Passion

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Passion

This will be deep! However, I will try my best to make it simple.
Wait! Don’t stop reading; give me a chance. I know in this time of fast pace, hurry up and wait… hurry to go where? We have no time for the babblings of some crazy old lunatic that is rambling on about some gibberish that will serve no purpose. There will be nothing… (In it for me). Because, if we are honest, that is how the world works today, Quid Pro Quo. It’s too bad too.
If you give me a chance, perhaps I will at least make you think, so why not get a coffee and sit down with this; what have you got to lose?

Imagine if you will, that you are in a classroom. There is a professor at the chalk board. He is writing notes and you think…I should copy these notes….they may be important. You ask yourself…Is anyone else writing these notes down? The strange thing is that everyone is likely thinking the same thing as you. So everyone is looking at each other, with puzzled looks. Because as of yet, the professor has said nothing. You are still doubting, and your mind is saying should I or should I not? The old saying… “Fools rush in” is arguing with thoughts of …. “If I do not copy this down….and it is important…then I will be in a mess.”
Finally, one brave soul decides to start writing. Good, now I can go ahead and not look like a geek. Soon the entire works of the class is doing the same. We really are more like sheep than we care to admit.
You write feverishly so as to get the information. Professors have a tendency to erase and keep writing, with the appearance that they could care less if you are finished copying or not. They are on their own time table, not yours.
Soon though, the professor sets down. He rubs his hands together to wipe away the chalk dust, then wipes an apple off, grabs the daily paper, gets comfortable, and begins to read. It is like he is the only one in the room, like he does not even acknowledge that the room is filled with you and those like you.
Again you see some puzzled faces. Yours being one of them.Then one brave over achiever asks, “Sir…could you give us some direction?” To no avail. The professor continues to read the paper and devour his apple, as if he heard nothing at all.
Then and only then do you go back and read what you have copied once again. Because when we get in a hurry, we tend to accomplish the primary task, with little or no regard for anything else. You decided to copy the notes, and to do it at a fast pace so as not to miss getting them. You copied the words with out really digesting what they said.
Here is what it said.

“At a time beyond two weeks from now but less than three; be prepared to speak in front of the class, on the importance of a food chain in the ecosystem. You can be as creative as you see fit. It is important to point out that your priorities are all important as to the effort you give this task. You can elect to abstain from this endeavour, or, you can choose to be prepared. The choice is entirely up to you as an individual. You will have up to a twenty minute time limit for this exercise. Wisdom dictates that our choices be made in accordance with logic.”

So, you read it. Then you reread it. You look around and begin to realize the different fears that are starting to manifest themselves on people’s faces, along with the ones hatching inside of you.
There is a small revolt beginning as different people begin asking questions.
“What will this be worth?” What does this have to do with a psychology class…if I wanted to be a biologist…I would have chosen to enrol in those studies”
“Please give us a date so we will know exactly when this will be due.”
“There was nothing in the course outline that stated we would have to speak in front of people.”
Several more comments are made none of which the professor acknowledges. Finally though, he puts down his paper. Tosses his apple core in the waste can, turns with no emotion or change of expression and says. “You have all the information you need….at least all that you are going to get….I suggest you act accordingly…class dismissed.” With this said, he very calmly picks up his things from his desk and walks out of the class. Louder statements are made by many. The unfairness of it all is emphasised. Yet, nothing seems to deter the professor’s exit.
Now then, we jump ahead to two and half weeks from now. You have decided to give this enough effort to at least pass. You have heard of some folks that have chosen to ignore this task, thinking that it will only account for a small portion of the final mark. You know of other classmates that have burned the midnight oil putting forth a great effort to gather, prepare, and organize the information.
You have one friend that has remained non committed as to how they will approach this.
The day arrives and with much apprehension and perhaps a bit of interest as to how this will play out, you go in to class.
The professor is seated at his desk as the class begins. One by one he calls the name of the members of the class.
When you are called you go forth with butterflies in your stomach and present what you have prepared. You do it with as much emotion and vigour as you first thought, enough to go through the motions and pass. Just what was required and nothing more. After all, you have a lot of other work to do too.
You get through it, and it is like one thousand pounds has been lifted from your back upon completion. You did look for some sign of how you did from the professor, yet you receive none. For just as he did with the others he said nothing. He just seemed to listen and make a few notes. He never once showed any emotion one way or the other.
You listen to the various presentations, assessing each as they speak. Some are short and sweet and to the point. Some are done in such a manor they may as well have read them aloud in the first place, for that is what they did anyway. Some use power point presentations to enhance their presentations. Yet even some of these are just words, no diagrams, no pictures, so it was just like a reading in the long run. And yes there were a few that abstained. Even at this, you noticed that the professor never gave a sign of emotion one way or the other.
There was one person though, that made you laugh; he made you feel, well…good. It was also informative, not too long, not too short. The student spoke to the entire class and seemed very comfortable. He only used his notes as a reference, instead of just reading a bunch of information. You also found that it was interesting, because…you actually learned some things from his presentation. Perhaps even to the point of reading more about the subject on your own time.
Once done the professor stands in front of the class.
He then spoke.
“Today we have witnessed some very creative presentations. Further, we have seen many different styles. Some chose not to participate. Well…in life there are choices….We all are presented everyday with challenges where we have to make decisions, sometimes based on very little information. The point to this exercise was to see how we all react differently to basically the same thing. Really there were none of you right or wrong. Yet it was very interesting to see how you all reacted to this. I certainly have learned a great deal from this little experiment, it is my hope that you did too. Why? Because…my friends…two weeks from today…I will expect a formal paper from each of you relating to what this exercise has taught you. I do not want to know what you learned about a food chain either. I want you to relate what this entire process has taught you about life. This will be very important to you as it will account for 60% on your final exam.”
This now seemed somehow in an odd way to make sense. At least now we had enough information to make a semi sound decision as to what to do.
Had I learned anything from this? My answer is yes. And I think if you think about it you will too.

