No, not the beer. The virus.
I decided to write about this in the event that one of these days I look back at this blog to see what was going on in my life.
Right now, not much is going on in life except surviving. What started out sounding like a movie script or the beginning of The Walking Dead is our every day lives for the foreseeable future. Coronavirus, or COVID-19, has brought to world to a standstill. The disease is spread through contact and being in close proximity to others, so we are all practicing social distancing. Families are quarantined inside their homes for hours on end, only going out to purchase essential items. Six feet is the distance that you should stay away from someone else who isn't in your immediate household. Even Walmart has changed how they operate. People are let in one at at time to ensure that the store isn't overcrowded to the point that the 6 foot barrier is broken.
The disease is an upper respiratory infection. Symptoms include fever, dry cough, body aches, and very closely mimics flu symptoms. Some folks have the disease and show no symptoms at all. Some folks are dying.
Every day life has been turned upside down. The kids have been out of school since March 16 and will likely not go back this semester. Cade's high school graduation is in question. Kenna will likely register for high school online. Church is even online for the time being. The worship team goes in on Wednesday nights and records the music for Sunday. Corey preaches to the 3 or 4 of us that stay. The video is uploaded on Sunday mornings. That is the new norm for now.
I hate this. While no-one I "know" has it, Adam Killion is currently in the hospital on a ventilator because of it. Joe Diffie (John Deere Green, Ships That Don't Come In) has recently died because of it. I am lucky enough to still be working but many are not. Many are saying that hopefully by May things can return to normal. I sure hope so.
Monday, April 6, 2020
Monday, February 24, 2020
The Accompanist
It has always been one of my greatest joys to accompany my kids when they are in the singing mood. I hope someday when I am long gone they find these videos and remember these days.
"The Climb" performed by Miley Cyrus.
"More Hearts Than Mine" performed by Ingrid Andress
Tuesday, February 11, 2020
Extinguishing Fires
At some point in their athletic careers, this has happened to both of my kids. More so with Cade in football but Kenna used to absolutely love basketball. It breaks my heart really. They both loved the games they played so much. Both had a fire and passion about playing. Then one day, the person who was supposed to be stoking that flame was the very person who extinguished it.
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Screen Veils
I was originally going to title this post "The Death of Human Decency" but thought that might be a bit harsh. But to some degree, I think it is appropriate. So what do I attribute such a title? Simple. Social media.
I remember when Myspace came out. The coolest thing was trying to figure out what song would play on your profile. It was an important decision. I always tried to have something that would take people back to a time that hopefully was good to them. For the longest time, my song of choice was "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" by Gary Portnoy. You know, the Cheers theme song. Good times.
Then along came Facebook and the biggest worry was whether or not the badges we displayed on our pages were funny or cool enough. Soon though, everyone started joining and Facebook stopped being "cool". Now it's full of political arguments and all kinds of other garbage. I'm legitimately concerned about my eternal soul because I am yet to type "Amen" to a post or "Like and Share" that I believe in Jesus. Apparently that is the ticket to Heaven these days. (Not really, but you get the idea I hope.).
While these programs were once used to connect to people we haven't seen in a while or keep track of family across the US or world in some instances, for the most part there platforms are now used to hide behind and bully others. There are so many social media options that kids are using these days to do nothing but tear other kids down. Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, VSCO, and others that I don't know about (Full disclosure: With the exception of VSCO, I have accounts on all of the mentioned apps) have become a way to talk about people and tear others down. It's sad really. My 2 oldest have experienced this and, again in full disclosure, have probably participated in the shenanigans to some degree.
It's as if people have lost the ability to be decent to one another because now, thanks to a smartphone or a computer screen, people can say whatever they want and "hide" their stories so that only certain people see them. The problem is that they make some snarky jab at someone and a screenshot gets back to the intended target. Were we better off when to talk about someone, you had to at least say it out loud to someone and hope that they weren't two-faced enough to go tell the person you were talking about (or maybe you hoped they would)? I don't know but it sure seems that way.
As a parent, I've tried to teach my kids to be good and look for the good in others. I've tried to teach them to model their life after Christ and to build people up rather than tearing them down. Again, I hope that they live each day like this but I'm sure there have been times when they have been the opposite. But the veil that can be used to hide behind with social media has made this tasks harder I think. And not everyone has been taught this lesson. It's sad really. The problem is as more apps are developed, the more prevalent the name calling and bullying will become.
Teach your kids to be decent humans; not only when they are standing in front of someone but also when they are typing on a screen, captioning a photo, or making a 60 second video.
I remember when Myspace came out. The coolest thing was trying to figure out what song would play on your profile. It was an important decision. I always tried to have something that would take people back to a time that hopefully was good to them. For the longest time, my song of choice was "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" by Gary Portnoy. You know, the Cheers theme song. Good times.
Then along came Facebook and the biggest worry was whether or not the badges we displayed on our pages were funny or cool enough. Soon though, everyone started joining and Facebook stopped being "cool". Now it's full of political arguments and all kinds of other garbage. I'm legitimately concerned about my eternal soul because I am yet to type "Amen" to a post or "Like and Share" that I believe in Jesus. Apparently that is the ticket to Heaven these days. (Not really, but you get the idea I hope.).
While these programs were once used to connect to people we haven't seen in a while or keep track of family across the US or world in some instances, for the most part there platforms are now used to hide behind and bully others. There are so many social media options that kids are using these days to do nothing but tear other kids down. Snapchat, TikTok, Instagram, VSCO, and others that I don't know about (Full disclosure: With the exception of VSCO, I have accounts on all of the mentioned apps) have become a way to talk about people and tear others down. It's sad really. My 2 oldest have experienced this and, again in full disclosure, have probably participated in the shenanigans to some degree.
