Death’s driver

She ran,

but I ran faster,

breathless on clompy-clumsy big feet

catching her skipping tippy-tappy toes at asphalt’s edge,

my meaty mitt clamping down hard on her shoulder and pulling her back to the curb.

Too late, death made its missing grab for her,

hiring a careless teen chauffer,

and riding shotgun.

Teen foot pushing too hard the accelerator and turning

truck two-wheeling,

the hearse-colored thundering hot rod exhaled

foul breath that scrubbed our faces with its passing.

My daughter didn’t even cough.

I breathed a cry of belief.

 

That’s an attempt at poetry off the top of my head.

Stems from a real-life incident when a teen driving a truck turned the corner and almost ran my daughter down. My daughter was about to cross the street to my car.

So every time that song comes on the Christian Radio Station that I’m listening to less and less, the song by Superchick “We Live,” I get misty-eyed.

Nice song, overplayed and since my Dad died of colon cancer I’m not sure whether to let it play or switch to CD “The Muppet Show: Music, Mayhem and More! The 25th Anniversary Collection.”

Back to the driving motif:

My daughter and son have each cheated death from careless drivers.

So hey, drivers, give my children a chance to grow up, will ya?

In the meantime, I’ve been enjoying the children’s creativity.

I’m going to use this blog as my refrigerator door soon and post some of it.

That comes from inspiration at L.L. Barkat’s blog here:

http://seedlingsinstone.blogspot.com/2008/05/conversations-in-art.html

And here’s a few quotes from Pablo Picasso.

“Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.”

 

“Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again. And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.”

 

I’ll sing, “Jesus loves the little children” and leave ya’ll with that.

 

God’s peace and love to ya’ll.

Volunteers of America

“One generation got old
One generation got soul
This generation got no destination to hold.”
- “Volunteers” by Jefferson Airplane

That’s just to get your attention and direct you to Jim’s site where he’s re-thinking volunteer work.

His post is here:

http://lordibelievehelpmyunbelief.blogspot.com/2008/05/modest-project-part-1.html 

Should you look at all the categories I checked and then read his entry you’ll see they apply.

Especially when you go back a few blog entries of mine where I’m trying to teach my son the importance of giving to those in need.

In Harrison, Arkansas, I was briefly involved in Habitat for Humanity and would like to take up the hammer again somehow in this area and live out my faith through my works.

But a critical area in doing that in my life is scheduling - actually making the time to do so. I’m thinking what Jim’s proposing coupled with effective information-gathering such as Supernovamom does (she is saving me a lot of cash) could make for some awesome results benefitting all those involved.

And more importantly, advancing God’s Kingdom.

God’s peace and love to you all.

Happy Mother’s Day

My mother wins the award this year of “2008 Best Mother of The Year to Samuel Adams.”

Just thought all you should know that.

Here’s the honoree (above) enjoying flowers from her daughter and gourmet fruit and candy from her son.

Below, Mom and I at her granddaughter’s wedding a few years back.

Psyched Cyclone relief

Cyclone relief.

You decide if you want to help.

I tried to set an example and told my son about it.

My son, 10, asked what about Darfur?

Uh… right.

I said that relief there is important too, but right now I felt moved to help those in Myanmar.

He wasn’t impressed.

Maybe there’s a reason your gift-giving is supposed to be in secret.

Grace Car Care

Grace Care Care is an outreach of Grace Bible Church.

The outreach program aims to help put those in need of a vehicle into a reliable vehicle.

That word “outreach” I know sets the alarms off over at Jim’s site. Jim asked me to blog about the car ministry (oops – sorry, more alarms) and I am more than willing to.

But I’m just someone who benefitted from the kindness of the Christians trying to love others by meeting a basic need, as seen below.

This is the vehicle loaned to me by a friend at Grace and later sold to me at a reasonable price.

Before that, I had a car given me, but I waited too long on replacing a water pump I’d patched myself and wound up with a blown head gasket.

The details on the ministry, program, or whatever can be found here: http://www.gracecarcare.org.

As to how the ministry works, I’m trying to get John who hosts the website to post a description.

I believe the church elders of Grace Bible Church meet and try to decide how to best allocate resources or who is in the most need based on prayer and God’s guidance.

But I’m hoping John will clarify that.

My aim as a writer was to help get them 501C3 status. The drive toward that was put on hold - I’m not sure if it will be an outreach of the church and fall into that definition of charity – or if they will go the route of incorporating as their own charity and seeking a community block grant. Of course, most grants come with strings attached and that in turn could turn out to be a hindrance.

I do remember Loudoun County officials were eager to work with Grace to get such a program in place and offered assistance.

So I’ll get more detail about how the program works once I get in touch with John.

Meanwhile, my children enjoy the vehicle we now have and today it transported my new fitness trainer – seen drinking orange juice above – and me to Ida Lee Park in Leesburg.

My fitness trainer decided I’m getting too flabby and led me on a mile-long forced march through the park’s fields.

We had a cool down period on mossy rocks, below, and contemplated God and nature.

Then we proceeded to the swing set where we talked about Jesus.

Later, at the library, my daughter said she wants to learn a third language.

