Sometimes when Jupiter is in-line with Mars, and when the moon is in the third phase crazy events shape and mold our lives in obscure ways. I often wonder what puppet master is controlling the Universe to his egotistical delight. Superstitious as that line of thought is, it is also insensible. A person of the scientific natue may agree with that statement, but I am not scientific, for science hasn't cured anything with my crazy life, or made anything alright. So only spiritual reasonings can justify the things that make sense in mhy life today. For me life changing events are in overdrive, but in my life lately they seem to be on cruise control.
I made it back out on the line last week. What a change it has been from the world of my home. No more sleeping in. Putting gas in the tank more often. Dealing with co-workers. I even get to see my fiancé more often. Also, I don't get to see the kids as much, and that is a big change, even though we talk as much as they want to, and often.
Nevertheless, the biggest change that I see is the one of recognition of myself as one of God's children. I had a hard time describing or putting into words what I was feeling with all this change. It wasn't a bad thing. I just felt a need to acknowledge it, to pin it down, to name it, perhaps to own it, or at least apprehend it so that I could comprehend it.
Then today it happened, or actually it began yesterday. I was at the Roosevelt Park zoo in Minot with Brenda on Thursday. what a great place to go and just hang out, and talk about things. Yes, we have even more to talk about lately. Yep, that's right... getting hitched.
Anyway, two exhibits really caught my attention. The giraffes and zebras and huge cats were way so cool, but it was the North American animals that captivated my interests. First stop was the wolves. It was neat to see how shy they were, yet in the the presence of full awareness. they constantly paced the boundaries of their fence, and when seemingly frustrated, they crawled into their den. It wasn't like watching wolves in the wild, and I have been blessed to see them play in the wild and watch them play, and wished I had that wild freedom.
The second stop that grabbed me were the bears. Grizzly Bears. They seemed so much like beggars, and selfish fighting for theirs space. Just longing to be on the outside. To me, they were wild animals and shouldn't be in a cage, yet they were provided for, in good health, and , yet just not happy. It seems that people have the tendency to project their emotions onto animals, and we want to think they were not happy, when as far as a wolf or bear goes, they had all the could need.
Today out on the line, we were working through some rancher's cow pasture. Low and behold, fences seemed to keep getting in our way. We have to open them to get out machines through, and close them right away behind us to make sure the farmer's cow's don't get out through the hole we make. You would think it wouldn't make a difference when half the calves are running outside the fence anyway it seems. Some of the critters spend half their day trying to get back in like this one calf who paced back and forth for three hours trying to get his way back into the fence to be with the others.
It is all part of the job and we do it anyway. Then it dawned on me. Psalm 23 says, "He leads me to green pastures." Before I was like a wild animal, resenting boundaries and seeing myself as a caged wolf or bear. One who did not belong with others of domesticated variety. Now that I define myself as a child of God, I see myself as more like that stray calf, having tested the realm of the world outside the fence. I long to get back in with others like me, a member of the human-race, the Beloved. And it is within these boundaries that one finds true freedom and happiness. As a wild animal the thought of it all would seem unsensible.
Today I got up early, went to work, paid my bills, drove the speed limit for the most part, helped others around me, I gave thanks for what I had, I told the people that mean the most to me that I loved them. I kept myself clean, and I am grateful that I see 44 when I never believed that I would live to see 30. Thank you God for making me your child, and for the pain and scars of the barbed wire when I slipped back underneath the fence.
Showing posts with label hillbilly. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hillbilly. Show all posts
Thursday, July 18, 2013
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Planting Time
God grants me the serenity to accept the things that I cannot change, gives me the courage to change the things I can and gives me wisdom to know the difference. I struggle with three simple words. What. When. Where.
I am glad that i do not depend on farming for a living anymore. Instead I put in a little seed for the wildlife. A couple years ago, my cousins Bradley and Ryan and I just up and figured it was time that we get with the times and start putting in food plots. Ryan has a little land up north of town in a swamp. I remember planting trees with his dad Eddie up on that farm. I don't know how it all happened, but we worked up a little one year and scattered a little soybeans by hand. While they were growing we got this bright idea to work up a little more for the following year, so we resurrected a few old implements, gave Eddie's WD45 Allis Chalmers a little TLC and went to work. The next year came and we got a hold of an old corn planter, we worked up a little more. Now we have about 15 acres to plant, and our conversations each spring are debates and debacles about what to plant, where to plant it, and when. As of today before this last rain shower we have about 3 acres of corn and 4-5 acres of soybeans.
