This time of year when we look back at what was and forward to what may be, I received the following text message last night from a best friend.
Happy New Year!
With eyes wide open and my heart fractured, though open, and filled with painful loss, I look forward to a closer relationship with Jesus. He has always been there, and I have always felt his touch inside my soul, always there, patiently waiting with me, and for me.
I know how he misses me for my absence. My life has had an emptiness that dwells inside. It’s like I have been sitting in the front of the class, but never turned around to see who’s there. If I wasn’t so lost in trying to figure out why those in front of me were leaving—and why—I would have turned to Him for Him to console me, to lift me up in this dark season in my life.
It was Him, forgiving my absence. I will seek Him out with more commitment. He has always been there with me since I can remember, and I am sure He watched over me when I neglected his presence. He watched over me then; I feel him surrounding me more than ever. It is only now that I have been the one who has turned around to only find He was always there.
My dear lifelong friend, I thank you; actually I thank God for putting our lives together a long, long time ago. Your input in my life is without a doubt, because of the grace of God.
I love you my brother!
Powerful words. May we all live forward in and through the grace of God.
When I dropped my Hertz rental off at the Atlanta airport yesterday I didn’t know what I was in for. I was lucky to catch Archie’s shuttle bus to the terminal. Check out his video. He quickly had end-of-the-week business travelers loosening up!
When dropping us off, Archie mentioned that bus service at ATL will be replaced by trains in a couple weeks and that bus drivers like him were being put to pasture. As I thanked him for the great service (hey, tip those folks too!) another traveler wished him luck in finding another job. Archie’s reply? “As long as there’s a God in heaven, I have no worries.” You got that right, Archie. And thanks for brightening so many peoples’ days.
I spent the last couple days visiting my nephew, Adam, to celebrate his graduation from Army Basic Training at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. At first, I probably wouldn’t have recognized him—especially since there were a couple hundred guys that all looked pretty much the same—but also because Adam had packed on about 20 pounds of muscle and carried himself with a sense of confidence I’d never seen before. Very impressive.
We picked him up at about 11:30 for a day-pass away from base and headed out to grab some lunch. “Anything but a burger,” was the requested fare. After some Mexican food we headed to the mall so Adam could get a cell phone. I think every soldier in the graduating class was on a mission to get a cell phone. Must have something to do with connecting with the real world, I suppose… Then we headed over to buy a notebook computer (thanks Grandma!) so he’d have no excuse for not keeping in touch. And it would give him some gaming entertainment now that 18-hour days of training were history.
The graduation ceremony was Friday and the guys were officially becoming soldiers. Afterward we got caught up in the circus of trying to figure out when (and whether) the Army was going to provide pass privileges for the rest of the day. After chasing around the base a couple times we picked Adam up and went to lunch. Our time together was short but good. What a rewarding experience. I came away impressed by the professionalism, confidence, attitude, and sense of commitment I see in Adam. I honor his decision to serve and I’m proud of what he’s accomplished in nine short weeks (although he has a different time perspective!). I’ll be praying for him as he enters Advanced Individual Training and then moves on to his first job assignment.
Last week I spent some time in New England and was fortunate to stay in two different yet similar places of lodging.
My travels initially took me to Andover, New Hampshire on business where I stayed with Pecco and Gail Beaufays at their welcoming and comfortable Highland Lake Inn. This charming farmhouse was originally built in 1767 and is surrounded by fields, historic farmhouses and barns, and overlooks (you guessed it) Highland Lake. The inviting rooms, really comfortable beds, fresh breakfasts, and great views are only outdone by the warm and friendly hosts. I thoroughly enjoyed my short stay. Pecco, Gail & Teddy are good people. Whenever you’re in New Hampshire be sure to visit their outstanding B&B. If you’re not in New Hampshire, then go there and visit their outstanding B&B. Trust me (and National Geographic) on this!