She says she knows two already – English and Christian.

I’m not sure I’m communicating effectively with her.

But I’ll keep trying.

Digame, nina, como se llama tu padre?

Paz de Dios

 

Meming Me Memoirs Matey!

Arrrr!

Just got tagged with a meme from Jeff McQ

Rules:

Write a title for your memoir.

You can only use six words.

Here are the actual meme rules:

1. Write the title to your own memoir using 6 words.
2. Post it on your blog.
3. Link to the person that tagged you.
4. Tag five more blogs.

“Link to the person that tagged you”

That would be Jeff at http://jmcq.blogspot.com 

My memoirs titled in six words including compound modifiers for effect:

Christ Alone, Ranger, Fellow-sipper Wrote Hopefully

That cool?

Now who to tag? Okay, I’ll tag http://www.considerjesus.wordpress.com/ Michelle

and Ric Booth at http://ricbooth.wordpress.com/ and that’s as far as I can get. I don’t know how to tag or even link right.

Flight of the Christians

 Couple months ago somebody somewhere released statistics showing the flight of Christians from “mainline” denominations, or some such.

Last I heard “mainlining” had to do with addiction, and usually an addiction someone was desperate to kick.

Regarding the statistics from some survey I can’t remember, the point was people are leaving churches - or church buildings.

Regardless, I remember at some point in my life a “Time” magazine article touting a rush toward conservative denominations.

Jim at “Lord I Believe” over there at the right and a profusion of links from his blog will connect you to the “Emerging” church. Their main point being a rush back toward Jesus. Also, that the church is the body of believers - not some building.

Jim asked me and others to read “So You Don’t Want to Go to Church Anymore” and I’ve been stuck in the last third -not because it wasn’t interesting but because when I’m not working, chasing the children or reading blogs I’m writing (or getting in my five hours sleep each night).

I like the premise that Christianity has become too institutionalized but at the same time I’m not ready to break entirely away from “IC” as Jeff Mc (should that be MC Jeff is in the house?) notes at his blog - the newest addition to my carefully-managed blogroll.

The comment I left for Jeff reads:

Jeff,
I guess I’m in a weird place because I gather with other Christians in a library while Coolio looks down on us all. (See my story about that here http://samwrites2.wordpress.com/2008/04/03/sometimes-my-aadd-kicks-in-during-praise/ )
The format would be what you call IC except with more discussion among those gathered during prayer request time and after someone gives a lesson from God’s word.
I’m sticking with the small group to try and change it from the inside. Your blog and others like it help give me ideas as I seek what God would have me do and what contributions/ideas I could pass on to the group of 30-40 people.
What’s encouraging is much group interaction occurs in each other’s homes and the local coffee shop.
The ministry we sponsor is a car-care ministry helping the poor (this is how I started meeting with these folks - they bought me a car!) repair their cars and sometimes even getting them a used one. In addition, we support missionaries doing stuff like building water purification systems and stoves in Guatemala and caring for orphans in Romania.
You subversive you. Thanks for your ideas and inspiration.
-Sam

So I’m of the belief that I’m not mainlining Institutionalized Christianity anymore, but there’s this Holy Spirit IV stuck in me that’s keeping my spiritual body alive as I grow and live with God the father present in obedience (I try, anyway) to God after redemption through Jesus Christ.

Maybe I’ll take another shot at explaining that metaphor later on - I’m still growing and right now I’m not sure the IV is working as efficiently as it can due to something clogging the line, something maybe caused from me messing with it trying to get it to feed faster than it should.

In the meantime, as noted in my last blog, I’m flying straight to my Father’s arms.

Asleep I Sang With the Body of Christ in Retreat

Eyes opened wide, ears awoke as well as my voice sang praises to God, springing full and flush from my prone body.

“Bring forth the royal diadem and crown him, Lor-or-or-ord of All!”

Just past midnight at Laity Lodge.

My wife lay to my left with her eyes open, just looking at me while her face went from sleepy-eyed shock to summing up to wide-awake annoyance.

Footsteps could be heard, a knock at the door asking if I was okay?

“Sure” I mustered, flustered - wondering why I couldn’t stop singing until the entire verse was out.

The dream - singing God’s praise in a bright and beautiful place.

Reality, way past bedtime at Laity Lodge in Texas’s Hill Country - waking myself up by singing a dream into being.

On retreat - saturating myself with a little of God’s word, trying to figure out the big deal about G.K. Chesterton and definitely rolling in peace and repose with the Holy Spirit.

This was no vacation.

I’m not going to Webster’s on this one - just want to make a point: vacations are fun-filled and usually consist of an itinerary causing time-urgent parents to pull or push kids to their various destinations.

To me, retreat means one’s soul seeks out serene places to contemplate spiritual life.

Usually, for me, this comes right before a run-up to a spiritual battle.

But then, my life features several spiritual battles in one long war.

Other related “R” words that retreat brings up - reassessment, repose, refuge, retire and repentance.

All of that came like a flood during a Texas Hill Country Spring, when in the early 1990s I lay my soul open before God at Laity Lodge.