It's as if people have lost the ability to be decent to one another because now, thanks to a smartphone or a computer screen, people can say whatever they want and "hide" their stories so that only certain people see them. The problem is that they make some snarky jab at someone and a screenshot gets back to the intended target. Were we better off when to talk about someone, you had to at least say it out loud to someone and hope that they weren't two-faced enough to go tell the person you were talking about (or maybe you hoped they would)? I don't know but it sure seems that way.
As a parent, I've tried to teach my kids to be good and look for the good in others. I've tried to teach them to model their life after Christ and to build people up rather than tearing them down. Again, I hope that they live each day like this but I'm sure there have been times when they have been the opposite. But the veil that can be used to hide behind with social media has made this tasks harder I think. And not everyone has been taught this lesson. It's sad really. The problem is as more apps are developed, the more prevalent the name calling and bullying will become.
Teach your kids to be decent humans; not only when they are standing in front of someone but also when they are typing on a screen, captioning a photo, or making a 60 second video.
Monday, January 27, 2020
The Inevitable
Just a little short of 24 hours ago, news broke that NBA legend Kobe Bryant had been killed in a helicopter crash in California. As tragic as that news was for many to hear, it became even worse when it was revealed that not only had Kobe died, but also losing their lives in the crash were his 13-year old daughter Gianna and 7 other people including 2 more children. They were on their way to an AAU basketball game or camp (I have seen conflicting stories on which) where Kobe was supposed to coach and Gianna and the other girls were going to be playing. Tragic. Just absolutely tragic.
But anytime there is a tragedy like this my question quickly becomes this: Why does it take a tragedy such as this for us to decide that we should be decent human beings? Why should Kobe Bryant's death, as tragic and sudden as it was, be what spurs us to reach out, be nice, give hugs, etc?
I didn't know anyone on that helicopter but my heart aches for their families. I have experienced loss recently and while it wasn't a sudden or surprising loss, it was a loss nonetheless that leaves a huge void in my life. I can't imagine what the surviving parents, spouses, children, and other family of these individuals are feeling this morning. There is a hole that will never be filled until they draw their last breath on this Earth. There isn't much more that I can do for those families other than pray that God will comfort them at this time.
Immediately following the news, Twitter came alive with messages of condolences to the victims families and reminders of how precious that this life that we are given is. Rightfully so, I may add. We were challenged to let go of petty differences and and hug our loved ones tighter and to reach out to those we haven't talked to in a while or may even have been avoiding. Again, great things to do.
Immediately following the news, Twitter came alive with messages of condolences to the victims families and reminders of how precious that this life that we are given is. Rightfully so, I may add. We were challenged to let go of petty differences and and hug our loved ones tighter and to reach out to those we haven't talked to in a while or may even have been avoiding. Again, great things to do.
But anytime there is a tragedy like this my question quickly becomes this: Why does it take a tragedy such as this for us to decide that we should be decent human beings? Why should Kobe Bryant's death, as tragic and sudden as it was, be what spurs us to reach out, be nice, give hugs, etc?
Understandably, part of the response is due to the fact that tragedies like this are a reminder that life is already short and our time here is limited. It is a reminder that none of us are promised tomorrow. That reminder hits even harder when children are the ones that perish because we think of all the potential that they had in front of them. Pat McAfee said it best on his podcast this morning when he said, "Let's make our todays better than our yesterdays because we truly have no idea if tomorrow will come." That's some great advice! We shouldn't wait until an unimaginable tragedy occurs to live each day like it may be our last. Some day, we will all wake up on our "last day". None of us know when that day is coming. Some people are experiencing that day right now and don't even know it. Regardless of what age we are right now, none of us are promised tomorrow. That's a harsh reality of living in a fallen world. Each and every one of us are on borrowed time and some of us were able to take out bigger loans from the Life Bank and Trust Company.
So I guess the purpose of all this rambling is to say this: When asked what was the greatest commandment, Christ told us to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind. After that, to love your neighbor as yourself. Every day, we have opportunities to impact others. Good or bad. It is my hope that every day, you and me will just be examples of what Christ has already called us to be. That it won't take the death of a celebrity for us to be encouraged or reminded that we should love others, even when we don't agree with them. That we should cherish our family because at any moment, one of them could be gone. That even when things aren't going our way that we can still have a positive impact on someone. That rather than focus on all the negative that this world throws at us, that we will chose to see the best in people. That we will help those who need help and comfort those who need comforting. Every day. Not just on the days following a tragedy.
Every. Single. Day.
Just imagine what our lives would be like for however long we have left if we all make the decision to live like Christ has called us to live. To love Him and love our neighbor like we love ourself. If we live this way, when tragedies do come, we won't be left with regrets of things we should have done or words we should have said to the person before they left us. We'll have already said and done everything that needs to be said and done because that's just how we live our lives.
Every. Single. Day.
Just imagine what our lives would be like for however long we have left if we all make the decision to live like Christ has called us to live. To love Him and love our neighbor like we love ourself. If we live this way, when tragedies do come, we won't be left with regrets of things we should have done or words we should have said to the person before they left us. We'll have already said and done everything that needs to be said and done because that's just how we live our lives.
Saturday, January 18, 2020
It's Not Old...Just Older
I guess since its been something like 7 years since I wrote anything on here, the best place to start new would be an update for anyone who reads this thing. Perhaps I am the only one who does but if so, oh well. We all need a reminder every now and then of where we have been to greater appreciate where we are at the current moment.