It strikes me that in life it is a lot like this example. There are some of us that choose to do nothing, commit to nothing, because most of the time they either don’t care or there is nothing in it for them. There are those that give just enough to get by. Then there are the few that give their all with great enthusiasm.
It is easy to be enthusiastic about something you believe in. But how do you know if you really believe in something? I think you believe in something when you are excited about it. When the hair on your neck stands and you get the tingles. When you have an insatiable desire to learn all you can about it. When you speak about it with passion.
We are, I think, becoming a society with less and less passion about anything.
Sadly, when we come across a person that is full of passion, some of us, not all, put the person down, label him an idiot or childish. Some of us will do anything to make the person with passion seem less than they are.
There are likely many reasons for this. I think one huge reason is envy, or jealousy. It seems some folks get in a rut and they feel somehow threatened by a person who is not. Sometimes it seems they are in the rut and they like it there, and they want everyone to be in the same rut with them. I for one can not bring myself to feel this. In fact I have a very hard time understanding it. I love to listen to people and I really like a person that has passion. I am however, not into the mean spirited type of passion. To me this type of person is not all that different than Hitler. You all know these types of people. My way only. You had better listen to me. I am right and the rest of the world is wrong. These types of people. They may well be passionate, but to me it is the wrong type of passion.
So then, this begs the question, what am I most passionate about? Because if I think if I know these things, I will come to know what I believe in.
I self evaluate all the time. I ask myself questions. Some would call this a struggle for identity, or paranoia. I call it part of learning.
If you are like me, then you all can remember a teacher that you had that seemed to be full of an endless supply of information to impart on us with a never ending, never changing, emotionless, monotone, uncreative, demeanour.
You likely remember another teacher that touched you with their enthusiasm and creativity, their passion.
The difference is, because you remember them both, I will venture to guess that you remember well the lessons of the passionate teacher. While the only thing you really remember from the other is how positively boring they were. How hard you had to struggle to stay awake, and very little about the lesson.
To me this person with no passion is a huge problem, because it gives me several feelings. One, the person really could care less if I got anything from their teaching. Two, the person generally comes across as….I know you don’t let’s just leave it at that…attitude. Or they are just going through the motions. Just putting forth enough effort to get by. No passion whatsoever.
It is easy to be passionate about the things we enjoy the most. Take baseball for example, if this is something you like; you generally will be full of information about the teams and players. You will know inside and out the rules of the game. You will strive to learn all you can about the game. You just plain enjoy it. It brings you joy. It maybe golf or something else, but no matter what it is, if you truly love it, if you truly are devoted to it, if you believe in it without trying. Then it will be easy to be passionate about it.
So then, if you do not go around showing to everyone the passion you have for something, am I saying you don’t believe in it? No I am not. I think for a host of reasons people tend a lot of the time to hide their passions. They don’t want to make a big deal about it. Part of the reason is they do not want others to put them down. They want to be accepted. They do not like the feeling of being made fun of. They want and deserve respect. I think it is absurd that this exists; to me it is a very high form of petty meanness. It is something I will never be able to accept or understand, why some people get so big on themselves they feel the need to look down on another person in a host of different ugly ways. And that is what it is to me, plain and simple, ugly.
I also find it interesting that the people who you know the best, the people you grew up with, are by far the worst offenders. Again, not all, but some, make it their mission in life to prove to the world they are better than you by telling you exactly what you should and shouldn’t do and how you are wrong if you don’t agree with them.
It seems to me that even Jesus could not preach in his home town because of this very thing. I mean…who does he think he is…he is just a carpenter…where does he get off…I knew him when…Things like that.
So what do I believe, what do you believe. God?.... Well? Do I believe in God? Do you? Is it okay to have doubts? Because I do have doubts. The person who tells you that they have no doubts…well….lets just say…I am very careful around these types of people.
I come from the world of wildland fire suppression; I have been involved in it for a very long time. Because of this, I get to help out with some courses here and there as an instructor. I tell folks at the start of every course somewhat the same thing. I tell them, the one thing I have learned for sure is how little I know. The reason is clear, the learning never stops because we are involved very personally front and center with one of the most powerful forces in nature. No matter what I learn, there is always something new to learn. I do not think that one person can ever know it all.
If I could find a person that has fought fire in every type of environment under every type of condition, in all types of weather, then I might say that person knows almost everything. I know a lot of people a lot smarter than I am about wildland fire, and I can tell you I have never come close to meeting anyone like that. And I know I never will either.
Yet, I have met a lot of folks that say and let on like they know all there is to know about wildland fire…..and I tell every class….these are the folks that will get you hurt or worse…killed…if you let them.
So then, what are you passionate about? What do you believe in? I don’t want you to tell me, tell yourself.
And if you are passionate, do you show it? If not, why don’t you?
No one will know for sure but you and God.
I said before we all want to be accepted no matter if is on a baseball team or if it is church. This is part of being human. I think acceptance is a key. Tolerance is a key. I do not like to forced to do or not do anything. I try not to do this to other folks because I wouldn’t want them doing it to me.
My walk with the Lord is my own, and if I walk wrong, he will let me know in some way. It is a private thing between myself and God. I don’t need to know what another person views as right and wrong. What might be right for them may not be right for me and vice versa. Who am I to tell you that you are wrong with your thoughts? I am not speaking of the wrongs all of society has deemed wrong, like breaking laws. I am speaking of the things a person believes and is passionate about. When it comes to that, it should be between me and the Lord.
I do not feel like we should have to agree in all aspects of we believe in order to be treated with respect or to be accepted.
To me it is very clear. We are all the same, none better, none worse. It is not up to me to judge peoples beliefs, beyond the written laws that we all have to obey. If you do not like rock music, that’s fine by me, but I don’t think that because you think it is wrong, it gives you the right to tell me that I am evil because I do. Well…you can say this to me….it does not mean I have to listen. Think about it, be honest with yourself. If some one were to make a habit of pointing out how you are less of a person than they are because of something as ridiculous as this. Do they really change the way you think? Do they really change your belief? You may well give in to them, for the want of acceptance, but I seriously doubt they will ever change what you believe. I think only you are able to do that.
I know it sounds like I am some sort of rebel. I am not trying to be.
Ask yourself which is worse. The person smoking a cigarette, or the person condemning that person to hell because he is smoking. See to me, as long as society deems it is legal, and the person is not telling me that I should smoke, or they are not making me breath second hand smoke, then who am I to say they shouldn’t. Do I think they will go to hell because they smoke? I do not.
And I believe the same about a lot of things that people for whatever reason believe are wrong.
I love country music. I have a passion for it. I am not forcing others to listen to it if they do not like it. I do not see where my country music listening has caused harm to anyone else either. Yet I have been told that I should only listen to gospel music. That any other type of music is wrong. Hmmm, can’t find anywhere when Jesus said that all music is bad and you will burn in hell if you play or listen to anything but gospel music or hymns.
I know that there will be someone out there that will have a list of reasons as to why my thinking is wrong. To these folks I say, good. Say what you will, I doubt that you will change what I believe. Yet you can try if you wish.
I do recall that Jesus had something to say to the Pharisees about making rules that were hard for people to follow, just so they could feel better about themselves.
I do recall that Jesus said that anyone that accepts Him and asks for forgiveness will be saved.
I do recall that Jesus said that it is not what goes into a person that makes them wrong, it is what comes out of a person that can make him wrong.
And best of all, at least where I am concerned, Jesus gave us two great laws. Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul. And love others as you would have them love you.
For me it is just too much of a stretch to think that going to a dance with my wife will condemn me to hell.
But then this is just what I think…I am not in anyway telling you what you should think.
One thing I do find really unacceptable, is how passion and enthusiasm is put down by some. I think we need to let our passions flow, regardless of what others think.

Until next time, may God bless you all, and may He give us the courage to be real. Tex

Shewgundy

February 13, 2010

Tex’s Thought Provokers 016

Shewgundy

Once a very long time ago, to a place called Shewgundy, our destination; a small boy, a dog named Sheppy, and a lady named Kate, embarked on a most interesting adventure.

A gentle breeze whispered through the fresh green leaves of two giant Manitoba Maple trees, while the long grass in the field before them swayed giving the illusion of waves on the water. The bright sunlight added to this effect causing the grass to almost gleam as it waltzed with the wind.

Shewgundy was a mystical place that the boy had heard the big people talking about, but he had never been there. He knew it was in a place far far away; some day he hoped he would go there. Today was that long awaited day.

As the boy skipped along he was filled with eager anticipation of what this grand expedition might entail. As ever, Sheppy kept close to the boy with the watchful eye of a great protector. Kate walked steadily along, stopping every so often long enough only to urge the boy to come along.

As they past the white barn where the chickens lived, the lad looked at Kate’s long red hair as it blew in the wind sweeping across her face; and he wondered how she could see, and if it tickled. Above him and to the left, on the side hill was the big flat rock where he and Sheppy had spent many wondrous times just setting and watching. The big rock was as far as he had ever ventured, from here on, it would be knew territory.

Well below him and to his right, was first the railroad track, then the road, and finally the big river. He thought of how the man in the train engine, as well as the man in the caboose, would always wave at him when they went by and they saw him and Sheppy on the rock.

In those days, the army moved long convoys of machines and men up and down the road. However, he thought, that it had been a very long time since he had seen them; it must have been at least two weeks. He figured, surly they would be back soon, and he told Sheppy as much as he patted her lovingly on the head.

The boy’s mind then drifted to the river and the big event he had been witness to not long ago. The river was filled with what the big people called pulp, and he remembered watching the strange looking boats with men on them with long spears, they used the spears to poke at the pulp. Yes, there were many odd things to watch from the rock, and he was glad that he could watch such amazing things with such a good friend as Sheppy.

As the troop of adventurers continued on, through the field with many huge rocks, Kate stopped next to a very strange looking plant. It was very tall with peculiar leaves and on top there was a small pink paint brush, at least that is what he thought it looked like. Kate smiled and told him it was a Thistle. She gently took hold of his hand as he reach to touch the "fistle". Apparently, those funny looking leaves had sharp sticky things on the ends, nasty things that would hurt if they were touched by young boys.

Then with time being of the essence, Kate told him that they had to press on, for there was yet much to do, and a fair way to go. The huge rocks reminded him of a scene in a movie he had gone to see with his Mum and Dad. It was all about men both good guys and bad guys, in some war, that was what his Dad had told him. All he knew was, there were some scary parts in that movie; parts where bad guys jumped out from behind rocks just like these, and when they jumped out they were shooting at the good guys. However, his Dad had told him it was just a movie, and that really, it was not happening. His Dad had also told him not to worry, because some man named John would save the day. Sure enough he was right.

Remembering the movie and how big John saved the day was of little comfort now, because there was no big man named John anywhere around here. Oh there was John up at the store, but that was a long way from here. Then it occurred to him that Sheppy was there, and she would never let anything bad happen to Kate or him. So he felt better, yet, he kept a close watch on the rocks, in the event that a bad guy would jump out at them, he would be ready, just in case.

The boy had no way of knowing then, but this would be the site of many great battles in the future. Desperate battles, where all that there was depended on their outcome.

Soon they came to a huge barn that he had only seen before from a very long way away. He was astounded by it’s gigantic size, for it looked so much smaller from where he usually looked at it. Kate told him as they came up to the barn, to never go near it. Inside the floor timbers were weak with age, and he might fall through. Besides that, there were all sorts of Mice, Rats, mean old barn Cats, and perhaps even some wild animals like Raccoon's living inside. None of which he found appealing in any way.

The boy assured Kate she had nothing to worry about; he would indeed stay away from the barn. On the outside he tried to seem brave, yet on the inside, he felt that the barn was quite a spooky looking place, and he was really quite glad to accommodate Kate’s wishes.

As they started to move on he looked up the hill to his left and he spied beneath a lone apple tree, a small pile of dirt. He quickly pointed it out to Kate, and then inquired as to what caused it. Kate explained that it was a Groundhog, and that there would be a hole, next to the pile of dirt, in the ground where the animal made his home. This was just too much good information, for a young lad not to at least go and have a closer look. Kate agreed to let him go, she would wait, but only on the condition that he took a quick look and then came back.