A few days later I found myself in Camden, Maine and checking into the Mount Battie inn in Lincolnville Beach. I chose this lodging by chance and hit the jackpot! This is an extremely comfortable roadside motel with the charm and hospitality of a B&B. Hosts Christine and Ed go out of their way to make you feel welcome, but you can tell that it simply comes naturally to them. They are clearly committed to serving their guests. After a few minutes I felt like I’d known them for years. (And I threw diet out the window both mornings to enjoy Christine’s fresh-baked muffins and breads!) Ed even shared with me that, although this is only their second season of owning the property, they received more than 800 Christmas cards from guests. That alone says so much. So, whenever you’re in Maine be sure to visit the Mount Battie inn. If you’re not in Maine, then go there and visit this outstanding inn.
Thanks to all of you—Ed, Christine, Gail, Pecco, and Teddy—for your hospitality. You helped make my trip special.
When I visited Dr. Erb’s office yesterday for a spine adjustment Barbara, his awesome manager, and I got to talking. Barbara commented—passionately commented—that I have some very good friends. And she is so right. It was refreshing—and humbling—to receive such valuable confirmation. Thanks God, for these true friends and for so graciously reminding me!
My mom (81, going on 51) is now Twittering. Not to mention signing up for daily devotional emails, checking financial statements online, and sharing messages, images, and video by email—and yes, occasionally sharing a bit too often—but I have an Outlook rule to manage those… (Just kidding, mom. Well, not really kidding, but, ah… well, you know!). Anyway, just one day into Tweet world and she’s got it nailed. I’m guessing her friends and family network will soon be joining. Pretty cool, if you ask me. Gotta love this lady!
Back in April I wrote about the early success I was having with chiropractic under Dr. Erb’s care. This morning we compared and reviewed x-rays taken in March to new images from two days ago. In March I had 0 (that’s zero!) degrees of curve in my cervical spine. Today I have 17 degrees of curve—a 40% improvement toward where we want to be! I knew things were changing, but I about fell off my feet because even my untrained eye could clearly see the difference between March and June.
My improvements are tangible and my health objectives are actionable. I’m taking no meds, so I have no unnatural side effects. I’m eating better and am beginning to feel it. I’m detoxing and am excited about the doors this will open. I’m back in the gym—because I can be. And I’m tuning up my mountain bike tomorrow because I’m ready to ride (at least a little!). I’m feeling good—not completely there yet but clearly headed in the right direction. So I’m a full-court believer. This works! But it’s more than getting your neck popped a couple times a week. Be active, not passive in directing your health. Engage your body:
Fuel it—take in live foods from God’s hand, not processed junk from man-made factories;
Clean it—purge accumulated toxins from every cell and minimize exposure to the blitz of toxins around us;
Exercise it—pump up the heart, build in more muscle, and pour out some sweat;
Align it—“let the doc move the bones and let God do the healing;”
Rest it—recreate at something you enjoy, get consistent sleep, affirm positive actions; and
Commit it—to Jesus.
Want a real-life illustration? Just last Saturday I was helping my bro-in-law clear a tree that blew down in a recent storm. This was a big tree and the morning was way hot and way humid. And I found myself literally praising God that I was able to be there, sweating up a storm, to help Brad—because a few months ago there’s no way I could have. So thanks again, docs! I can’t wait to see where we go from here!
I learned very early in my 5200 mile trip last month that Toyota 4Runner engineers fully blew it when it came to the auxiliary audio jack nestled inconveniently at the bottom of my junked-out center console storage bin. Actually, the input works just fine—as long as you don’t also connect your iPod to the vehicle’s power outlet. If you do, the audio takes on an annoying (sometimes excruciating) hum from the ground loop of the power circuit.
Fortunately, the fine folks at Crutchfield have an inexpensive solution which I ordered upon my return. Not only does the product work as advertised, but their order processing and the information included in the order is nothing less than superb. The Thank You letter is also a nice touch. These guys get customer service!
Fellowship Church is presenting an encore performance of The Game of Life this weekend. Several years ago Mike Johnson led this captivating drama. And it was so popular the church re-presented it the following weekend. You do not want to miss this rare opportunity to look back over your life! Services are Saturday at 6pm and Sunday at 10am and 11:30am. Please come!