--2019 started out like pretty much every other year. I was working as a District Director for the TN Department of Corrections and responsible for the oversight of the sex offender caseloads for all of west Tennessee. I had been doing that since since 2016 (I think, maybe 2017) but regardless, after too many late nights, too many nights away from home, and too many times being told how to do my job better by people who have never done my job, I decided it was time for a change. I guess it would be better put that God decided it was time for a change. One late night in February, one of our offender's cut off his GPS unit in Memphis. Whenever that happened, officers had to respond immediately and warrants were issued for the arrest of that offender. Long story short, our officers had been repeatedly told by Memphis police to not call them to come look for offenders because they didn't have time to stop what they were doing and look for a guy with a misdemeanor warrant that was on probation. Makes sense considering at one point I remember being told that there is a call for a shooting approximately ever 12 minutes in the city of Memphis. Needless to say, they have their own problems to worry about,. Anyway, one of my superiors didn't like the idea that I didn't try to call the chief of police for Memphis to get him involved in having officers assist us so I was told in a text thread that I need to stop making excuses and other nuggets of information. It was bad enough that the next morning (a Saturday) my direct supervisor, who is one of the best people I have ever worked for and love to this day, called me to check on me and to see if I had quit. I hadn't but only because I didn't have anything else to do. Then God stepped in. On Monday morning, I awoke to a text message from Becky Alexander with a simple question: "Are you ready to come to work in the Grove?" Becky works in Cottage Grove for a company and she had been trying to convince them for a year that the company needed to hire an attorney full-time. They finally agreed and that Wednesday I met with her and the owners for my interview. I called my supervisor on the way home and gave her my 2-week notice. So I am now in-house counsel for a little company in Cottage Grove and couldn't be happier. Hopefully they feel the same way about me. Sometimes I wonder.
--Mom died on June 7, 2019. It has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through personally. I still think about her every day. Cancer took so much from her, but it couldn't take her spirit or her love for her family. More on this later. Maybe.
--The kids are doing fine. Cade is less than 4 months away from graduation which is mind blowing to me. He is planning on attending Ole Miss and major in business and Public Policy. After that, law school. I've tried to convince him otherwise but so far, he has been pretty adamant. Whatever he decides, we are extremely proud of him and know that whatever he decides to do in life that he will do great. Kenna is 14 now. Talk about a curveball for a guy who grew up with brothers. I've never had a teenage girl in my house and she definitely has taught me new lessons in life that I had never had to contemplate before. She is a daddy's girl though and has a heart of gold. So we must have done something right. Case is 11 and has already decided he wants to attend the University of Tennessee because of their Aeronautics Engineering program. At 11, I didn't know how to say Aeronautics Engineering.
--We bought a new house in 2018. We had been renting forever and decided that we were tired of renting but that the house we were currently in wasn't conducive to our life when we got older. Specifically, there wasn't a bedroom on the first floor. So Whitney found us a house on Dunlap that she fell in love with and in October of 2018, we once again became home owners. It's a fixer-upper for sure but we like it. She loves those old historic home and this house was built by W.G. Rhea and was his home when he was alive. That means nothing to people who aren't familiar with Henry County and W.G. Rhea, but it is neat and is a great conversation piece about the house. It took his ghost some time to get used to us being here but now he is and all is great.
--That's about it for now.
--2019 started out like pretty much every other year. I was working as a District Director for the TN Department of Corrections and responsible for the oversight of the sex offender caseloads for all of west Tennessee. I had been doing that since since 2016 (I think, maybe 2017) but regardless, after too many late nights, too many nights away from home, and too many times being told how to do my job better by people who have never done my job, I decided it was time for a change. I guess it would be better put that God decided it was time for a change. One late night in February, one of our offender's cut off his GPS unit in Memphis. Whenever that happened, officers had to respond immediately and warrants were issued for the arrest of that offender. Long story short, our officers had been repeatedly told by Memphis police to not call them to come look for offenders because they didn't have time to stop what they were doing and look for a guy with a misdemeanor warrant that was on probation. Makes sense considering at one point I remember being told that there is a call for a shooting approximately ever 12 minutes in the city of Memphis. Needless to say, they have their own problems to worry about,. Anyway, one of my superiors didn't like the idea that I didn't try to call the chief of police for Memphis to get him involved in having officers assist us so I was told in a text thread that I need to stop making excuses and other nuggets of information. It was bad enough that the next morning (a Saturday) my direct supervisor, who is one of the best people I have ever worked for and love to this day, called me to check on me and to see if I had quit. I hadn't but only because I didn't have anything else to do. Then God stepped in. On Monday morning, I awoke to a text message from Becky Alexander with a simple question: "Are you ready to come to work in the Grove?" Becky works in Cottage Grove for a company and she had been trying to convince them for a year that the company needed to hire an attorney full-time. They finally agreed and that Wednesday I met with her and the owners for my interview. I called my supervisor on the way home and gave her my 2-week notice. So I am now in-house counsel for a little company in Cottage Grove and couldn't be happier. Hopefully they feel the same way about me. Sometimes I wonder.
--Mom died on June 7, 2019. It has been the hardest thing I have ever gone through personally. I still think about her every day. Cancer took so much from her, but it couldn't take her spirit or her love for her family. More on this later. Maybe.
