A Dog's Life

My wife and I are dog-sitting for a few days for our daughter. His name is “Fitzgerald Muenster”… “Fitz” for short … and his personality fits! He is a French Bull Dog, small and strong like a bull, handsome and charming like your typical Frenchman, and smart as a whip. But he is also fun and really funny.

When I take Fitz for a walk, he struts up the street like he owns the town. If a car goes by, he gives it a serious warning. And if another dog would actually have the nerve to attempt to walk on our street (excuse me… his street) he will go into full guard-dog mode to protect me. I really enjoy the little guy, and I think he likes me to, although he totally loves my wife a whole lot more. (Maybe something to do with her cooking?)

Anyway, at one point my wife and I needed to go to the store and we had to leave Fitz behind at home. As we were leaving, Fitz jumped up into my leather recliner and made himself comfortable (doesn’t he know he is violating the master’s chair!} and just yawned as we left.

While we were at the store, I kept thinking about Fitz being alone at home. He is a dog after all, and therefore has no idea where we went, when we are coming back, where his next meal is coming from, or even scarier than that, he has no idea if we will ever come home! And yet, upon our return, there he is lounging upside down in my recliner, with the tip of his tongue hanging out, probably dreaming of French female canines. Apparently not a care in the world.

And that got me thinking… Maybe we can learn something from Fitz, who isn’t much worried about anything. I mean, look at us, we worry about everything. We don’t know what tomorrow has in store. We don’t know if or when the pandemic will end. We don’t know if our boss is going to close the business down, or whether our kids will graduate, or how we are going to pay for our parents’ medical care. Our worries and questions are so many, and yet it seems like the answers are so few. But don’t we already have the answer, the answer to the most important question of all? That in the end, all of us if, we simply believe, will make it home.  

Your place in heaven will seem to be made for you alone, because you were made for it.

~ C. S. Lewis

 

Forgetness

I know it’s not a word, but maybe it should be.  The “Forgetness” I refer to above is not related to forgetfulness, although that is an ongoing problem I’ve been having lately. It is in fact, related to  “Forgiveness” which can surely be a complicated concept at times. I received a reminder of that yesterday.

The text message was from a young man I hadn’t seen or heard from in years. He asked for my email address and mentioned something about a long-ago conversation, and how he might have been wrong. That got my curiosity going!

He started the email saying, “I know this note comes out of the blue.” He then went on to say, “I recently went through the book of Luke and noticed something I hadn’t caught before. I think God may be tapping me on the shoulder.”

His email went on to explain. “We had a conversation many years ago while waiting to make a customer presentation. It was about Jim (not his real name). I don’t remember the details of what he did, but seem to recall it was about claiming to own a piece of the company, which he was not entitled to. You said something about never forgiving him, and I replied something to the effect that “you must forgive him” Anyway, after reading the bible verse (below) I realized that Luke is saying that if he repents then he must be forgiven.  I surely don’t have all the answers on this topic, but I recalled our conversation and think you might have felt judged by me - which was not my intent. I simply wanted to give you the truth, for your well-being.  The reality is there are tons of scriptures about forgiveness and it’s not always perfectly clear when to let go, and when to set boundaries, or even when to cut someone off.  I am sorry if I offended you then. I hope you and your family are well.”

Funny how a simple conversation more than 12 years ago, can find it’s way back into my life at a time when I really need to remember it. I wrote back saying I wasn’t offended at all. In fact, I appreciated his perspective at the time because it helped me to make a decision that I still believe is right today. That decision… the concept of “Forgetness”… to forget about the wrongs done to you, so they won’t continue to hurt you, but to forgive the person if they ever truly show remorse. Perhaps a simple solution to a complicated problem.

So watch yourselves. If your brother or sister sins against you, rebuke them; and if they repent, forgive them. Even if they sin against you seven times in a day and seven times come back to you saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive them.”                ~ Luke 17 vs 3-4

I Think

I think this is absolutely the best time of year. With the Spring Season finally here, the flowers are really starting to bloom, the sunsets are clearly more spectacular, and the air itself seems to just smell a whole lot fresher. While I no longer have an ocean view, I do have a gorgeous view of the Coto de Caza Golf Course framed by Saddleback Mountain, the highest peak in all of Orange County. Rabbits and squirrels scurry by (along with squirrely golfers as well), and at the moment nature is dressed in its finest apparel, making me grateful to be alive to witness it.