Beyond the poolside barbecues and beach parties we gratefully remember today the sacrifices of so many for so much of what we have. Don’t take today simply in stride. Remember and appreciate those who have given. Thank and encourage those who are giving. And contribute—whether through a letter or package sent to a man or woman in service, through support of their family here, or simply but powerfully through prayer—contribute.
Mike Huckabee well honors those we recognize today. Check out his post here. Happy Memorial Day!
I shot a series of photos from the Forest Service road on the east side of Jackson Hole and then stitched them together. The National Elk Refuge is in the foreground, with the Tetons looking over the preserve.
I’m realizing my fears. I’ve wanted to visit Jackson Wyoming for a long time and finally rolled into town last night. The approach from Idaho Falls over Teton Pass is a beautiful drive through rolling wheatlands, postcard worthy Swan Valley and Victor, and then over steep Teton Pass into Wilson and then Jackson.
After checking in at the Trapper Inn in downtown Jackson my friends David and Patty, who live in Jackson, invited me to a great steak and salad dinner. David and I then went to the local Sunday nightspot in Wilson. The Stagecoach Cafe is a roadside place that, unfortunately, you’d probably just pass by. But on Sunday nights, this is the place to be. Don’t miss it. The band, anchored by Bill Briggs, has been playing there every Sunday for forty years. And the place is loaded with extremely friendly, high-character people whose biographies would fill a library book shelf. You could spend the rest of your life getting to know these people and enjoying the stories they have to share. Hmmm…
The walls are covered with local photos of some extreme weather shots, personalities and local interests. Here again, there’s a lifetime of stories beyond the walls. But did I mention the interesting people? Take Bill Briggs. Father of Extreme Skiing. First person to ski Grand Teton. (Yes, that mountain.) Really interesting, friendly guy. Pic on the wall of him and Bob Dylan playing at the Stagecoach. Broke his hip years ago before, today’s replacement surgery technology. Had it fused in a position that allowed him to continue skiing. Still going strong. Way strong.
Take Robert from Switzerland, somewhere in his 60s. He’s climbing to the top of Teton Pass to snowboard today. David says this guy simply smokes the slopes. Man, I met so many good people last night there’s a blog post in each one of them. But the sun is now up and Yellowstone awaits.
When I get back to Dallas in about a week it’s going to be broccoli, celery and water.
I been eating large this trip and last night I had an absolutely fantastic meal at the El Dorado Hotel & Casino in Reno. I was hungry (all that hiking and driving…) and decided to splurge and have some prime rib. The restaurant had a decent reputation and the price was right. But when my server, Lauren, told me about the venison special, I didn’t hesitate. I love venison. But I didn’t nearly expect what I was about to enjoy.
The venison was perfectly grilled medium-rare and was topped with a wine reduction sauce that had hints of cocoa perfectly balanced by a generous amount of black peppercorns. It worked! The meat was accompanied by new carrots in a semi-sweet glaze and thinly sliced potatoes fried in olive oil and sprinkled with rosemary. The three tastes played off each other splendidly. My taste buds were dancing!
But, alas, all good things come to an end. I was actually sad when I ran out of food. I was full—but I still wanted more! So I broke protocol and used some of the remaining sourdough bread to mop up the reduction sauce. Nobody was looking (and I didn’t really care if they were). This was the best meal I’ve had in recent memory. And it was an unbelievable $40—and that included a $15 glass of wine! The meal easily justified twice that, probably more.
On second thought, this was a pretty healthy meal. Forget what I said earlier about the broccoli and celery. Now, I wonder if Jackson Hole has any good restaurants…
I spent the last couple days visiting my nephew, Adam, to celebrate his graduation from Army Basic Training at 
Beyond the poolside barbecues and beach parties we gratefully remember today the sacrifices of so many for so much of what we have. Don’t take today simply in stride. Remember and appreciate those who have given. Thank and encourage those who are giving. And contribute—whether through a letter or package sent to a man or woman in service, through support of their family here, or simply but powerfully through prayer—contribute.