--The kids are doing fine. Cade is less than 4 months away from graduation which is mind blowing to me. He is planning on attending Ole Miss and major in business and Public Policy. After that, law school. I've tried to convince him otherwise but so far, he has been pretty adamant. Whatever he decides, we are extremely proud of him and know that whatever he decides to do in life that he will do great. Kenna is 14 now. Talk about a curveball for a guy who grew up with brothers. I've never had a teenage girl in my house and she definitely has taught me new lessons in life that I had never had to contemplate before. She is a daddy's girl though and has a heart of gold. So we must have done something right. Case is 11 and has already decided he wants to attend the University of Tennessee because of their Aeronautics Engineering program. At 11, I didn't know how to say Aeronautics Engineering.
--We bought a new house in 2018. We had been renting forever and decided that we were tired of renting but that the house we were currently in wasn't conducive to our life when we got older. Specifically, there wasn't a bedroom on the first floor. So Whitney found us a house on Dunlap that she fell in love with and in October of 2018, we once again became home owners. It's a fixer-upper for sure but we like it. She loves those old historic home and this house was built by W.G. Rhea and was his home when he was alive. That means nothing to people who aren't familiar with Henry County and W.G. Rhea, but it is neat and is a great conversation piece about the house. It took his ghost some time to get used to us being here but now he is and all is great.
--That's about it for now.
Wednesday, January 15, 2020
Back in Black
Goodness. I didn't know these things were still around. Thanks to Alien Soil for reminding me about these.
More to come. Later. Maybe.
More to come. Later. Maybe.
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Winds of Change
Well, my days at BOPP are winding down. On June 1, I officially become an Associate Attorney at the Law Office of Shon D. Johnson. I'm ready to get started, but at the same time scared to death. I have always had a job where I was guaranteed a salary and could budget based on what I was guaranteed to be paid. It won't be like this from now on. I am getting a small salary and then a percentage of the work I do for the firm, but it's not the same. I can only trust that this is what I'm supposed to be doing and that it will all work out and we'll be fine.
Whitney dislocated her knee this past weekend while we were in Louisville. She simply took a step and her knee popped out of it's socket. You could see the pain and torment on her face and I felt completely helpless sitting there with her. All I could tell her was that it was going to be okay once we got her to the hospital, but I know that was no comfort at all. She saw the doctor on Tuesday about it and he told her that she basically has a genetic deformity that makes it easy for this to happen to her again. They put a brace on it but she is terrified that it is going to happen again.
Summer break has started here. The kids are enjoying it I guess. We went swimming today for about an hour and a half at Uncle James' house. It's nice to have relatives that will let you use their stuff whenever you want; especially when that stuff is a swimming pool. The Veazey's have one too so we'll be making numerous trips to both this summer.
I guess that's all for now. Later.
Whitney dislocated her knee this past weekend while we were in Louisville. She simply took a step and her knee popped out of it's socket. You could see the pain and torment on her face and I felt completely helpless sitting there with her. All I could tell her was that it was going to be okay once we got her to the hospital, but I know that was no comfort at all. She saw the doctor on Tuesday about it and he told her that she basically has a genetic deformity that makes it easy for this to happen to her again. They put a brace on it but she is terrified that it is going to happen again.
Summer break has started here. The kids are enjoying it I guess. We went swimming today for about an hour and a half at Uncle James' house. It's nice to have relatives that will let you use their stuff whenever you want; especially when that stuff is a swimming pool. The Veazey's have one too so we'll be making numerous trips to both this summer.
I guess that's all for now. Later.
Monday, May 14, 2012
Every Day I'm Shufflin'...
So once again I am stealing an idea from my good friend Daniel Ross and am putting my iPhone on shuffle to see what comes up. Then, I'll share with you. Here we go.
1. "I Need Thee" by Alabama. One of my favorite hymns of all time. It's simple, yet powerful and honest.
2. "Faithfully" by Journey. Really, who doesn't love this??
3. "If You're Gonna Play in Texas.." by Alabama. Our second Alabama song in 3 selections. My parents probably hate any Alabama song that is on the Roll On tape because me and my brother would literally let them listen to nothing else when we went anywhere. Ask my mom about the trip to Texas one summer.
4. "I'm Free From the Chain Gang" by Johnny Cash. He is music. Plain and simple. Done in his later years when his death was imminent, this song is heartfelt.
5. "Prodigal Son's Prayer" by Dierks Bentley. Sorry there is no good video for this one, but I love this song. If you have never heard it, check it out.
1. "I Need Thee" by Alabama. One of my favorite hymns of all time. It's simple, yet powerful and honest.
2. "Faithfully" by Journey. Really, who doesn't love this??
3. "If You're Gonna Play in Texas.." by Alabama. Our second Alabama song in 3 selections. My parents probably hate any Alabama song that is on the Roll On tape because me and my brother would literally let them listen to nothing else when we went anywhere. Ask my mom about the trip to Texas one summer.
4. "I'm Free From the Chain Gang" by Johnny Cash. He is music. Plain and simple. Done in his later years when his death was imminent, this song is heartfelt.
5. "Prodigal Son's Prayer" by Dierks Bentley. Sorry there is no good video for this one, but I love this song. If you have never heard it, check it out.
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Frustration
When my wife called me on April 13, overjoyed and in tears, I thought that things were finally going to be different. No more late nights for her. No more having to watch the bank account to make sure we didn't overdraft. Nice vacations. We could buy or even better, build, our own house.
That was a month ago. So far, nothing has changed. Well, that's not true. I have now spent even more hundreds of dollars getting licensed and joining various organizations that are essential for young lawyers to join. So I am worse off now than I was a month ago.