In fact, a mother dove created a nest on our front porch this week, on top of a pillar protected by the roof. For the past few days she is always there, never leaving, so her eggs must be ready to hatch. She doesn’t seem to be bothered by us as we go in and out of our house, and we are certainly not bothered by her presence either. To me, she is a symbol of spring and a precious reminder of Easter and the promise of new beginnings.

Right now, I think the world needs the promise of new beginnings and a hopeful future more than ever. I thought this pandemic would only last two weeks. Instead it has lasted more than two years, and is still going on. There are bombs being dropped on Ukraine, never thought that would happen. And lately there have been so many of my friends and family members who have lost loved ones due to Covid, cancer and car crashes, that it blows my mind. So my thoughts and prayers are stronger, and my prayer list is longer, than it’s ever been!

With all that has gone wrong lately, it could make us sad. But as I arrive home after a long day of work and pass by that dove huddled quietly over her babies, and then gaze out at the gorgeous view from my patio, I feel encouraged. Life will always have its ups and downs, but for me, Springtime and the upcoming Easter Season combine to create the promise of a better life ahead. At Easter we don’t just celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we celebrate His promise of a new beginning and a life everlasting. I think...I will think about that… instead!

Sunset  view from the top of Saddleback Mountain

Spring shows us what God can do 

with a drab and dirty world. 

~ Virgil A. Kraft

Making the World a Better Place

I lost a friend in a plane crash recently. It was a shock as you can imagine, and so heartbreaking for his family and everyone else that knew and loved him.

It reminded me that sometimes there are certain people that touch your life in a special way. Robert was one of those people. I can’t really describe it. He just had this special way of making you feel better about yourself. What a unique and awesome quality and what a unique and awesome man. The world is a better place because of him and with his passing, his family shared Robert’s personal statement of faith. But instead of describing it to you in my own words, I will share with you Robert Ming’s exact words. Why? Because there is no way that I could have expressed my faith any better or as eloquently as Robert has. And it is so very, very  much worth sharing with the world.

Robert’s Faith Statement

Life can be hard. There are job losses, global pandemics, earthquakes, and deaths. Nevertheless, I have a deep sense of peace even when circumstances might indicate otherwise. Why? Because I believe there is a God, and He loves me. Why do I have  a sense of direction even when I really don’t know where I am going? (No wise cracks here about asking for directions!) Because Jesus Christ has provided clear principles for living life that provide the basis for making decisions. Those principles are found in the Bible and things simply work better when we follow the guidance we find there.

Today I tried to make the world a better place. 

    I’ll do it again tomorrow… if you’ll let me.      

~ Robert Ming,  1970-2022

 

Tool Time

If you call somebody a “tool” it’s supposed to be a derogatory remark. But that doesn’t make sense to me because one of the secrets to doing a job well and doing it right has always been having the right tool. So that makes the right tool a really good thing, right? I wonder… is it that way with friends as well?

I was a working electrician for many years because I have always enjoyed working with my hands and still do. In fact, I still have my original electrician’s leather tool belt, which has been riding around with me in my truck every day for many, many years. I don’t give it much thought and I don’t take very good care of it anymore, but I always know it’s there when I need it.

The thing is, I don’t actually wear that old toolbelt anymore, but I do keep a few spare tools in it. The pockets also have a bunch of old nuts, bolts, and screws collected along the way from places I worked, like the very first In-N-Out Burger ever built, the original Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Fashion Island Shopping Center, the Bren Center at UCI, San Diego City Hall, and the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles.

Three times last week that old toolbelt came in super handy for me. One example, my Father-in-Law asked me to help him install a new handheld shower head. The parts that came with it didn’t fit his type of shower stall and we both struggled with it for quite a while. That is until I went out to my truck and searched through my old toolbelt. I found the perfect pair of needle nose pliers and the exact size of plastic wall anchors needed to complete the installation. Five minutes later, the job was done.

And that got me thinking… I have been blessed with some really good friends over the years, people who have been there for me when I needed them most, and greatly enriched my life. I don’t always give them enough thought like I should, so shame on me. But I bet you they will be there for me if I need them. That makes the right friend a really good thing, right!