Sheppy let out with a short bark, as the boy wheeled and ran up the hill toward the Groundhog’s home, with Sheppy bouncing along at his side. Upon reaching the dirt, and after catching his breath, he looked down and sure enough there was a hole just as Kate had said. Sheppy drove her nose deep into the hole, and then she dug at the hole. When Kate observed this from below, she called Sheppy and the boy to come back. The boy started back down the hill, and Sheppy reluctantly followed, wearing her disappointed dog look.

After they had passed the old barn, to the right was an old house. It was not very big and it looked like no one lived there, the windows were all broken and there was no door. Kate told him that it was an old abandoned house and he was to stay away from this place too. It looked even more scary than the barn, so he thought staying away would be easy.

By now they were at the end of the field and straight in front of them was a steep hill with trees of all kinds growing on it. To the left there was an old road that led up a hill slightly less steep. Kate pointed up the old road and told him that this was the way. He looked down the hill to his right as he walked up the old road and he could see a small brook babbling away at the base. Beyond the brook there was the other hill covered in trees, much steeper, and going up away from the brook.

Kate pointed at the brook and explained that in the spring, a person with some ambition, could find an ample supply of fiddle heads along the brook. Now the boy knew what these were. His Dad had taken him to another place to pick them along time ago that very past spring. He remembered he like it, mud, water, woods, flies, and all sorts of fun things went along with picking fiddle heads. Picking them though, was not anywhere near as good as eating them when his Mum fixed them for him. Vinegar, butter, salt and pepper, and fresh buttered bread. Emmmm…he thought…he could almost taste them now.

Onward they went, and before too long they had reached the summit of the hill. At this juncture, the old road crossed the small brook. Kate took his hand and helped him step from stone to stone to manage the crossing to the other side. Sheppy just waded right into the brook, stopping mid way to lap up a sweet drink of fresh cool water.

Once on the other side, Kate put her finger to her lips and whispered for the boy to be very quiet. If they were to go carefully, and they were very fortunate, they might get to see some Pheasants.

They turned to the right away from the road into a small clearing. There was a page wire fence to the left of the clearing and woods to the right. The clearing was covered with pasture like grass between numerous rocks. Ahead at the end of the clearing were several apple trees, behind them, more woods. On the other side of the fence to the left was an old field that wasn't farmed anymore, nature was reclaiming the field as there were many weeds, shrubs and small trees growing up in it.

Kate stopped and looked ahead to the apple trees, and then informed the boy that there were no Pheasants today. Then, she simply said one word; Shewgundy.

They sat down on some rocks near the brook and Kate said that in the fall they would come back to Shewgundy and pick some apples. The Pheasants were more likely to be there then. She as well pointed out the wild grapes that were growing on the fence behind them. She said that they would make good jelly and perhaps they could come pick enough to make a batch later in the summer when it was their time to be harvested. She explained that further on up the old road there was another spot to pick raspberries. These would make a lovely pie.

After setting, petting Sheppy and listening to Kate, he decided that Shewgundy was one of his very most favorite places that he had ever been. He concluded that there could be no place in the world that was quite as special.

Soon they were walking back down the hill on the old road. It was sure a lot easier going back down the hill than it was going up. As they entered the field at the bottom, Kate turned and walked toward the old abandoned house. She told the boy that it was time to gather some rhubarb.

This turn of events excited the boy, for he knew that rhubarb meant pie, and that was scrumptious. As Kate went to work carefully picking only the best stalks, the boy was busy in another patch picking as well. When he brought them over and began to lay them in the pile with Kate’s, she laughed and said that there was a difference between rhubarb and burdock's. She then showed the boy and explained the difference.

“Ran…Ran…wake up. You can go in now if you would like too.” It was my Father, he thought I was asleep, but really I was in deep thought. I guess when I didn’t answer him the first time, even though I guess I heard him; he thought I had drifted off. It had been a long evening. I had heard him, but I really didn’t want to leave what was filling my mind.

Grammy Kate had had another heart attack and she was in intensive care. It was either her third or fourth, I’m not sure which. It didn’t matter, all I could think of was the times I had spent with her. Our adventure to Shewgundy was but one of our times that I had been recalling all afternoon and evening. Yes, I had heard Dad; I guess I just was afraid of what he might have to say to me.

After realizing what he said, I told him that I did want to go in. So half scared to death, I followed Dad to meet a nurse that guided me in. I tried my best to appear calm and I nervously smiled as I walked up beside her. I bent over and kissed her on the forehead and gently pushed some of her still red hair back from her cheek. She looked so feeble and tired. Gram always had fair skin, but that night her skin was even more white. As I held her hand, it was so cold in my hand.

I said softly, “Gram…are you warm enough?”

As soon as she heard my voice she knew, “Randi…it’s you…yes dear I’m fine.”

As I continued to hold her hand, she turned her head slightly and she tried to focus on me, she was not wearing her glasses.

“Randi…there is something I need to tell you.”

I interrupted, “Gram…you need to rest, you can tell me later when you are feeling better, you just need to rest for now.”

“No…I need to talk now….I don’t think there will be another chance.”

On hearing this, of course I didn’t want too, so I tried to stop her.

“Now Gram, you’re going to be just fine.”

She stopped me and I didn’t argue with her for fear of upsetting her more.

“No…now you have to listen to me…I have had a very good life. It is just time for me to go home. Now listen, I have always known you were a good boy. I’m not going to tell you how to live your life. I know that will all work out just fine. But, I want you to please promise me this.”

“Yes Gram, what is it?”

“I want you to continue to always be a good boy, and then you will be a good man. And above all else….I want you to please promise me that you will always treat other folks the way you would want them to treat you.”

“Yes…I promise Gram…now don’t you worry…you rest now, and get better, I promise I will do my best.”

“Good…I know you will.”

The nurse was there then and urging me, it was time I let Gram rest. I kissed her on the forehead again and left her side. She was now sleeping peacefully.

Later that night, Gram slipped away. At the time it hurt. Gram was the first really close loss I’d had. It hit me very hard, for I had spent a great deal of time with her growing up. At the time there were only two other women that equalled a place in my heart the way she did. That was my Mother and Gram Smith. I loved them all the same, different, but they all were equal in my heart, special ladies each of them in their own ways.

Now Gram Hallett was one of the kindest people I have ever known. It even hurt her feelings to swat a fly. She was also very smart. That is not to say I held her in any higher regard than Gram Smith or Mum, like I said, I loved them all the same.

Yet, not long ago, I realized just how smart my Gram Hallett was. I had made her that promise, and from that very night on, I always did try to fulfill that vow. It was very hard to do at times. And I am certain there were times when I failed to keep the promise at all. At least though, I have always tried to make an effort.
I didn’t have the slightest idea what the promise really meant at the time I made it. I guess then, I thought she was just trying to get me to be a good boy and grow into a good man. But she knew something, something that I would take a long time to come to learn. Yet she knew I would someday learn it. She had faith. A strong and pure faith. I know she had hurts and pains in her life, however, I can honestly say that I never heard her say a single bad word about anyone, or anything.

What was just a way of life for her, took me a very long time to figure out. She knew that there were two great laws. She further knew, that if someone tried to force anything on me, that I was very strong willed and I would reject it just on my stubborn principles. She didn’t say a word about the first great Law. She knew it would do no good at that time to say anything. So she spoke only of the second great Law. See, she knew in her heart, she had great faith, that if I followed the second great Law, that I would eventually come to follow the first great Law. She was right.

37 Jesus answered, “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and most important command. 39 And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbour the same as you love yourself.’ 40 All the law and the writings of the prophets* take their meaning from these two commands.” Matthew 22:37-40

Until next time, may the Lord bless and keep you all.
In Christ Tex

This is one of my older writings. Written after my first year as a committed Christian