I have talked to 6 or 7 different people about jobs but so far nothing has panned out. Whit and I were watching the news the other night and they were talking about how all of these School of Pharmacy graduates were not able to find work. I can understand their frustration. I would have never thought that after 4 years of law school and passing the bar the first time out that a month later I'd still be "unemployed" as a lawyer.
I don't know if this is God's way of teaching me patience or what, but I hope soon He decides to teach me a lesson in starting a new job.
That was a month ago. So far, nothing has changed. Well, that's not true. I have now spent even more hundreds of dollars getting licensed and joining various organizations that are essential for young lawyers to join. So I am worse off now than I was a month ago.
I have talked to 6 or 7 different people about jobs but so far nothing has panned out. Whit and I were watching the news the other night and they were talking about how all of these School of Pharmacy graduates were not able to find work. I can understand their frustration. I would have never thought that after 4 years of law school and passing the bar the first time out that a month later I'd still be "unemployed" as a lawyer.
I don't know if this is God's way of teaching me patience or what, but I hope soon He decides to teach me a lesson in starting a new job.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
Making Memories
As I said in an earlier post, I had a good lunch yesterday with some old friends. One of them stated that he had started a journal for his children and was trying to decide when the appropriate time to give it to them would be. He had decided that when they have children of their own is best. That way they will appreciate the journal even more. Hopefully, it will help them understand what was going on "behind the scenes" at the time and what was going through mom and dad's minds when they made some decisions or something happened.
I liked the idea so much that I went to Walmart tonight and bought 3 journals for my kids. I'm not going to write in them every day, but hopefully will put something in them every month or so and anytime there is a significant event in their life. Why not do it online? I think it would have more meaning when they get older if they can read it in my handwriting. It would be as if I was right there with them telling them the story instead of them reading it. It will be interesting to see how many of them I fill up for each child. But I look forward to writing in them and then going back myself to look and see what was going on at that point in their lives.
I hope they will appreciate it some day.
Tuesday, May 1, 2012
Why Do You Keep Doing That?
I had the great privilege today of eating lunch with a couple of old friends. We talked about everything from work to faith to movies. One of the most interesting conversations we had was about our children.
As parents, we have all been there. Our children keep doing the same things that get them in trouble. Each of mine have their own quirks. With Cade, we have to tell him about 10 times to do something. Kenna throws temper tantrums and Case has complete meltdowns when it's time to turn off the Wii or PS3. Chad was telling us that his son, age 5, continues to do the same things to get in trouble. When Chad ask him why he continues to do that, his answer is straight forward and brutally honest: Because I wanted to. We have the same conversations with our kids. "Why do you continue to do the same things time and time again knowing that there will be negative consequences for your actions?" We want to sometimes just take them by the shoulders and shake them to get them to understand that we are tired of always getting on to them for the same things.
In the midst of that conversation at lunch today, Chad brought up a point that has stuck with me all day: Surely God feels the same towards us. There are times that He must want to grab me by the shoulders and shake me while asking, "Why do you keep doing that?" And the answer is as simple as a child's. Because I want to. I put earthly things above heavenly things. I keep making the same mistakes over and over and over. I don't seek Him like I ought to. I continue to do things my way and those ways are the wrong ways.
I love my children and I only want what's best for them. That's why it is frustrating when I try to guide their path, but they continue to do things their way. Their way of doing things often isn't the way I envisioned them doing it. They don't follow the instructions that I've given them. Sometimes they do and everything goes great. But sometimes they don't and there are consequences.
Sounds familiar, huh?
As parents, we have all been there. Our children keep doing the same things that get them in trouble. Each of mine have their own quirks. With Cade, we have to tell him about 10 times to do something. Kenna throws temper tantrums and Case has complete meltdowns when it's time to turn off the Wii or PS3. Chad was telling us that his son, age 5, continues to do the same things to get in trouble. When Chad ask him why he continues to do that, his answer is straight forward and brutally honest: Because I wanted to. We have the same conversations with our kids. "Why do you continue to do the same things time and time again knowing that there will be negative consequences for your actions?" We want to sometimes just take them by the shoulders and shake them to get them to understand that we are tired of always getting on to them for the same things.
In the midst of that conversation at lunch today, Chad brought up a point that has stuck with me all day: Surely God feels the same towards us. There are times that He must want to grab me by the shoulders and shake me while asking, "Why do you keep doing that?" And the answer is as simple as a child's. Because I want to. I put earthly things above heavenly things. I keep making the same mistakes over and over and over. I don't seek Him like I ought to. I continue to do things my way and those ways are the wrong ways.
I love my children and I only want what's best for them. That's why it is frustrating when I try to guide their path, but they continue to do things their way. Their way of doing things often isn't the way I envisioned them doing it. They don't follow the instructions that I've given them. Sometimes they do and everything goes great. But sometimes they don't and there are consequences.
Sounds familiar, huh?
Wednesday, April 25, 2012
Fried Fish and Bribes
Well, it's Fish Fry week. Whitney and I took the kids to the carnival last night and had a good time. I bribed them with the promise to go back tomorrow night if they helped get the house clean. Needless to say, it's as close to spotless as the 4 of us can get it. I've lived in Paris for 24 years of the 32 years I've been on this planet and I have NEVER been to the fish tent. I guess I should do that at some point but the thing is, I don't care for catfish. Oh well.