I don’t remember the retreat’s theme or purpose. I remember a few others from St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Waco meeting us at the lodge, a rolling hilled landscape, driving in a riverbed and sort of what the lodge was like.

I bought a book of Chesterton’s writings that I’ve never finished. I remember a lot of prayer and a huge fire in an outdoor fireplace under a pavilion.

It rained the whole time and I worried (hoped later) we’d be trapped at the lodge by the river we drove in.

But another blessing rained down that I still can’t explain and feel goofy telling others about.

It was the first of several supernatural experiences where I knew by faith God was real and walking with me, guiding me as I took time to be still and listen to him.

It was a turning point in my life.

From then on my life’s direction could be summed up in two “R” words - rebellion or retreat.

I knew either I’d be running away from God in open rebellion or running into God’s arms in retreat.

 

The Contest Mentioned Previously

To win a week at Laity Lodge, schedule posted here:

http://laitylodge.com/SchedulesReservations/

 follow these instructions posted here:

http://successcreeations.com/blog/

New Writing Link - Oh Joy!

Yet another new Christian writing link and/or writing for Christians link - this one from a place dear to my heart - Texas! and the beautiful hill country of Texas at that!

This site is at www.goodwordediting.com.

There’s also a writing contest going on that’s advertised there I’ll blog about later today. Of course, when I write later today since I don’t know how to set the wordpress clock that probably means it will show up early May 7. That really should translate to sometime between 4:30 and 9 p.m. EST.

My aim is just to give folks as much heads up as possible about the contest. When I write my memoir on the contest prize you’ll see why.

God’s peace and love to all as I rush back to work from my break.

Water safety (or how to breathe air instead of H20)

Pride can seriously kill you.

Pride is especially dangerous around water - a point I wanted to note in light of supernovamom’s blog entry about swimming pools.

She has a neat, positive entry about how to find local pools.

I applaud her for that.

I wanted to add that unfortunately, there are also plenty of dangers at those pools for the city.

Pity.

So here’s some tips from those who were the first to certify me in a long line of those who found me certifiable - The American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/services/hss/tips/healthtips/safetywater.html

And here’s a story to illustrate what happens when lifeguards go bad:

Case in point, last summer my daughter boasted about her swimming ability at the beach and in ankle-deep water happily cavorted. I stood an arm’s distance away eyeing, uh, the waves - yeah - not the latest in swimsuit fashions on the beach and boardwalk in the opposite direction but the waves coming toward us.

A momentary lapse in my attention and I heard “DAD–EEEEE!,” turned and saw her slight form being sucked into deeper water by a wave.

Dad that I am, I sprang into action and grabbed her, just in time for a colossal breaker to slam me face-first into the sandy ocean floor while I held on to her. I used the wave’s momentum and pushed with my legs, holding onto my daughter with one arm while moving toward shore with my face still in the sand, plowing a neat little furrow all the way to shore as the wave then retreated and tried to take us out to sea.

I didn’t even want to take the time to raise my head because instincts told me that would take precious time needed instead to get my daughter as close to dry land as possible.

At that point I’d been swimming for almost 41 years - starting younger than my daughter - and yet still barely escaped becoming a headline reading “Dad, Daughter Drown at Beach.”

I’d thought, “ankle-deep water - hah! we can handle that,” despite the fact this was the Atlantic Ocean and a Delaware beach, someplace I’d never been.

I’d learned to swim down at Cocoa Beach, Florida, while watching Apollo missions blast skyward. But the waves are a lot tamer there.

At this Delaware beach, I learned to swallow my pride, sand and some seawater.

This pride carries over to swimming pools.

(Note to lifeguards - my daughter hasn’t mastered swimming yet and neither have most of the kids you’ll hear boasting. Watch them close - please).

From age 15 to 18 I was a certified lifeguard, working at Dallas pools and I’m sure annoying the crap out of a lot of kids just out for a good time. The most ever happened on my watch was a bloody knee (”See - I told you not to run!”) and near-drowning.

After hearing children screaming for help (I was admiring swimsuit fashions of the mid-1970s) I turned to see a child flailing the water under the high diving board. After trying to stick a pole in his face to get him to grab on I wound up holding on to the pool ladder. I reached out with one long arm to grab a child’s hand and pull him to safety.

(Thank you Jesus for my long ape-like arms even if kids did call me Egor and make fun).

As we were taught, always try to find something to throw or push out to someone drowning - the last thing you want to do is make physical contact. But the child refused to grab the long pole and was going under so I had to skip the next best thing - holding on to the side and getting him to grab a towel or other item. As a very last resort - I was taught to extend your hand and pull them in.  

I did.

The air-challenged child grabbed hold. Once on the pool’s deck, he coughed up all the pool water he’d swallowed.

That was pretty much it - happy ending once he stopped spewing water and started breathing air.

In hope of more happy endings and days at the beach I offered the link above to the American Red Cross site on water safety.

The other point to make - even lifeguards are fallible.

Take as much care as you can to make sure your children are going to swim in a safe place with attentive lifeguards.

Go with them the first couple of times to make sure the place is safe.

I’ll get down off my lifeguard stand now.