Tex’s Thought Provokers 015

The Year In Review

The time is drawing very near. It has been almost one full year. November 05, 2007 to be exact. This is the date that my life began a slow but sure metamorphosis. In no way do I believe that my change was all at once like some magical trick; no, I believe that I am very much a work in progress. Further, I contend that for as long as I live, I will still be very much a work in progress. All I can do is my best.
My, but where does the time go? A year flew by at record speed. It seems that the older I get the faster time slips by. Yet, undoubtedly, you all know this same thing.
So how has my life changed thus far? First and for most, I have found a true friend, one that will always be at my side through good and bad times, no matter where I go, no matter what I do, he will never let me down. I know I can always trust him and I know that no matter what the circumstance he will always love me. He is understanding, He does not make fun of me, He is not hateful, He does not expect more from me than I can produce, He is happy when I do my best.
Beyond Jesus, I have come to get to know many folks that I have known all my life. That sounds weird doesn’t it? What I mean is, I have known these folks but in the last year, I have come to really know them. As well, I have come to know many others that I never knew, in a way that once, I never thought possible. I have come to love all these people with all my heart.
I have made friendships that will last forever. There are many, however, one comes to mind that I can not go on without mentioning. Pastor Garth, my brother in Christ, my very dear friend. If it were not for him, being the man that he is, I know that the Lord would have led me to Him, but through Garth, the transition that I made was real and very natural. I thank God for bringing us together everyday. Even though he and his family, that have come to mean so much to me and my family, are moving on, no matter where this life takes us, we have formed a relationship that will never be taken away from the works of what this world has to offer. I have never known two people that love the Lord the way Garth and Liane do. They have a great son in Colin who as well it has been a pleasure to come to know.
I have as well been reunited with some very dear friends that I grew up with. Somewhere along the way, our worlds drifted apart. Now they have drifted back together. For this I am very thankful.
In the last twenty years, I have come to learn that I love to learn. This was a somewhat different train of thought than what my teen years produced. I am not really certain when this revelation occurred to me, but I am certainly glad that it did. This last year in particular has been a year of great learning. The two things I have learned above all else are, my Father really is a smart man, and how very little I know. This is besides learning that the Lord is always with me and that he loves me.
Another day I will always remember is the day that my wife and I were baptised together last Easter. No words can explain the joy I felt that day. Besides having my family and close friends witness this, the icing on the cake was having Garth perform the baptism.
I have as well come to know that Pastor Brandon is a fine example for our young people and really, a fine example to us all. A fine young man who I am happy to call a friend. Brandon was there to catch me in case I slipped from Garth’s hands during the Baptism. Believe me I was glad he was there, but for more than just a safety net, I was pleased to have him take part in our Baptism as well. Brandon has also come to mean a great deal to my son, and for this I am very thankful.
Then we became members of our church. Another marked day. We were baptised as Baptist and we joined a Baptist church. This warrants some commentary. We belong to a Baptist church, and we were baptised by a Baptist Minister, yet, the most important thing to us is our love for Christ. This is not meant to offend anyone or belittle the Baptist’s in any way. Like I said, some of my best friends are Baptist. This being said, I do not buy into a lot of the legislation and regulation of any denomination. I believe in Jesus Christ, he is my personal saviour. I love the Lord with all my heart and soul and mind and I love others as I would want them to love me. Beyond these facts, I do not think a lot of earthly rules made by men are necessary to live a Christian’s life. Again I will stress how very important these two greatest commands that Jesus gave us are. People may be aghast that I would say such a thing. Well all I can say is if we all followed these two rules with all that is in us, the world would be a very different place. These two rules are perfect, which should come as no great surprise, being as much as they came from ultimate perfection. Follow these rules and all the rest will fall into place, because all the rest of the rules get their power and meaning from these two great rules. So very simple, and so perfect!
I find that I am more patient and more relaxed about things. Oh I still get upset now and then, I still make mistakes every day. I still worry, but not as much, and not about things I have no control over such as the past. I am making a concerted effort to quit with the “if only syndrome”.
I have come to understand that every person that walks this earth with God at his or her side, walks their own personal walk with Him. Who am I to tell them how they should walk? That is up to the Lord. I know the bible says that we should point things out to brothers and sisters that they may be doing that are not quite up to certain standards:

15 “If your brother or sister in God’s family does something wrong, go and tell them what they did wrong. Do this when you are alone with them. If they listen to you, then you have helped them to be your brother or sister again.
Matthew 18:15


1Brothers and sisters, someone in your group might do something wrong. You who are following the Spirit should go to the one who is sinning. Help make that person right again, and do it in a gentle way. But be careful, because you might be tempted to sin too.
Galatians 6:1

I think we have to be very very careful at this point. We can get several meanings from the last sentence of the above verse. It could mean for us to be careful that we are not led to doing the same thing as the other person is doing. It could also mean that there is a fine line between judging a person and trying to help them. You might therefore be tempted to think you are better than the other person. Other than what the Lord tells us is a sin, who am I to say what is wrong?

1 So do you think that you can judge those other people? You are wrong. You too are guilty of sin. You judge them, but you do the same things they do. So when you judge them, you are really condemning yourself. Romans 1: 1

11Brothers and sisters, don’t say anything against each other. If you criticize your brother or sister in Christ or judge them, you are criticizing and judging the law they follow. And when you are judging the law, you are not a follower of the law. You have become a judge. 12God is the one who gave us the law, and he is the Judge. He is the only one who can save and destroy. So it is not right for you to judge anyone. James 4:11-12
Example: If I see someone pilfering something that is not his, and let’s say it is mine, so I know beyond a doubt that he is taking the thing without permission, it would be very easy for me to say that is wrong. I would further be very confident that it was wrong, and thus a sin. It is illegal, and the Lord says not to do this type of thing. So I would then confront the individual.
However, if on the other hand, I see someone smoking a cigarette, it is not illegal, I can not find it in the bible where it is saying anything about smoking being a sin, so who am I to say it is wrong and thus a sin?
Let’s say I see a person having a beer or glass of wine. It is not illegal provided the rules are followed, Jesus turned water to wine after it seemed the party goers were already feeling extremely good, yes, Jesus was without sin and the only person ever to walk the earth that was or is perfect, He drank wine, so how could it be a sin if He is sinless? I for one do not believe it is a sin unless you lead others to sin with its use. But then, there are many things we could say that do that. I refuse to judge a person to be sinning for something I do not believe is a sin.

9Don’t let all kinds of strange teachings lead you into the wrong way. Depend only on God’s grace for spiritual strength, not on rules about foods. Obeying those rules doesn’t help anyone. Hebrews 13:9

10 Jesus called the people to him. He said, “Listen and understand what I am saying. 11 It is not what people put in their mouth that makes them wrong. It is what comes out of their mouth that makes them wrong.” Matthew 15:10-11

18 Why do I say people are like that? Because John came, not eating like other people or drinking wine, and people say, ‘He has a demon* inside him.’ 19 The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and people say, ‘Look at him! He eats too much and drinks too much wine. He’s a friend of tax collectors and other sinners.’ But wisdom is shown to be right by what it does.”
Matthew 11:18-19

That being said, I do believe however that a person should not be drunk. They should always be ready and of sound mind, for we never know the minute or second that Jesus will come again. To me, there is a huge difference between having a drink with friends and being drunk and involved in wild parties.

42 “So always be ready. You don’t know the day your Lord will come”. Matthew 24:42

13 “So always be ready. You don’t know the day or the time when the Son of Man will come.” Matthew 25:13

32 “No one knows when that day or time will be. The Son and the angels in heaven don’t know when that day or time will be. Only the Father knows. 33 Be careful! Always be ready. You don’t know when that time will be. Mark 13:32-33

34 “Be careful not to spend your time having parties and getting drunk or worrying about this life. If you do that, you won’t be able to think straight, and the end might come when you are not ready.”
Luke 21:34

13 We should live in a right way, like people who belong to the day. We should not have wild parties or be drunk. We should not be involved in sexual sin or any kind of immoral behavior. We should not cause arguments and trouble or be jealous. Romans 13:13

17 So don’t be foolish with your lives, but learn what the Lord wants you to do. 18 Don’t be drunk with wine, which will ruin your life, but be filled with the Spirit. Ephesians 5:17-18

19 The wrong things the sinful self does are clear: committing sexual sin, being morally bad, doing all kinds of shameful things, 20 worshiping false gods, taking part in witchcraft, hating people, causing trouble, being jealous, angry or selfish, causing people to argue and divide into separate groups, 21 being filled with envy, getting drunk, having wild parties, and doing other things like this. I warn you now as I warned you before: The people who do these things will not have a part in God’s kingdom. Galatians 5:19-21

With my kids, I have always told them, if you think or feel something is wrong, it likely is. So don’t do it. It goes the same for us, if we think it might be wrong, it likely is. So don’t do it. But don’t keep from doing something that is not a written law, just because someone else says it is wrong. If Jesus didn’t tell us it was wrong, and it is not a law of the land, then who gives another person the right to say something is wrong just because they do not like it?
I want to stress that I further believe if something is wrong for another person, say that person has a problem with drinking alcohol, then I certainly would not tempt that person with drink. I don’t think others should do this either. To me this is a great sin when you tempt a person into doing any kind of wrong. This being said, not everyone has a problem with alcohol. No two people are the same when it comes to anything.

