Bugs in Abundance

I'm riding down the highway on my motorcycle and noticed the amazing number of bugs there are. I mean, there are many more than I EVER noticed before! Bugs in my headlights, bugs hitting me in the face....bugs everywhere. I had to drive slowly to prevent them from literally coating my glasses. Then a car passed me.

It was then I thought about how many bugs that car, whose front end was much wider than mine, was taking out. You would think one big car, at a very high speed would pretty much clean out the majority of the bugs on the highway. I looked ahead of the car in front of me and there was a line of cars in front of that car. I began to wonder how many bugs each car and truck for miles ahead of me was catching. Then one has to be reminded there are about 24,000 cars a day that drive this highway. Suppose 24,000 cars a day wipe out 2000 bugs each. Now multiply that times the three summer months or approx 45 days of bug production.

I don't know about you, but my calculator starts blinking when considering bug numbers that big. Suffice it to say there are a lot of bugs out there and they must have an amazing source to keep replenished a rate necessary to overcome the constant wipeout of their relatives along the highway.

Sometimes I think of the struggles of life in terms of these pesky bugs. No matter how many trials a person overcomes, there are always a few thousand more waiting to smack you in the nose, and blur ones vision. We have no choice but to press on, to keep moving ahead. There will always be bills to pay, set-backs to overcome, temptations to endure, tears and disappointments, struggles and the list is as endless as the insects splattered on the windshield. Although we can't stop the bugs, we have the assurance that none of them will be able to knock us off the road.

God is with us and that is a comfort. When we get to the end of the journey, He will wipe all the 'bug juice' from our windsheild and there shall be no more tears.

Keep the hammer down!

Tim

Saddest Story

In my job recently I interviewed a party concerning a friend who had died. It was one of the saddest stories I have ever heard. In getting information, I asked several pertinent questions. When I asked about family...this individual had none. His real parents were dead. He had no siblings....no children...only an adopted dad from out of state. When I asked about his faith or a church...not only did he not have one, but I was told he hated churches and preachers. He was paranoid of everyone. A service was not planned because, in the words of the party being interviewed, "Nobody would come anyway." So a direct cremation was ordered.

The more I thought about this, the more I saw what a thief Satan is. He had virtually stolen everything valuable and meaningful to life from this man. It appeared to me that he had also stolen any joy, hope or victory over death.

Friend...life is a precious gift. Live it fully and do not let anything steal it from you. You can only live life with the hope of God living within your heart. Make Jesus Lord of your life. Turn from sin and begin to live. You will find hope, joy, friends and life eternal. That is what it is all about. Life really is too short to live miserable. Live it with Jesus!!

Have a blessed day in Him.

Tim

My Basketball Days

Last week I did something I didn't think I would be doing at my age. I bought a brand new pair of Nike basketball shoes. The reason I bought them is because I have been playing in a church basketball league this winter. We will be wrapping up our season soon, but I have been having a blast with the guys who allowed the 'old guy' to play with them.

All my life I have loved basketball. I didn't play in high school because it was an 'evil, worldly, amusement'. I found it interesting that although my religion didn't allow us to play in school, it was fine to play on the playground, at youth camp, in the park, etc etc. So I took full advantage and played every chance I had. My dad bought a goal for me and put it at the end of a small patio in our backyard. He and my mother will never know how much fun I had and I owe them a lot of thanks. That little patio became 'barnhill arena' and I was the 'razorback team'. I mean in my mind I could be Sidney Moncrief, Marvin Delph, and Ron Brewer all at the same time. It was fun.

When I went to college, I played all the time. I was in top shape and often we ran eight to ten straight games of full court ball. I could jump and shoot back then. At 5' 11" I could dunk a volleyball and could dunk a basketball if someone 'ooped' it to me. Throughout my life I have enjoyed getting to play in various venues, with all types of people.

I cannot tell you how many pair of tennis shoes I have gone through. Let's just say many! I have always wondered when I would buy that last pair and when my playing days would be over. Having gone through a knee surgery and an ankle reconstruction, I figured it would have been before now. But guess what? I am blessed to still be playing.