So the debate and questions sometimes seem rhetorical for the sake of hearing the answers and opinions of the what, where, when to plant. Many frustrations and feelings occur arise out of those questions. Sometimes tiffs or arguements. The Bonds of men through hunting and family ties must be considered. Ryan and his sister own the land and a tractor. Bunky has the planter. Bradley has a sprayer. We all come up with some seed. it seems. Little chess games need to be played until someone finally goes out and just starts putting seed in the ground. It's not anything close to precision farming and by today's standards of auto steer and satellite technology, we are lucky to stay straight for fifty feet in a row (depending on who is driving). The actual money farmers don't get a vote on whether the crop is good or bad. Only the benefits of wildlife and hunter's that share the benefits of being in our gang share the satisfaction of coming to hunting ground that has been enhanced for the enjoyment of living an outdoor lifestyle that has been handed down to its benefactors for 5 generations.
I didn't get to plant last year. Didn't get to watch the plot grow. To top it off, I didn't get to hunt. " How unfair," I thought. But little did I know that this was the least of my problems. They did get worse. Life as it would have it moved from the recreational wa waaas of bickering kids in a sandbox to things that people in a free God loving society shouldn't have to go through. Many stories of women from the Bible come to mind Eve Deborah Delilah Jezebel. The reader should get the picture and I choose not to tell thier stories. My story is of the aftermath and I am a guy. It reminded me of the Story of Jacob with his dysfunctional family problems; more so, his son Joseph. Such is life when times when life doesn't treat a person fair. Gen 37:23-24, "So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. Then they grabbed him and through him into the cistern..." It got worse for Joseph. He was thrown in prison, made a slave, but he made his best to serve the Lord. And in the end things turned out for all around him.
Oh those brothers of Joseph. Oh those kids, wives, cousins, friends.... If they....
Joseph was granted courage to change the things he could. Serenity? How could he have that all the time. We need serenity to accept the things we can not change. First I cannot change other people's attitudes or their actions. I have to accept the consequences of my own actions and take responsibility for my past failures. 1 Sam 15: 11 ," 'I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.' Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night." I can only look at the decisions that I have made, look at the seed I have sown and say yes. That was me. I did these things. This is my part. These are rows that I planted and the seed I used for the ground I put them in. Try to make them right.
Wisdom! What is the difference in knowing between the things I cannot change and having courage to change the things in which I can? Well for me the answer is prayer and scripture. I must pray for God's will to be shown to me and to make me willing to live in the spirit of obedience. My father a fellow hunter isn't here to hold my hand any more and my children are old enough that their grip in times of need seem less firm. Others express their opinions on my future decisions. But ultimately they don't get a vote. Just as when those questions arise of what where and when to plant in a simple little food plot for wildlife; it is not much different in the question of human life. The question ,"If" is in the middle of the word L"if"E. It always seems that I find the answers in the Words from the Bible. Living obedient to those words where I hadn't before is the only wisdom I have found to make a difference. Praying for God to show me His will and to give me the right seed to plant in others. I must live in a spirit of gratitude for the lessons and tests in life. Be where I can live and act in a spirit of obedience and guard it all the time.
For those who Believe, Jesus also struggled, but accepted, In Luke 22:42-53 Jesus is met by his betrayer, neither panics nor is frantic ...simply offers a simple question," Judas, did you come to betray me with a kiss?" Then he healed again a slave who has his ear cut off. Jesus first asked ," if you are willing, remove this cup from me." Likewise serenity is not simply detachment – distancing ourselves from our dreams and desires. Rather, what we see in Jesus is a continuance of his mission…with hope! It is a trust that God is good and out to do good to us always.
As Paul wrote, “God works for the good in everything with those who love him and are called according to his purpose.”
I have planted my seeds now as straight and true as I can in the best places and most ready where God has shown me to plant in this time between the rains. God has shown me many ways in which he wants me to trust Him. I will continue to plant each year straighter rows with better seed suitable for the right purpose . I will watch for the plants to flourish , grow and hopefully mature. And I will travel back to the plots to see where my Faith is good, my Trust is reaffirmed. And continue to see the good in where my failures of tests have lead me. And fear not- knowing that in the journey I am doing the best I can. My Peace.
I am glad that i do not depend on farming for a living anymore. Instead I put in a little seed for the wildlife. A couple years ago, my cousins Bradley and Ryan and I just up and figured it was time that we get with the times and start putting in food plots. Ryan has a little land up north of town in a swamp. I remember planting trees with his dad Eddie up on that farm. I don't know how it all happened, but we worked up a little one year and scattered a little soybeans by hand. While they were growing we got this bright idea to work up a little more for the following year, so we resurrected a few old implements, gave Eddie's WD45 Allis Chalmers a little TLC and went to work. The next year came and we got a hold of an old corn planter, we worked up a little more. Now we have about 15 acres to plant, and our conversations each spring are debates and debacles about what to plant, where to plant it, and when. As of today before this last rain shower we have about 3 acres of corn and 4-5 acres of soybeans.