2 Don’t change yourselves to be like the people of this world, but let God change you inside with a new way of thinking. Then you will be able to understand and accept what God wants for you. You will be able to know what is good and pleasing to him and what is perfect. Romans 12:2

16 Don’t allow what is good for you to become something they say is evil. 17 In God’s kingdom, what we eat and drink is not important. Here is what is important: a right way of life, peace, and joy—all from the Holy Spirit. Romans 14:16-17

21 It is better not to eat meat or drink wine or do anything else that hurts the faith of your brother or sister. 22 You should keep your beliefs about these things a secret between yourself and God. It is a blessing to be able to do what you think is right without feeling guilty.
Romans 14:21-22
Some of you are by now wondering why I harp on this so much. I will attempt to explain.
I have heard it said that the greatest stumbling block to the church is the church itself. All the while we live by rules that man has made in one form or another, it is my belief that people have been and are being driven further from the Lord. Things people have heard that has turned them off are like the following: “Oh my land…you dance? That is a sin! You mustn’t do that!” “Oh you evil person you…you smoke! That is detestable! You are certainly not welcome in this house!” “Look at that poor excuse for a man…I mean he drinks…what an abomination!” “Oh my heavens!!!!...That is the devils music! That rock and roll heathen music!” “You would watch a movie such as the likes of that! That is terrible! What a terrible sin that is!”
I think you are getting the picture. My point is that there are a lot of wonderful people that live good and peaceful lives that would perhaps like to come to church and hear God’s word, and have fellowship with other good people. But I can tell you that this will not happen as long as folks feel they are better than others. It won’t happen as long as folks are missing the real point of being a Christian. People do not want to be made to feel like they are terrible people because they do some things that are different, not wrong, but different than others.
One of the reasons I think folks are confused, is as follows.
Have you ever set down to read one of Shakespeare’s Sonnets?
I have, and it was very hard for me to understand. If you are good at such a thing, I think it is wonderful. It is written in a language that I do not do very well with.
The same thing goes for the King James Version of the Bible. If you understand it, I think it is just wonderful, however, it was written a long time ago, in street language of that time. It was not the formal language of that time. I am glad that it was translated, for it was in Greek, Hebrew and Latin prior to this. I doubt a large portion of the people in this world would have had much success trying to understand this. The number one reason it was translated was so the word of God could be brought to those that did not have it. Brought to them in a language they could understand. The meaning was not changed and people of that time understood it better. I say better, because even in a language we can understand the Bible is hard enough to understand. When brother Garth gave me my easy to read version of the Bible, my world really started to change. I read with great enthusiasm because for the first time in my life I really understood more of what the Bible was saying. I read it every single day and I love doing it. For me it goes hand in hand with Jesus, because Jesus is the Word.
I am not saying the New King James Version is bad; again, if you understand what it is saying then I really do think it is wonderful.
My Bible came from the World Translation Center in Texas. I have come to learn that this organization ships thousands of Bibles in hundreds of Languages to many countries around the world so that the easy to read version can be had by all peoples. What a wonderful and great thing to do.
I have one more point concerning this. In talking with a Christian from another church, not long ago, the conversation we were having was to do with the Bible. I know this individual had been a Christian for a very long time, and a very good person. The person was trying their best to be what the Lord wanted them to be. I know this in my heart. I have no doubt whatsoever. I said something and the person looked at me as if I were odd (I Know…a lot of folks do). I can’t even remember what verse it was we were talking about. In short, he had read the verse many times. He told me that he never really understood what it was saying. But the way my Bible said it, made it very clear to him.
What may be good for one person may not be good for another, and vise versa.
All in all, it has been one of the best years of my life. I have a wonderful family. I have a host of very dear friends. I am fortunate enough to work in the field I love. It gives me great pleasure to say that we live in one of the greatest, really, the greatest, country in the world. I have the Lord with me wherever I go, what ever I do. Yes, I am a very fortunate man.
Another thing that comes to mind is the power of prayer. I really do believe that there is a lot to be said about prayer. I am convinced the Lord likes it when we pray. I am further convinced that prayer is answered, it may be answered in such a way that we did not see coming, but the Lord does answer prayers. It may not be at a time of our choosing, but the Lord does answer prayers.
Prayers, I don’t think, have to be fancy or elaborate. They have to be real. They have to be simple and filled with praise for Jesus. I think there is power in group prayers, but also, there are those times in the day when we should very quietly just talk with the Lord. It is important to be truly thankful in our prayers. But above all, they should be real.

Speaking of real, it is my belief that the Lord wants us to be real. He does not want us to put on Sunday faces and be something we are not. He does not want us to be one way in front of people at church on Sunday, then for the rest of the week be something we try to let on we are not. When the Pastor, Minister, Vicar, Rector, Priest, Preacher, Reverend what ever the case may be, gives you a sermon, there is meaning for our lives behind him or her doing this. It is not meant for us to sit and listen for an hour or so, then forget about it. In other words, the Lord knows if you are a Sunday Christian. He knows all and sees all, He even know the number of hairs on your head. So far be it from me to think that I can fool the Lord. To me, those that try this are only fooling themselves.
There is yet another thing that I have learned. I am getting older, not old, just older. With that, I can not do what I did when I was in my twenties and thirties. I try sometimes to do too much. I find it hard to say no to those that ask. Yet, somehow, I have got to learn to say no once in a while. When I say yes to something I am saying no to something else. Last year my wife and I made a point of going for a walk almost every day. Lately, she has reminded me that the almost everyday walks have gone to once in a while to when we can. It is not so much the exercise, though it is very good for us, it is an hour or so each day for her and I to be husband and wife and just enjoy each other. I feel that this is very important.
So in the coming year, I plan to change things a bit. I will not quit everything, but I will have to cut back.
Work for me has new meaning, but it is still very demanding time wise. So we have Monday evening free. One Tuesday a month is a meeting and training night at the fire hall. Wednesday’s are Juniors at the fire house. Thursday night is bible study night. Friday is usually free. Saturday is sometimes free. Church on Sunday. Walk on Monday nights when there is nothing else happening, walk on Friday and Saturday when there is nothing else happening. Well….you get the idea. So folks, I am going to set down and make some decisions very soon. I know that people will understand.
In closing, I would like to thank those of you that have been so kind and loving to me and my family. I am not going to single you out because you know who you are. You folks really are Salt of The Earth.
Until next time, live for the Lord, and be real. In Christ Tex

Learning to Learn

February 4, 2010

Tex’s Thought Provokers 014

Learning to Learn

I believe that learning begins from the time we are born and never stops there after. Even once we cross the long swamp into eternal life, we still go on learning. At least, that is how I see it.
I also believe that we go through stages, or learning spurts if you will. As well, there are some things that we learn easier than others. Some folks are numbers people; I am not one of these. There are words people, I’m onboard this train. Then there are the folks that are both numbers and words. There are the creative folks and some are followers and others leaders.
Some people learn much better with the hands on approach, some are more visual. For myself, it depends on what I am trying to fathom as to which style I like better. If we think on this just for a minute, we soon realize that this mumble jumble of ways to learn are a teacher’s nightmare. Therefore, I can understand why some, not all, but some teachers are just bit off center.
I am starting to realize that I am going into the down hill slide of life. The reason I say this, is because I am seeing signs of my circle being completed in my life. This is not to say that I am by any means over the hill, yet I have come to some very important realizations, ones that can attest to the narrowing gap in the arc of my circle.
Once, when I was very young, the world was new and full of adventure. The simplest things held my attention and I loved experiencing them for the first time. Sometimes I liked experiencing them over and over again. For example, cow pies; it did not take me long to learn that they were stinky, usually green, and in my Grand Father’s pasture, they were plentiful. Somehow or another, a part of at least one would inevitably find it’s way to some portion of my person whenever I ventured out into the pasture, which was often. On close inspection, I found that little gold coloured flies love to perch on them. These were special flies, for I never seen them anywhere else. After a certain amount of time had elapsed, the pies would turn dark grey, at least on the outside. Yet the inside always remained green, wet, and slippery. And yes, still very stinky.
Thus here is an example of what I believe Newton was talking about when he said; “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.” Although I think there was a flaw in his thinking. It should have read; “For every action there is a double opposite reaction.” At least where my Mother was concerned. I really don’t think that Newton was considering her in his thought process. For you see, whenever I would come home from the farm, either my sneakers, pants, shirt, coat, hair, and once my nose and face (this is another story), was plastered with remnants of one of my adventures in the pasture. Her reaction was by far more than equal to the action that caused it. It was opposite though. Opposite because it was nothing like I wanted.
Learning was fun then, the way it should always be. Long before the days of gas guzzling giant wheeled lime spreaders that tear across the fields at a horrendous speed, there was the simple way of spreading lime. I can remember Gramps and old buddy Unc and I, heading up to the railway siding near the bottom of Peel Hill in the old blue Chev truck, that we affectionately named the “Arkansas Chug a Bug”, after a cartoon show that used to be on Saturday mornings. There, on the siding was a box car, left by the train, filled with lime. Gramps and Unc would shovel lime onto the back of the old truck and I had a little shovel and would help too. Although, I think I was likely more of a hindrance than a help. After a time the truck was loaded and it was off back down to the farm to spread the lime in one of the many fields. There was a small spreading machine that Gramps and Unc would hook to the back of the old truck and once it was hooked, we would go to a field. Here Unc would put the “Arkansas Chug a Bug” in Jumbo (Low Gear) get the truck rolling and I would slide under the wheel. It was my job to steer the truck across the field while Gramps and Unc would shovel lime into the spreader from the truck. I would do my best to keep the truck straight as it rolled slowly along. This was not as easy as one might think. I had to set on the very edge of the seat to reach the foot feed. I pulled on the steering wheel to help hold me in place and I craned my neck and tilted my head to look out between the steering wheel and the dash. Every once in a while Gramps would holler “a little to the right Ran”, or “a little to the left”, and I would then get back on track. And every once in a while, I would hit a rough spot or a rock, and this would cause my foot to push down on the accelerator too hard and the old “Arkansas Chug a Bug” would belch and jump. This must have been an aggravation to old buddy Unc because he would holler “taker easy young feller”.
After the truck was empty, Gramps and Unc would climb in on either side of me, looking as though they were soldiers from the Confederate Army, covered from head to toe in a grey-blue dust from the lime. Unc would drive and he would shove me to the centre and say the same thing I have heard him say many times over the years. “Git over Ran…let a professional under the wheel.” And we would go off to the siding for another load.
Now then, one might say this was not teaching me anything, but I beg to differ. I was learning what hard work was all about. How to drive at a very young age. Having fun and getting things done was okay. Lime was good for the fields because they were getting too acidy, Lime counteracts acid. And the simple way of doing things was by far the best.
In those days, there were mixed farmers all up and down the Saint John River valley. Everyone grew a few acres of grain, taters, corn, buck wheat; they all had a few cows and horses, some chickens and pigs and the like. The Carleton Creamery Truck would make its run stopping at all the farms driveways, leaving empty cream cans and taking the full ones. All the near by farmers helped one and other and life was just a whole lot simpler.
There were no big gigantic farmers, where one person with the most money and the most pull had it all. There were many farmers each contributing a little from each of their farms.
Then things started to change, new and improved machines, bigger and better everything came along. This caused farmers to grow more taters, because they could harvest more. The little guys soon got squeezed out. This process is still ongoing and it is not just limited to the farming industry.
The forest industry had the same things take place as well as the fishing industry. And so it goes, machines made by intelligent men and women made it so a fewer number of people were needed to work in order to get things done. There are many other industries that have gone through and are going through the same type of thing. Do more with a lot less. This is quickly turning into do a lot less with less.
These machines and technology come with a huge price tag. This drives the cost of things through the roof.
Yes it could be argued that more people are better educated today than ever before. People have higher paying jobs. This is a good thing, or is it?
This do more with less people, with more educated people, has also caused a decline in common sense. There is a world full of people with all sorts of book learning. But there is a huge void where experience is concerned. This do more with less attitude has made a great many very rich. It is a very young concept in the real scheme of things. If we look around things are starting to come unglued. It can not go on and it will at some point fail.
This was all well and fine as long as there were still people with experience around. These people are starting to retire and unfortunately die. You can have all sorts of training, but with no experience in how to make things work when the book says they won’t, you are going to come to a stand still at some point.
Please do not misunderstand me. I whole heartedly believe in sound education. I further believe in technology. But there also must be a happy medium met where both are concerned. This will be hard to ever achieve because of the greed of man. The people with all the power and money will not allow this to happen. Yet, I contend that it will happen with or without them. For again I come back to the circle. Everything goes in a circle.

