK at the world around you --- to wonder in awe of the complexity and beauty and perfect balance beneath your feet and above your head. Creation screams at us and says, "I'm beautiful!" while we reach for the remote and more bean dip.

Who would think there's anything worthy of note in the Salinas River? You've all seen its summer sand, cottonwood, sycamore, and beer cans from a bridge or two. But have you really found its treasures? Paso's plan for a river trail probably sounds really stupid to most Roblans. My hat is off to those who want to make it a reality and preserve and appreciate a little bit of wilderness before the floating casinos and WalMarts cover it up.

Check out out a few photos at http://wordydave.photosite.com

Macho Muchachos

I knew I was in cowboy country when our party of ten went to Big Bubba's for lunch after relocating all of the old cars, trucks and buggies back into their display positions at the Pioneer Museum after The Paso Gathering event. Heave-hoing, grunts and follow-the-leadering called for a nice rewarding lunch. We lined up a few tables and feasted on hamburgers, bbq sandwiches and tostadas as a giant buffalo head moved its little ears electronically on the wall. I knew things didn't seem right when a bunch of us ordered sodas and I was the only one who used a straw. Yes, this was the Paso Robles I'd left 33 years ago for greener pastures in the Central Valley. I don't think they'll want me back with my big city, pussy-footing ways after that.

Rain Refrain

We're enjoying our trip to Paso Robles, especially the new faces and places. A photo jaunt to the middle of the Salinas River on Wellsona Road rewarded us with some great pictures and discoveries. Lots of sand still down there for four-wheeling. A little water left from the last rainy season, a variety of fauna footprints and lots of dumped trash gave us plenty to talk about. With a storm coming in, the cloud formations were first class for us photographers.

It's raining today as Barb and I get ready to go to San Luis for a memorial service for a friend's mom. Just read about it in the Tribune yesterday. The seasons of life are mercies.

Selling Out

A pastor down the road a bit secretly sold his church without his congregation's knowledge for $500,000 recently. $450,000 went into a bogus bank account which was used to purchase a BMW for his girlfriend (plus other expenses for unnamed items - there's $350,000 left). This was the First Congregational Church in Ripon, CA, a small town on Hwy 99 known for its extremely strong and faithful Mennonite and Christian Reformed churches and schools.

May God have mercy on us all. The judgment has started.