Dad and I went fishing today but it turned out like many of our other fishing trips. We unloaded the boat and then found out that something in the throttle mechanism was broken. At first, we couldn't get it to go in gear at all and then when it did finally go into gear, it was stuck wide open. So we just trolled around the marina. Dad caught one and I had one hooked that got off before I got it to the boat. It was fun just hanging out even though nothing else went right. We couldn't even give away our minnows after we were done fishing, so dad just poured them out when we got home. Next time, I'm treating him to 18 holes of golf.
I've been talking to an attorney in town about going to work with him in his office in Paris. I'm hoping it is going to work out. I'm never gonna learn anything sitting behind my desk at my current office. I'm ready for something new and this is a great opportunity for me if all the pieces fall into place.
I guess that's all.
Dad and I went fishing today but it turned out like many of our other fishing trips. We unloaded the boat and then found out that something in the throttle mechanism was broken. At first, we couldn't get it to go in gear at all and then when it did finally go into gear, it was stuck wide open. So we just trolled around the marina. Dad caught one and I had one hooked that got off before I got it to the boat. It was fun just hanging out even though nothing else went right. We couldn't even give away our minnows after we were done fishing, so dad just poured them out when we got home. Next time, I'm treating him to 18 holes of golf.
I've been talking to an attorney in town about going to work with him in his office in Paris. I'm hoping it is going to work out. I'm never gonna learn anything sitting behind my desk at my current office. I'm ready for something new and this is a great opportunity for me if all the pieces fall into place.
I guess that's all.
Jesus Messiah--by Chris Tomlin
Music is Chris Tomlin with movie shots from The Passion of the Christ.
Friday, April 20, 2012
Much Ado about Nothing
--I started this blog back up thinking that I would write as much on it as I used to. However, with the world of social media we have today (Twitter, Facebook, etc), there's not much that I have to say here that I don't say there. I've kind of lost my zeal for politics recently simply because I have come to the conclusion that no matter what party they claim to represent, they are all just looking out for themselves in the long run.
--I've been job searching some this week but haven't had anything come up yet. I have several prospects though that I'm hoping will work out. If not, when I get my license and get sworn in, I'll take appointments out of juvenile court and try to do that and keep my job I've got right now. Not sure how the State of Tennessee will feel about that but I honestly don't care. If they don't like it, I know where the door is and am more than ready and willing to walk out of it at this point.
--As happy as I was to pass the bar, I think I am equally upset that several of my friends didn't. But they will eventually, probably in July. I'm hoping for them to anyway.
--I've been studying 4 years to be a lawyer and the truth of the matter is this: The thought of actually getting to be a lawyer scares me to death. That's part of the reason I don't want to just start out on my own. Law school does a decent job of teaching you the law, but it does a horrible job of teaching you HOW to be a lawyer. I know enough about how the criminal courts work to get by doing that, but I am as lost as can be when it comes to civil, juvenile and chancery court. The only relief I have is that I talked to someone the other day who has been practicing for 4 years and he said he still feels like he doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. And he has the reputation of being a good lawyer.
--My wife just got home from job #2.
--Tonight, my 10 year old informed me that the real words to to "Young and Wild and Free" aren't "So what we get drunk, so what we don't sleep.." but instead are "So what we get drunk, so what we smoke weed..." How did he know that and I didn't? Thanks, I guess, goes to Youtube. That's crazy to me though.
--Caser LOVES him some Star Wars. Whether it's movies, video games, books or toys, if it's Star Wars, he's all about it. Reminds me of Cade when he was little. And he's the coolest little Star Wars nerd you'll ever meet.
--I don't think someone can ever really learn what love is unless they have kids. That may sound kind of harsh and maybe there's a better way to say it but it's too late and I'm too tired to come up with a way right now. All I mean is that I love my kids more and more everyday. When I think there is no way possible to love them any more, I wake up to a new day and it's like my heart has doubled in size to make room for the love I have for them. And this happens every day. It's like that too for my wife, but kids are different. I guess I just can't explain it.
--I'm tired and think I'll go to bed. Goodnight.
--I've been job searching some this week but haven't had anything come up yet. I have several prospects though that I'm hoping will work out. If not, when I get my license and get sworn in, I'll take appointments out of juvenile court and try to do that and keep my job I've got right now. Not sure how the State of Tennessee will feel about that but I honestly don't care. If they don't like it, I know where the door is and am more than ready and willing to walk out of it at this point.
--As happy as I was to pass the bar, I think I am equally upset that several of my friends didn't. But they will eventually, probably in July. I'm hoping for them to anyway.
--I've been studying 4 years to be a lawyer and the truth of the matter is this: The thought of actually getting to be a lawyer scares me to death. That's part of the reason I don't want to just start out on my own. Law school does a decent job of teaching you the law, but it does a horrible job of teaching you HOW to be a lawyer. I know enough about how the criminal courts work to get by doing that, but I am as lost as can be when it comes to civil, juvenile and chancery court. The only relief I have is that I talked to someone the other day who has been practicing for 4 years and he said he still feels like he doesn't have a clue as to what's going on. And he has the reputation of being a good lawyer.
--My wife just got home from job #2.
--Tonight, my 10 year old informed me that the real words to to "Young and Wild and Free" aren't "So what we get drunk, so what we don't sleep.." but instead are "So what we get drunk, so what we smoke weed..." How did he know that and I didn't? Thanks, I guess, goes to Youtube. That's crazy to me though.
--Caser LOVES him some Star Wars. Whether it's movies, video games, books or toys, if it's Star Wars, he's all about it. Reminds me of Cade when he was little. And he's the coolest little Star Wars nerd you'll ever meet.