A true friend never gets in the way unless you happen to be going down.

~ Arnold H. Glasgow

Sh!t Doesn't Always Happen

I enjoy my job, but sometimes I'm really surprised by things that happen to me. On a typical day I will drive to a Shopping Center, Business Complex, or Industrial Park and perform Ultrasonic Testing on parking lot light poles, checking for rust and corrosion. It’s hard work at times, physically draining, and very lonely because I keep to myself, speak to no one, and stay totally focused on the job because it’s super important to be accurate.

However, with the pandemic going on, people are a bit more testy than usual. I can’t say I blame them because life is stressful enough without all the extra problems and struggles created by Covid. I’ve seen a lot of heated arguments going on in parking lots, a young girl screaming into her phone, presumably at her boyfriend, a homeless person sleeping on hot asphalt, and two drivers arguing over which one got to the parking spot first. I notice that most people ignore me and just want me to get out of their way.

That’s why I was surprised last week at the kindness shown me by two strangers. The first incident was at a shopping center in north Orange County. A very large man in a very small golf cart came rushing up to where I was working on a light pole. I could see he had a security uniform on and at first I thought he going to arrest me. Instead he got out smiling and asked me if I was the “Metals Inspector”. When I answered, “Yes”, his eyes lit up and he said, “Cool, Brother! I just want to welcome you to our property! He then explained how he really appreciates vendors taking good care of his site, and that if I needed help with anything to let him know. He handed me his card, wished me well, and drove off waving. He was just about the nicest security guard I’ve ever met.

The second incident was so minor, you wouldn’t probably think twice about it. I was working at crowded Retail Center in Cypress late in the day. The parking lot was full of cars, so it was difficult to access the light poles. At one point, a lady in a Tesla nearly ran me over. I never heard her coming and I definitely didn’t hear her apologize. She just got out and rushed into the store. That’s typical, but 10 minutes later, a rough looking Hispanic man with a heavy beard and a ton of tattoos got out of his car and started staring at me. I thought I was dead meat! But all he wanted was to ask me a question, “Sir. Would you like me to move my car out of your way?” He smiled as he said it… and I smiled back. Just a simple courtesy, and maybe not a big deal normally, but when people go out of their way during a pandemic to be nice to others, it’s surprising!

And that got me thinking… You know that old saying, “Sh!t  Happens”… well sometimes, even during the worst of times, Surprise Happens!

In a world full of people who couldn’t care less, 

be someone who couldn’t care more.   

 ~ Anonymous 

Like Sand Through an Hourglass

I took off early this morning to go start a large Pole Inspection project in Laguna Niguel. As I was driving down the freeway my truck is heading straight, but the people around me are all speeding and weaving and driving like maniacs. They are all over the place, and so are my thoughts.

I keep thinking about how I always have way too much to do! Besides having a solid load of work to do this month, our landlord doubled our rent, so we have to move, which is never easy. We need to find a moving company, set up the new utilities, arrange for new internet and cable, put in a change of mailing address, etc. etc. At the same time, my truck needs a wash and an oil change, the ice maker on the fridge is broken, and I can’t see well because I need a new pair of glasses, but don’t have time to go see an eye doctor.

Sorry…I don’t want to sound like some weak whiner or complainer, so I start to focus on all the things that are right in my life. That helps, but it doesn’t lighten the busyness of my life when there is always so much to do. Every day is filled with so many responsibilities and concerns, and honestly it can be overwhelming at times. I have a feeling you have plenty of days like that too.

And that got me thinking… What if we were to picture life like an hourglass? Imagine that there is an hourglass in front of you. At the top is a bowl connected to a bowl at the bottom by a tube so thin that only one grain of sand can pass through it at a time. That is a true picture of life, even on a super-busy day. The crowded hours can only come to you one moment at a time, one grain of sand at a time. That is the only way they can come. The day may bring many tasks, many problems, many stresses, but always… they come in single file. So handle them one at a time by remembering the hourglass, the grains of sand dropping one by one.

Like sand through an hourglass, 

so are the days of our lives.

~ from the daytime TV drama "Days of Our Lives"