9All things continue the way they have been since the beginning. The same things will be done that have always been done. There is nothing new in this life. 10Someone might say, “Look, this is new,” but that thing has always been here. It was here before we were. 11People don’t remember what happened long ago. In the future, they will not remember what is happening now. And later, other people will not remember what the people before them did.
Ecclesiastes 1:9-11

Then came the drudgery of school. I longed for to be over even before it got started. Any place on the face of the earth would have been better than setting in that confined school room listening to some one drone on about some place I would never go, or some mathematical genius such as Pythagoras. I would have given anything to be with Gramps and Unc on the farm. To me that work was teaching me practical things that I could use in life. This statement was true, but what I could not see at the time, was I needed the school room too.
It is a funny thing, when I was young; my Dad was the smartest person I knew. Then for some reason about the time I turned fourteen he seemed to become goofy. It seemed that I knew a great deal more than him. By the time I reached eighteen, he had lost his mind completely. Then in my mid twenties he miraculously had started to recover, he was getting some of his intelligence back. By the time I was in my mid thirties, he was actually quite smart. However, no where near as smart I was by that time. Then came my mid to late forties, and I discovered he is once again the smartest man I know. See what I mean about full circle.
I guess perhaps a lot of folks realize this same thing. The thing that is even more odd is when we are at our very best physically; we are at our least mentally. Go figure!
Beginning in the fifties and carrying over into present. The world powers have been in a constant struggle to outdo each other. One built a bomb; the other would build two and so on.
Einstein said; “ I don’t know what world war three will be fought with, but world war four will be fought with sticks and stones.”
Then communism began to collapse, and the threat to civilization became the rouge country that might get it’s hands on a weapon of mass destruction. Then terrorist became and still are the threat to end all threats. Wars and rumours of more wars. Hmmmm, sounds familiar.
Another two edged sword that we are faced with today is the information highway. Through satellite and advanced technology, we have the internet, multiple television stations, multiple radio stations, cell phones, two way radios, all designed to quench our inexhaustible thirst for knowledge. We think we have to have the means to communicate in every circumstance. When I was a kid, we had a party line telephone and snail mail, three television stations, two of which were fuzzy, one or two AM radio stations and no one even heard of FM.
The point to all this is, I look at our kids today, mine included, and they are busy on the internet, with video games, on their cell phones, or in front of the TV. One would think that with all this information, they would be getting more intelligent. However, even with our so called better schools with over crowded class rooms and less time for one on one instruction from their teachers, ask them who our Prime Minister is, who our Premiere is, where is Moose Jaw, spell anything, add 5 plus 5 and divide it by 2 then subtract 5 what do you get without the use of a calculator, Who was Stalin, who was Hitler, what does the Legion stand for, who was Winston Churchill, what county do we live in, and you will see exactly what I mean.
This is fine for now, but these kids are going to become our leaders of the future, if there is one. They are the ones that will look after us. I know, every generation says the same things about the one that is coming next. But I fear that this generation is going to be the one that breaks the tradition. Its not so much that I fear them looking after us, its more who will look after them in their old age? Who will lead them? And what’s more, it is not their fault.
I know you are now saying…hopeless negativity.
I guess I am a dreamer. I think of a community such as the following. One room school houses where morals are taught. Important things like reading, writing, arithmetic, geography, history, science, and most of all the Bible. Small classes where being politically correct is not something on the mind of all comers. Where kids can grow up together as friends for life. Where drive by shootings are people taking pictures from cars as they drive by. Where drugs are something that we take to make us better when we get sick. Where the town in which we live in or close to is big enough to have seven grocery stores, two or three churches, two hardware stores, a shoe man, a post office, Dr.’s office, drug store, car dealer, a jewellery store, four or five restaurants, a clothing store, a couple of barbers, two or three hair dressers, a farm machinery sales depot, a plumbing supply store, an appliance store, a heavy equipment parts depot, a train station, several industries or factories for folks to work in, an electrical supply store, a small department store, a decent fire department, a small police force, water and sewer, a community centre, several garages, an auto supply store, a couple of pool rooms, a theatre, a Legion, a ball field, an arena, and a laundry matt. Where it is big enough to have all these many things and yet still know everyone and you look forward to seeing them again. A place where it was safe to walk the streets at any time. A place where kids play together out doors all day, with no fear of abduction or worse.
Hmmm, I just described Hartland when I was a kid.
Perhaps I dwell on the past too much.
Centralization is a dirty word for me. Somewhere we got the idea that bigger is better. To this I say; if the lawn mower is cutting grass and things are working, why mess with the carburetor?
Change for the better is something I am all for, but change for the sake of change is not usually a good thing.
Why do we think we can never go back and still maintain some of the good things we have learned? We have the power to make choices. We have the technology to do it if we so wished. Why can’t our towns go back to the way they were, only incorporating new technologies, that is, the technologies that are helping not hindering?
We are Canadians, and we live in one of the greatest, if not the greatest country in the world. Each of us deserves to have the same things as the other when it comes to health care and the like. Quite some time ago, the federal government slashed our transfer payments to the provinces. This then started a cut and slash job here in these smaller populated Maritimes. At least cut and slash at the bottom. The top grew. The answer is clear to me, either one of two things has to happen. We need to get our transfer payments back to acceptable levels or we need to combine New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador and make one province.
This sounds radical I know, but something has got to give. We need to also as a world of individuals make some changes. We need to get back to the basics. If we want a country and a free world for our grand kids to come into, we need to start now.
We have to still welcome those that want to come here and live. This is part of what we are all about. But when they come here, they will have to live according to our rules, not the rules they left behind. Many cultures can still be maintained and I believe this is wonderful, but we can neither afford nor accept non-indigenous ways forced upon us.
We need to look at the simple things and quit living like ten cent million heirs.
We need to get back to the foundation that this country was built on, Christianity.
We need to pay an honest days wage for an honest days work. A wage that equals the cost of living. We need a system that gives people in need a hand up instead of an endless hand out.
Crimes need to be addressed in a way that is befitting of the crime, judged upon the intent of the doer. And a penalty given that is befitting the crime.
We have to quit worrying about the rights and feelings of the criminal. What about the rights of the law bidding citizen?
We need to quit wasting tax payer’s money in government on insane things.
With the world going the way it is, we need to get away from this centralization thing. We need to put folks to work. We do not need to be faster and bigger; the cost to this is unreal. We need to produce quality products for less money, with the use of more people. We need to market more wisely. We don’t have to do it in such a hurry. We need to have people buy our products because they are made better, and made so they cost less. We can use new technology to help us do this, but we need to keep the people working. We need to capitalize on resources that we are not at the present time.
I know this almost sounds like I am running for office. I am not. Think about this folks, the current salary for an MLA with no portfolio is $85000.00 per year. This is not including his expenses. Imagine a back bencher making this kind of money, to do what? Do what he is told by the party, not the people he is suppose to represent. These things need to change.
We are now living in a time where there are the very rich and the poor. There is no longer any in between. There is no such thing as average. The average person belongs to the working poor now. Our prisons are full. We are taxed to death. People everywhere are feeling more hopeless every day. Look back in history, our country is a very young one compared to those over seas. Look at and read some history of the old countries and see what happened when the same situations existed as we are seeing now in this country.
But on the other hand, we are still living in a wondrous grand country. It is just that I would like my children’s children to get a chance to enjoy it the same as we have.
We have loaded the tree heavily at the top. The tree is bent over so badly the top of the tree is almost touching the ground. Meanwhile the government keeps scratching around the tree’s roots. Industry has done the same thing. The tree is at a crucial point, if something is not done, one of two things will happen, either the tree’s trunk will suddenly snap, or the roots will tear away from the ground. Either way the tree will come crashing down.
Here is an example of what I mean.
In 1979 the department of Natural Resources had five regions. In each region there were a couple of biologists. That is a total of ten. In our capital city there were three more for a total of thirteen. In the Gordonsville Ranger station in the early eighties, there were sixteen employees. Some were seasonal, but sixteen none the less.
Now in 2008 there are four regions within the province. Each region has at least one Biologist. Some have more than one; however, I will say at least one for a total of four. Our capital city houses some forty or more biologists. Our office now has been combined with the Perth office; Gordonsville and Perth are both closed. Plaster Rock is also in our area. So our areas got huge and when we came over from Gordonsville to Florenceville we had five people. One of these was a clerical position.
So us representing the roots of the tree, and the biologists representing the top of the tree, we can see what is going to happen.
They keep cutting away at the roots and for those that are left, they have restrictions as to what they can do and when.
This is not just happening at our office either; it is through out the province. I have been with the Department for thirty years, so my time is drawing close to an end. So really, it does not matter to me much what effect this has on me. What matters to me is what effect it has on our resources and those new people coming to take on the stewardship of those resources.
Ah yes, but I live in a home, where I am warm and have lots to eat. I have a car to drive to get to work and other places. I have a church to go to, and new roads to drive on. I have a wonderful family and things are just great. I sometimes even have enough money left over to go to a movie or out to eat. What right do I have to complain? I don’t when it comes to me, but what about my kids and grand kids?
As Charles Dickens said in his novel from 1859, “A Tale Of Two Cities” in the opening line … “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”
The sad fact of the matter is, we even see this in our churches, do more with less. And a church’s health is sometimes judged by the number of members in the congregation. How tall the steeple is. How nice the furniture is. How beautiful the woodwork inside the sanctuary is. The wonderful comfort of the fancy padded pews. The calibre of people that attend.
When we should perhaps be concentrating more on the quality of message. We are busy comparing ourselves to others in the church when we should be concentrating on what the Lord wants us to do. We are busy looking down on others while we don’t consider ourselves and what we are doing that may not be all that pleasing to the Lord. To me it is not quantity that matters, it is quality.
So here I am, and the one thing I have learned is how little I know. It is really strange how it works. Once I loved to learn, which then turned into great distaste for any kind of learning. At that stage I guess I knew just about all there was to know. Then all of a sudden out of the blue, I began to like to learn again. At this stage I started to realize that I had lots left to learn. I was not as smart as I thought I was. This then, turned into a great love for learning. I am still at this stage, and I hope I always am. For now I am very aware that I know very little. Just as it was when I first started to learn; see, full circle.
I have been a very fortunate individual. I have got to witness many things in this life that not many ever have an opportunity to see. I have been to many places and met many people. Yes, I am very fortunate indeed. And though I have left my tracks on many trails in many out of the way places, the trail that leads to my home is the one that always makes my feet the happiest to be on. For as much as we sometimes think other places would be better, there is no place on earth like my Carleton County home.