My team-mates are great guys too. I owe them alot of thanks for letting me get out there with them and act like a teenager again. Let me introduce you to them....they are...Marvelous Matt Markle, Bradley Hangtime Hampton, Mitch MJ Hubbard, Mean Michael Garr, Alan Git-er-done Anderson, Billy Bad-boy Anderson, Allen 'Big Al', Josh Napster Napier, Jonathan Johnnnnny Branson,Tyrell Tatoo Shelly and yours truly. We have had a great time this season playing for NLT. Our record is about 500...meaning we have won as many as we lost. Considering this being our first go around, I think we did fine. There are some really good teams out there. I think on a good night we are capable of beating any of them.

This past week, with two of our guys out, we took on a good team. I felt good and even made about 13 points in the game. I think it must have been the shoes, or the fact that Trish was there to root for me. Anyway, when I took those new shoes off that night, I was grateful to still be having fun, and getting some exercise on the court. I don't know when I will unlace them for the last time, but for now, there is no end in sight. With a little luck, I'll buy a new pair next year when these are worn out.

I hope all my teammates know I appreciate being with them and I think they are all wonderful men. Good luck in the tourney guys.

Tim

An Arkansas Hurricane

Today is September 3, 2008 and Arkansas is directly under the remains of Hurricane Gustov.  Gustov made landfall in Louisiana yesterday morning.  I have been tracking it on the news as it skirted Cuba several days ago and then intensified as it gulped the warm Gulf waters.  Now inland, the hurricane has been diminished from destructive winds to merely a couple of days of serious rain for us.  In a week, folks will be playing  golf on a sunny day,  scarcely remembering if it was Gusto?, or Gussie?, or Gustov?...and talking about how badly we need rain.

I want to focus on the factors which defuse such a storm from a category 3 or 5, down to a thundershower.  This does not happen all at once, but as the hurricane travels over the terrain, three things occur.  One, it encounters mountain ranges, trees, forests, and cities, all of which subdue the forces of the wind over time.  Second, the storm is perpetually dropping rain and losing energy as it does so.  I am no weatherman, but even I know a cloud can't rain forever. Somewhere down the line it runs out of juice!  Finally, after moving aloft, the storm is destined to run into an opposing weather pattern.  In this case, a cold front moving down from the North is triggering the release of water, as well as taking more energy from the weather system.

I point this out to tell you that at some point in your life you will be in another kind of hurricane...usually an emotional one.  Life's storms are precipitated by heartaches and breaks, disappointments, tragedy, loss, bankruptcy, illness, divorce, etc.  For some, they would likely label these storms a 'Category 10'.  The tears fall like rain while fear thunders in the soul.  Trouble becomes your constant companion.  'Friends' abandon you, evacuating to safer shores and wanting no part of  what is now 'your' storm.  Batton down the hatches baby it's gonna get rough!  The winds blow, the beach erodes, structures and paradigms get blown to kingdom come!  That's the bad part.  But, let me give you some good news.

A hurricane doesn't last forever.  In a few days the sun comes back out.  The hurricane runs into a few barriers of people who say..."Hey I have had worse things than that happen to me and I am still alive!"  Ferocious winds find themselves facing fearless fronts when people say, "Listen, a little love and forgiveness can take care of this."  Not only that, but in time the intensity naturally goes away.  You can't live in a state of utter venom all the time...at least you won't live very long in that state.  Somewhere along the way there must come a bit of acceptance, of release, and hopefully some understanding.  When you understand that everything you hear may not be true and every assumption you make is likely not correct, it tends to take some water out of the clouds.  Lastly, the opponents in your life have a life, or have to get a life, of their own.  Other 'weather patterns' come, either from the North or the South, bringing a chill or a thaw to affect people's angst.  In time, they have to pay attention to their own problems and situations.  Their own kids get sick, their bank account runs dry, they screw up and have their own enemies, etc.  At the end of the day you have to sleep between your own pathetic elbows.  These new front bring changes in attitudes.  When you need forgiveness it is amazing how you suddenly can find it within you to extend the same. 

Let me tell you something.  Life is way too short to live in a hurricane.  I'd much rather encounter an 'Arkansas' Hurricane than a Louisiana or Texas Hurricane.  A  coastal hurricane will rip your roof off.  An Arkansas Hurricane has had some time....some buffers....causing it to lessen in intensity.  The lessening is a lesson we all need to learn.

Regards,

Tim