--I don't think someone can ever really learn what love is unless they have kids. That may sound kind of harsh and maybe there's a better way to say it but it's too late and I'm too tired to come up with a way right now. All I mean is that I love my kids more and more everyday. When I think there is no way possible to love them any more, I wake up to a new day and it's like my heart has doubled in size to make room for the love I have for them. And this happens every day. It's like that too for my wife, but kids are different. I guess I just can't explain it.
--I'm tired and think I'll go to bed. Goodnight.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Sacrifices
I found out on Friday morning that I had passed the bar exam. My wife called me crying and screaming like a mad person on Friday at 11:30 A.M. to tell me that my name was on the successful list. I was elated and in shock at the same time and I still don't think it has set in yet. It is an end to a long hard road that I have traveled. But it's not just been me. Many folks have traveled this road with me and I'm going to take this time to thank them.
My wife. Where would I be without her? Definitely not where I am today. She has sacrificed so much in the past 4 years to hold our family together. Especially after our move back to Paris. She has worked 2 jobs, often working over 80 hours a week, to put food on our table. More than that, she has lived the lifestyle of a single parent for alot of that due to the fact that I spent 3 nights a week in Nashville. You try working until 8 or 9, then getting home and cooking supper for your 3 kids, getting them baths and then getting them in bed. I couldn't do, that's for sure. But she did it night after night. Carol has also been a tremendous help during that time. On the nights Whitney knew she would be working until after 10, Carol was the one who took care of the kids. I look forward to the day, in the VERY near future, that Whitney can quit her second job completely. She deserves that and I feel I owe that to her for everything she has done while I was in school. This paragraph doesn't do her justice, I know. Words can't describe how vital she has been in this whole process. Just know that it hasn't gone unnoticed.
My family. When I got my Acceptance Letter back in 2008, I was happy, but wondered how I was going to pay for it. I called my mom to tell her that I had been accepted and she told me that everything would be taken care of. And it was. My grandmother paid for my tuition and books the first year. Mom and Dad paid for my second year and Jeff paid for my third. Whitney and I were able to cover my last year and bar expenses. I wouldn't have a degree today without my family because I would not have been able to afford it. I will pay them back some day.
My coworkers. My third year, Moot Court started and I had to be in Nashville 3 nights a week. My fourth year, all of the electives that I needed to graduate in December were offered at 4:45 P.M., meaning that I would have to leave Paris around 2:15 P.M. to get there in time for class. I was fortunate to have a boss who was understanding and allowed me to work a modified schedule in order to make it all work. Also, there were afternoons where my coworkers had to see people who were in our office to see me. They could have easily said no to all of it and then I'd have been in trouble.
My church family. The people at Maplewood Baptist Church are some of the finest people that I know. The weeks leading up to the bar exam, they were all so encouraging. On the day of the test, at 9:00 A.M. (the time the test started), I know that there were a multitude of them praying for me and others to have wisdom and understanding during the test. I believe in the power of prayer and I believe whole-heartedly that those people praying for me at that time was a major factor in the reason that I passed. If you are looking for a church home, you should come to Maplewood. They truly have a love for Christ and a love for people. It shows everytime you walk through the doors.
There are numerous others that deserve to be on here and if you're not, I'm sorry and hope you are not offended. From the numerous attorneys who offered words of encouragement and advice to my teachers to Mike Creasy, who was my ride for the past 2 years, and on and on, let me simply say....
Thank you! I wouldn't be here today without you.
My wife. Where would I be without her? Definitely not where I am today. She has sacrificed so much in the past 4 years to hold our family together. Especially after our move back to Paris. She has worked 2 jobs, often working over 80 hours a week, to put food on our table. More than that, she has lived the lifestyle of a single parent for alot of that due to the fact that I spent 3 nights a week in Nashville. You try working until 8 or 9, then getting home and cooking supper for your 3 kids, getting them baths and then getting them in bed. I couldn't do, that's for sure. But she did it night after night. Carol has also been a tremendous help during that time. On the nights Whitney knew she would be working until after 10, Carol was the one who took care of the kids. I look forward to the day, in the VERY near future, that Whitney can quit her second job completely. She deserves that and I feel I owe that to her for everything she has done while I was in school. This paragraph doesn't do her justice, I know. Words can't describe how vital she has been in this whole process. Just know that it hasn't gone unnoticed.
My family. When I got my Acceptance Letter back in 2008, I was happy, but wondered how I was going to pay for it. I called my mom to tell her that I had been accepted and she told me that everything would be taken care of. And it was. My grandmother paid for my tuition and books the first year. Mom and Dad paid for my second year and Jeff paid for my third. Whitney and I were able to cover my last year and bar expenses. I wouldn't have a degree today without my family because I would not have been able to afford it. I will pay them back some day.
My coworkers. My third year, Moot Court started and I had to be in Nashville 3 nights a week. My fourth year, all of the electives that I needed to graduate in December were offered at 4:45 P.M., meaning that I would have to leave Paris around 2:15 P.M. to get there in time for class. I was fortunate to have a boss who was understanding and allowed me to work a modified schedule in order to make it all work. Also, there were afternoons where my coworkers had to see people who were in our office to see me. They could have easily said no to all of it and then I'd have been in trouble.
My church family. The people at Maplewood Baptist Church are some of the finest people that I know. The weeks leading up to the bar exam, they were all so encouraging. On the day of the test, at 9:00 A.M. (the time the test started), I know that there were a multitude of them praying for me and others to have wisdom and understanding during the test. I believe in the power of prayer and I believe whole-heartedly that those people praying for me at that time was a major factor in the reason that I passed. If you are looking for a church home, you should come to Maplewood. They truly have a love for Christ and a love for people. It shows everytime you walk through the doors.