I will leave you with these:

23 “Only God knows the way to wisdom. Only he knows where wisdom is. Job 28:23

28 Then he said to humans, “To fear and respect the Lord is wisdom. To turn away from evil is understanding.” Job 28:28

10 Wisdom begins with fear and respect for the Lord. Those who obey him are very wise. Praises will be sung to him forever.
Psalms 111:10

7Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. Proverbs 3:7

11 Wisdom is better than pearls, and nothing you desire compares with her. Proverbs 8:11

2Proud and boastful people will be shamed, but wisdom stays with those who are modest and humble. Proverbs 11:2


5Trust the Lord completely, and don’t depend on your own knowledge. 6With every step you take, think about what he wants, and he will help you go the right way. 7Don’t trust in your own wisdom, but fear and respect the Lord and stay away from evil. 8If you do this, it will be like a refreshing drink and medicine for your body. Proverbs 3:5-8

12Listen to your teacher and learn all you can. Proverbs 23:12

19Don’t let those who are evil upset you, and don’t be jealous of them. 20They have no hope. Their light will burn out.
Proverbs 24:19-20

We all have learned so much and yet so very little. Following are ten things I have learned.
1. I have learned that my Father is one of the smartest people I know.
2. Hard work at a young age does no one any harm; in fact it is very beneficial. For in the future these people will know what those that are working hard are going through.
3. Taking time to absorb natural things around us just by watching is worth its weight in gold.
4. There is some worth in all people.
5. We can learn something from every person and we can learn something from every situation, because no two are ever alike.
6. Reading about how to do something is never like actually doing it.
7. Every day brings forth an opportunity to do good in some way.
8. A day when nothing is learned, is a day wasted.
9. If all we ever look for is the bad, then that is all we will ever see.
10. There is nothing that is good that God doesn’t have a hand in.

Following are ten things that I want to learn:

1. I want to learn to be nicer and less grumpy.
2. I want to love more than I do now.
3. I want to learn how to listen more and talk less.
4. I want to learn more about how to keep others safe in times of disaster.
5. I want to learn how to become a better leader to those that I am responsible for, especially those that work in harms way.
6. I want to learn how to grow closer to my Lord every day.
7. I want to learn how to write better than I do now.
8. I want to learn how to be a better example to my family and friends.
9. I want to learn as much as I can about the Word of the Lord and what it means.
10. I want to learn how to be more patient.


Until next time, love the Lord with all of your heart soul and mind.
In Christ
Tex

Do No Wrong?

February 2, 2010

Tex’s Thought Provokers 013

Do No Wrong ?

Over the years I have been accused of being very analytical. There have been those that have come right out and said that I analyse things to death. So after reflecting on these revelations from a host of individuals, I will have to admit that this is indeed one of my traits.
Now that I have admitted this, I will endeavour to explain. This trait comes from my 25 years of law enforcement adventures. Always trying to assess the who, what, why, where, when, and how, of hundreds of different situations. Always trying to see the unseen, always trying to get to the truth has a tendency to make you a bit analytical.
But it did not stop with my pursuit of absconders from the law. It goes a bit deeper with me, into the world of fire. Some of you may have heard that a large part of my life is fire. Part of the many things that I am responsible for on wildland fires, being a wildland fire behaviour specialist, is to try and ascertain what the fire will do before it does it.
I end up analysing the fire’s behaviour as it reacts to it’s environment. This is a life long learning experience. I have heard it said that fire is fire, it burns stuff, and all fires are the same. Nothing could be further from the truth. Although all uncontrolled fire tends to be destructive, the similarities between fires, especially wildland fires, ends at destruction. A wildland fire reacts to what we call the fire behaviour triangle. There are three sides to a triangle, and there are three things that influence how a wildland fire burns. Fuel, Weather, and Topography are the three things, thus the three legs of the triangle are these three things.
If we could find a person that has seen a fire burn in every fuel type in every type of weather on every slope with every percent slope steepness covered, I would consider them an expert. I don’t know anyone like that. And believe me; I know a lot of people that have spent a life time studying this field. Most of these people have titles behind their names such as PhD and the like, and they will be the first to tell you that they do not know anyone like that either. Most of these people who I am fortunate to call friends, have forgotten more about how wildland fire behaves than I will ever know.
I think that I have made it clear as to how I became a bit on the analytical side.
Now then, lately I have been pondering a certain subject. And at the risk of sounding analytical, I have some thoughts I would like to share on the subject.
We all know people in our lives that think they are a lot better than other folks. The question that I have been pondering is why do they feel this way?
What makes these people think they are indeed better than other people? Do some of them even realize they are conveying this type of attitude? Do these people do this to hurt others?
I think there are a lot of reasons why. Let me share with you some of them.
Remember that I keep saying “what you live with you learn” well, some people have been told by their parents and others so many times that they are the elite, the cream of the crop, the best in every way, that it is all they know. I think this is one reason. I further think that a lot of these folks fall into the category of those that do not know they are acting like this.
We humans are very competitive. We are surrounded by a need to win all our life. We are encouraged from every angle to be the very best we can be at everything, especially sports. This causes a type of blindness to everything but winning. “I’m number one…or we’re number one.” And when we say “we’re”…there are those amongst the group that think if it were not for their individual performance, the rest would be nothing. They are told so many times after winning, they are the best, they get swelled head syndrome. This I think happens and it carries over into their every day life and they ultimately think they are better than others.
Great wealth I think also gets people used to the so called finer things in life. Ewwww….hamburger for lunch…don’t be absurd. After a while this attitude shows through in all that they say and do. So, Sally’s your cousin, there you have it, they become better than every one.
Great genius is but another path that leads to the feeling of superiority over others. When we mention genius, a lot of us think of Einstein. But here are a few things that Einstein said.

