The Other Side Of The Edge

I've seen the other side of the edge, now I just have to figure out how to go over the edge. As you know, I've had a couple of posts recently where I've mentioned some things going on in my head. It has to do with some little visions, or flashes of thoughts that I just haven't been able to explain. The first line of the Declaration Of Independence have been coming to mind for some strange reason, and how I wondered if it was going to be part of a story lurking in the back of my mind that was going to finally come together. In those posts I talked about how I hoped it would all come together while on vacation. Well, I think it did, kind of. It wasn't part of a story, but it has left me with the motivation to pursue an idea I've had for my stories.

The visions were sentimental/emotional flashes of being back in Florida. The moment we walked off the plane and I could see the palm trees through the windows of Orlando International I felt a sense of relief. I knew the vision question had been answered. I had been away too long. I needed to be there, for me, for the experience for my kids. They are growing up in South Dakota, and that's a clean, wholesome lifestyle, but I also want them to experience the culture I grew up in. As I think about it, our lives are reversed. They don't know winter without snow and frigid cold. I didn't even see snow 'til I was 16, and it didn't even cover the grass, but we made a snowman anyway.

If you remember, the Declaration Of Independence starts out by saying "When in the course of human events..." Well, it basically goes on to say that the new America is separating themselves from England. I think our trip was the opposite. Everyone I talked to thought it was so weird that the kids mom and I would go on vacation with the kids even though we're separated. Remember though, it was only the first line that kept coming to mind. It wasn't until I read it that I noticed the separation part. It wasn't a final separation that happened. No, it wasn't a reunion either. I think it did teach a lot of people a very important lesson. Just because life doesn't go the way people see as normal doesn't mean there has to be bitterness. I think the reason that first line kept coming to mind was so I could continue it this way. When in the course of human events there is no room for selfishness and ego. A decision should be based on what is best for that particular situation.

I learned that since my kids LIVE the midwest lifestyle I also want them to grow up knowing the southern lifestyle not just experiencing it once in a while. As I say in many of my posts "Thanks for searching with me." Life is a series of searching and discovering. Thanks for sharing this one with me, Paul

What If It's True?

The other day my alarm clock went off, and as I was waking up I felt a sharp pain on my foot. It wasn't inside like a cramp, it seemed to be outside. You automatically think spider when something like that happens. If you've ever seen pictures of Brown Recluse Spider bites, you know that is nothing to mess around with. After checking it out, I didn't find any fang marks, or anything that looked like I had been bitten. It did remind me of something I heard recently. I heard on a radio show that has trivia segments, that over the course of our lifetime we will swallow about eight spiders while we sleep. So, if you've ever woke up in the morning with a scratchy throat, or if it feels like there is something in your throat and you need a drink....maybe that was one.

Sturgis Rally Week

I have been writing a christmas program, so the first thing that came to mind for this title was "No room at the inn." This week in the Rapid City, Sturgis area there is no room at any of the inns. The motorcycle rally is the first week of August, but this is the second week you say. It's weird, it's like trying to calculate when Easter is going to be. You eventually just give up and look on the calendar. I guess the rally is the first week of August, but it has to start on the first Sat. This year Aug. 1 was on Sun. so it had to start on Aug. 7. Summertime is always crowded no matter where you live, especially if you live in a popular tourist area. We have Mt. Rushmore here, so tourism is big business here. To put it in perspective for you, Sturgis has about 6000 people, Rapid City is about 1/2 hour away, and it has about 80,000 people. The Rapid City Metro Area including Sturgis, towns in the Black Hills, and Ellsworth Air Force Base, has about 125,000 people.
I remember twenty years ago at the 50th anniversary of the rally, everyone here was surprised that 100,000 people were predicted to be here. This year I heard half a million people are predicted. A couple of days after that I heard 800,000 people. I don't see very much of it. I drive to work, drive home, go get the kids, and go home. Monday I suggested we drive around and check license plates to see how far people have come on their motorcycles. Brent, my 12 year old said he had already seen enough. They had seen probably 5000 motorcycles on Sunday. I had accused him of exaggerating but then he said they went with their mom through the state park where there is a large buffalo herd, and I figured that was probably pretty accurate.
As you can imagine, the hospital is fully staffed this week, especially since South Dakota doesn't have a helmet law. I never really thought about the retail stores. The cashier I had at Wal-Mart Saturday said he was working every day this week too. It can be frustrating, if you forget and don't allow yourself enough time to get to where you're going, but it can be fun watching the sights. So if you've never experienced the Sturgis Rally, or Daytona Bike Week, you need to check it out at least once.

Thursdays Child John 4:40-54 Blind Faith

When I read these verses I started thinking about the times we pray for something and the prayer is answered and other times it doesn't appear to be. There are some people who will tell you that it was answered, the answer was just "no". Well, that doesn't make the person praying feel any better. I have experienced both. I have been prayed for, and received healing. I have prayed for others and have seen them healed. I have seen the opposite. Our preacher is legally blind. He tells how he has prayed for, and has been prayed for his whole life for his eyes to be healed. The answer has always been no. He is an amazing musician. I always think of Stevie Wonder when I watch him play. If he was healed now, as an adult , I could see how that could mess up how he plays. So, why wasn't he healed as a child before he learned? I guess if we knew God's master plan we wouldn't need faith. Sometimes it's just frustrating not knowing. I do think God knows those times when our faith starts to weaken so He does something to give us a boost. Like Jesus said in verse 48 "Must I do miraculous signs and wonders before you people will believe in me?" Well, I say yes, sometimes. Not to really, truly, believe, but sometimes we need that boost. We need that confirmation. Like children needing confirmation that their parents love them. As children of God He takes care of us also. We teach our kids as they grow, then we have to sit back and watch them apply what they've learned. Sometimes we have to let them make mistakes so they can figure out the correct answer, but we naturally help when we see them becoming frustrated and discouraged. As we grow as Christians, God shows us He's there, then maybe He steps back to let us apply what we've learned. When we start to feel too overwhelmed He jumps in again as any good dad would do. Like a good dad, Jesus wasn't going to let the government official in this passage down. The official could have gone home discouraged when Jesus didn't go with him, but he believed, so his son lived. Why do some people die even when we pray for them? No one knows. Not even the most educated theologian, who would have you believe he has a direct link to God knows. Don't get discouraged. If you read the book of Psalm, you'll see how David became frustrated. There were times when he didn't hold back he just yelled at God and laid it right out there, and you see how God blessed him. Maybe that's the key-honesty. Being honest with God. I don't think we have to worry about being disrespectful with God as long as we're being honest with Him. He knows our heart anyway, why try to B.S. Him (sorry, I can't think of any other phrase that fits.) Trust in His master plan. Sometimes we may not understand it. We may need to yell and get things off of our chest. Blind faith is hard but remember as a child of God, your dad won't let you down. Keep searching with me, leave comments, maybe together we can make some sense of it all. Thanks for searching with me, Paul