There are numerous others that deserve to be on here and if you're not, I'm sorry and hope you are not offended. From the numerous attorneys who offered words of encouragement and advice to my teachers to Mike Creasy, who was my ride for the past 2 years, and on and on, let me simply say....
Thank you! I wouldn't be here today without you.
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
The Great Protector
This post is more of a warning than anything. My kids are my world. I would do anything, and I do mean anything, to protect them. You should feel the same way about your kids.
When they are hurting, I hurt. Physically or emotionally. Today was a hard day for them. It's just drama really, but at the same time, it's the kind of drama that made me want to leave work early to come home and make everything alright. Part of my problem though is that while I mean well, my lack of censorship or tact about certain things just leads to more trouble. That didn't happen today thank goodness but I refuse to just by while my kids have bad days.
I see folks day in and day out who couldn't care less about their kids. They try to get rid of them every chance they get. They do things to intentionally put them in harms way. It baffles me and frustrates me to no end. I can't think of much worse in this world than a parent who cares nothing about their children. But those folks are out there unfortunately.
My kids are my world. I'm a better man because of them and they are the main reason I do most of the stuff I do. I want more for them than I ever had myself. I know that they'll have bad days. But I also know that on those bad days, I will be there with strong arms to squeeze them until everything is okay and a delicate hand to wipe away any tears before they can reach their cheeks.
Do the same for your kids.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Running Wide Open
I meant to write something on here every day but that didn't happen. Oh well.
I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth cut out on Friday. It honestly wasn't as bad as I had told myself it was going to be. Which might explain why it hasn't been that bad; know what I mean? I set myself up to be writhing in pain for 3 or 4 days, but that hasn't been the case. But I did overdo it today. It was the first day that I have sat upright most of the day since Thursday and I can feel it in my jaws! The 1-inch steaks I grilled for supper probably don't help matters but when a man is craving a steak, well, nothing but a steak will do.
Bar results are in less than 2 weeks. I'm honestly not expecting to pass it but I hoping beyond hope that I did simply because I don't know that I ever will if I didn't this time. That sounds disheartening but it's the truth. I studied and studied and can't imagine that the next time around I'd study any more than I did this time. So if I didn't pass, I don't know what I'll do.
I was proud to see the Jaycees name the 2011 Henry County Patriots as Grand Marshals for the Fish Fry Parade. Kenna is excited.
Kentucky will win the National Championship tonight.
I've debated writing something about the Trayvon Martin situation, but that's a lose-lose. All I'll say is that no matter what side of that fence you are on, it is a tragic, tragic situation,
Time to take my Percocet. Good night.
I had all 4 of my wisdom teeth cut out on Friday. It honestly wasn't as bad as I had told myself it was going to be. Which might explain why it hasn't been that bad; know what I mean? I set myself up to be writhing in pain for 3 or 4 days, but that hasn't been the case. But I did overdo it today. It was the first day that I have sat upright most of the day since Thursday and I can feel it in my jaws! The 1-inch steaks I grilled for supper probably don't help matters but when a man is craving a steak, well, nothing but a steak will do.
Bar results are in less than 2 weeks. I'm honestly not expecting to pass it but I hoping beyond hope that I did simply because I don't know that I ever will if I didn't this time. That sounds disheartening but it's the truth. I studied and studied and can't imagine that the next time around I'd study any more than I did this time. So if I didn't pass, I don't know what I'll do.
I was proud to see the Jaycees name the 2011 Henry County Patriots as Grand Marshals for the Fish Fry Parade. Kenna is excited.
Kentucky will win the National Championship tonight.
I've debated writing something about the Trayvon Martin situation, but that's a lose-lose. All I'll say is that no matter what side of that fence you are on, it is a tragic, tragic situation,
Time to take my Percocet. Good night.
Monday, March 26, 2012
An Open Letter to Idiot
Dear Idiot:
Why won't you just leave me alone? Everywhere I go, you seem to show up. I go to work and you call me nonstop some days. I go to Walmart and there you are. You seem to always pull in front of me no mattter where I am going. Then you miraculously show up behind me, riding my tailgate like it's lap 187 at Talladega. I don't bother you. I have tried to not allow you to take over my mind. Granted, sometimes it seems that I have lost the battle against you and have my moments. My wife will confirm that. But for the most part, I try to avoid you like the plague. Unfortunately, you seem to follow me everywhere I go.
Please do us all a favor and stay home the rest of this week. Don't make any phone calls. Don't go riding around just for fun. Just sit in your living room and only be a nuisance to yourself. Please. I can't take many more days like today.
With kindest regards,
Me
Why won't you just leave me alone? Everywhere I go, you seem to show up. I go to work and you call me nonstop some days. I go to Walmart and there you are. You seem to always pull in front of me no mattter where I am going. Then you miraculously show up behind me, riding my tailgate like it's lap 187 at Talladega. I don't bother you. I have tried to not allow you to take over my mind. Granted, sometimes it seems that I have lost the battle against you and have my moments. My wife will confirm that. But for the most part, I try to avoid you like the plague. Unfortunately, you seem to follow me everywhere I go.
Please do us all a favor and stay home the rest of this week. Don't make any phone calls. Don't go riding around just for fun. Just sit in your living room and only be a nuisance to yourself. Please. I can't take many more days like today.
With kindest regards,
Me
Thursday, March 22, 2012
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