“The true measure of a man is how he treats someone who can do him absolutely no good.”

“Every man for himself and God for us all.”

“It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity.”

“It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom.”

“The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious. It is the source of all true art and science.”

“My religion consists of a humble admiration of the illimitable superior spirit who reveals himself in the slight details we are able to perceive with our frail and feeble mind.”

“No, this trick won't work... How on earth are you ever going to explain in terms of chemistry and physics so important a biological phenomenon as first love?”

“The world is a dangerous place to live; not because of the people who are evil, but because of the people who don't do anything about it.”

“Only a life lived for others is a life worthwhile.”

“Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.” (One of my favorites!)

“Science without religion is lame, religion without science is blind.”

“Try not to become a man of success, but rather try to become a man of value.”

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.”

“Few are those who see with their own eyes and feel with their own hearts.”

“I have no particular talent. I am merely inquisitive.”

“It's not that I'm so smart; it's just that I stay with problems longer.”

“Everyone should be respected as an individual, but no one idolized.”

“We still do not know one thousandth of one percent of what nature has revealed to us.”

“The value of a man should be seen in what he gives and not in what he is able to receive.”

These are but a few of the famous quotes from one of the worlds most brilliant minds. When people think of Einstein, generally the first thing that comes to their mind is the theory of relativity or splitting the atom. However, there was much more to this man than these complex discoveries to which he is accredited. The philosophical side of the man offers much to the world.
If we consider the above quotes, we get no indication that the man considered himself superior to others. In fact, one would think that he was indeed a humble man.
The reason that I have spent so much time on Einstein, is because it proves a point that I feel very important.
Another of our human traits is to make statements that generalize. You see, by saying that all genius’s think they are better than others is a generalization. It is the same thing when we say that all people with money think they are superior.
This is yet another thing that I am guilty of; I tend to generalize way too much. Now that I have had this epiphany, I am trying to work at depleting it from my make up all together.
Now then, I wonder, even though there are some that indeed do think they are superior to others, could it be that we sometimes imagine that someone is better than ourselves?
Perhaps, just perhaps, we sometimes think that another person thinks they are somehow better than others. In truth, it is sometimes all in our mind. Shakespeare once said, “There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so" This from “Hamlet” Act II, Scene II.
The mind is capable of many strange and wonderful things. So I submit that it is very likely that we can convince ourselves of anything, including thinking that another thinks they are superior to the entire world, when in fact, if the truth be known, nothing could be further from the truth.
We sometimes believe something so much that we search for misconceived facts to prove ourselves correct. We see a certain gesture, or a look from another, and we are convinced that the person is showing signs of snobbery. When in fact the unaware person had to sneeze and couldn’t. Go figure!
All this being said, there are unfortunately some who really do think they are supreme beings of some sort. And really, it has been my experience that when you come across such an individual, there is little room for doubt.
When I used to be out searching for night hunters, in my younger days, after sitting in the dark for long periods of time, my mind would wonder. And suddenly I had convinced myself that I had seen a light. When I would report this to my fellow officers, they would be quite startled when they learned that there was no light at all. An old Ranger once told me, “Ahhhhaa…yah…ya just think yer seein a light…but its all in that mind a yours. Ya won’t have no trouble telling the real thing when ya see it.”
And this did not just happen to me, it happened to all of us at one time or another. And yes, the old Ranger was right, when a light would come into view, there was no doubt what so ever.
I think it is a lot the same for trying to detect snootiness. When the real thing shows up, you won’t have any trouble making up your mind as to the intent of the person.

Jesus said:

35 Those who are good have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. 36 I tell you that everyone will have to answer for all the careless things they have said. This will happen on the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:35 -36

45 Good people have good things saved in their hearts. That’s why they say good things. But those who are evil have hearts full of evil, and that’s why they say things that are evil. What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts. Luke 6:45
15 Jesus said to them, “You make yourselves look good in front of people. But God knows what is really in your hearts. What people think is important is worth nothing to God. Luke 16:15

34 You snakes! You are so evil. How can you say anything good? What people say with their mouths comes from what fills their hearts.
Matthew 12:34

God knows what is in our hearts. We can not hide this from Him. When we feel jealousy, bitterness, anger, superiority, lust, vengefulness, hate, we are guilty of sin, as guilty as if we actually went out and committed a sin for all to see.
There is no one without sin. All we can do is to ask forgiveness and mercy from our Lord.
For this reason alone, there is none better, nor none worse than each of us. The Lord wants us to be real. He wants us to be what He intended for us to be. Sometimes it is hard to understand, but that is not for us to judge. The Lord even knows the number of hairs on our heads. We can not hide our thoughts from the Lord.
With these things said, I feel that where there is none better or worse than me, I will try my best not to concern myself with what I think others should or shouldn’t do. For it does not matter what any of us think about another person, what matters is what the Lord thinks.

Now then I believe that when a person is born again, Christ lives within their heart. We belong to Him.

22 God makes people right through their faith in Jesus Christ. He does this for all who believe in Christ. Everyone is the same. 23All have sinned and are not good enough to share God’s divine greatness. 24 They are made right with God by his grace. This is a free gift. They are made right with God by being made free from sin through Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:22-24

3 Did you forget that all of us became part of Christ Jesus when we were baptized? In our baptism we shared in his death. 4 So when we were baptized, we were buried with Christ and took part in his death. And just as Christ was raised from death by the wonderful power of the Father, so we can now live a new life. Romans 6:3-4
4 In the same way, my brothers and sisters, your old selves died and you became free from the law through the body of Christ. Now you belong to someone else. You belong to the one who was raised from death. We belong to Christ so that we can be used in service to God.
Romans 7:4

14 But be like the Lord Jesus Christ, so that when people see what you do, they will see Christ. Don’t think about how to satisfy the desires of your sinful self.
Romans 14:14

12Christ gave these gifts to prepare God’s holy people for the work of serving, to make the body of Christ stronger. 13This work must continue until we are all joined together in what we believe and in what we know about the Son of God. Our goal is to become like a full-grown man—to look just like Christ and have all his perfection.
Ephesians 4:12-13

15No, we will speak the truth with love. We will grow to be like Christ in every way. He is the head, 16and the whole body depends on him. All the parts of the body are joined and held together, with each part doing its own work. This causes the whole body to grow and to be stronger in love.
Ephesians 4:15-16

21This is what you were chosen to do. Christ gave you an example to follow. He suffered for you. So you should do the same as he did: 22 “He never sinned, and he never told a lie.” Isaiah 53:9 23People insulted him, but he did not insult them back. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. No, he let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. 24Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living for sin and live for what is right. By his wounds you were healed. 25You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.
1Peter 2:21-25

3He is pure, and everyone who has this hope in him keeps themselves pure like Christ.
1 John 3:3
6So whoever lives in Christ does not continue to sin. If they continue to sin, they have never really understood Christ and have never known him. 7Dear children, don’t let anyone lead you into the wrong way. Christ always did what was right. So to be good like Christ, you must do what is right.
1 John 3:6-7

48 What I am saying is that you must be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Matthew 5:48

14With one sacrifice Christ made his people perfect forever. They are the ones who are being made holy.
Hebrews 10:14

We all know that the Lord Jesus was and is perfect. For me there is no doubt what so ever. In fact He is the only one that ever walked the face of the earth without sin.
In some of the above verses we see that the word perfect is used a lot. Also we see that we are told to be like Jesus.
I believe there is a danger in this. I will explain:
To me Jesus came to earth to be a servant. He was without sin yes, but he also was the humblest of the humble.
Unfortunately, there are those that think and say they are better Christians than others. To me this is the ultimate snobbery. I think what happens is very simple. They read and heed. It says to be like Jesus. And we all know that Jesus was perfect without sin. So some forget about the serving part, and the ultimate act of grace, death on a cross, for us undeserving people. They just see with their eyes and not their hearts. They see that if they are to live like Jesus they must be perfect.
Again, there is none on earth that is without sin. Therefore, there is no perfect person outside of Jesus.
But in the minds of some, they live like Jesus, so they get to feeling like they are better, or perfect if you will.
Being like Jesus is not all about being perfect. He knows above all that we can not be perfect. It is the serving part that we need to get a handle on. We need to put Jesus first; others second, and ourselves last. We need to be ourselves and real. We need to look at the human side of Christ.
Love the Lord with all your heart mind and soul. And love others the same as you would have them love you.
Reference: Matthew 22:37-40

It really is all about the love.

Until next time go with the Lord first in all you do. And let love guide your life.
In Christ Tex