So the debate and questions sometimes seem rhetorical for the sake of hearing the answers and opinions of the what, where, when to plant. Many frustrations and feelings occur arise out of those questions. Sometimes tiffs or arguements. The Bonds of men through hunting and family ties must be considered. Ryan and his sister own the land and a tractor. Bunky has the planter. Bradley has a sprayer. We all come up with some seed. it seems. Little chess games need to be played until someone finally goes out and just starts putting seed in the ground. It's not anything close to precision farming and by today's standards of auto steer and satellite technology, we are lucky to stay straight for fifty feet in a row (depending on who is driving). The actual money farmers don't get a vote on whether the crop is good or bad. Only the benefits of wildlife and hunter's that share the benefits of being in our gang share the satisfaction of coming to hunting ground that has been enhanced for the enjoyment of living an outdoor lifestyle that has been handed down to its benefactors for 5 generations.
I didn't get to plant last year. Didn't get to watch the plot grow. To top it off, I didn't get to hunt. " How unfair," I thought. But little did I know that this was the least of my problems. They did get worse. Life as it would have it moved from the recreational wa waaas of bickering kids in a sandbox to things that people in a free God loving society shouldn't have to go through. Many stories of women from the Bible come to mind Eve Deborah Delilah Jezebel. The reader should get the picture and I choose not to tell thier stories. My story is of the aftermath and I am a guy. It reminded me of the Story of Jacob with his dysfunctional family problems; more so, his son Joseph. Such is life when times when life doesn't treat a person fair. Gen 37:23-24, "So when Joseph arrived, his brothers ripped off the beautiful robe he was wearing. Then they grabbed him and through him into the cistern..." It got worse for Joseph. He was thrown in prison, made a slave, but he made his best to serve the Lord. And in the end things turned out for all around him.
Oh those brothers of Joseph. Oh those kids, wives, cousins, friends.... If they....
Joseph was granted courage to change the things he could. Serenity? How could he have that all the time. We need serenity to accept the things we can not change. First I cannot change other people's attitudes or their actions. I have to accept the consequences of my own actions and take responsibility for my past failures. 1 Sam 15: 11 ," 'I am sorry that I ever made Saul king, for he has not been loyal to me and has refused to obey my command.' Samuel was so deeply moved when he heard this that he cried out to the Lord all night." I can only look at the decisions that I have made, look at the seed I have sown and say yes. That was me. I did these things. This is my part. These are rows that I planted and the seed I used for the ground I put them in. Try to make them right.
Wisdom! What is the difference in knowing between the things I cannot change and having courage to change the things in which I can? Well for me the answer is prayer and scripture. I must pray for God's will to be shown to me and to make me willing to live in the spirit of obedience. My father a fellow hunter isn't here to hold my hand any more and my children are old enough that their grip in times of need seem less firm. Others express their opinions on my future decisions. But ultimately they don't get a vote. Just as when those questions arise of what where and when to plant in a simple little food plot for wildlife; it is not much different in the question of human life. The question ,"If" is in the middle of the word L"if"E. It always seems that I find the answers in the Words from the Bible. Living obedient to those words where I hadn't before is the only wisdom I have found to make a difference. Praying for God to show me His will and to give me the right seed to plant in others. I must live in a spirit of gratitude for the lessons and tests in life. Be where I can live and act in a spirit of obedience and guard it all the time.
For those who Believe, Jesus also struggled, but accepted, In Luke 22:42-53 Jesus is met by his betrayer, neither panics nor is frantic ...simply offers a simple question," Judas, did you come to betray me with a kiss?" Then he healed again a slave who has his ear cut off. Jesus first asked ," if you are willing, remove this cup from me." Likewise serenity is not simply detachment – distancing ourselves from our dreams and desires. Rather, what we see in Jesus is a continuance of his mission…with hope! It is a trust that God is good and out to do good to us always.
As Paul wrote, “God works for the good in everything with those who love him and are called according to his purpose.”
I have planted my seeds now as straight and true as I can in the best places and most ready where God has shown me to plant in this time between the rains. God has shown me many ways in which he wants me to trust Him. I will continue to plant each year straighter rows with better seed suitable for the right purpose . I will watch for the plants to flourish , grow and hopefully mature. And I will travel back to the plots to see where my Faith is good, my Trust is reaffirmed. And continue to see the good in where my failures of tests have lead me. And fear not- knowing that in the journey I am doing the best I can. My Peace.
Wednesday, May 22, 2013
Another note from Jose
Hola Tomas, Buenos Dias and all that stuff. You know what I mean Amigo.
Just wondering what you been up to my friend. Things got warm here in Racine, then they got cold , then they got wet again. Went and seen my dad in New Mexico. He just got back from Antarctica, its gonna get cold down there. He says the penguins are doing good, seems that when all is said and done the global warming is doing them good after all. It seems that the warmer waters has heated up reproductive activities, and more fish seem to be coming their way, especially the mackerel.
Talked to the boss he thinks maybe the end of next week we go back to work. Like you say where you come from... Uff Da!
Hope to see you soon.
Your friend,
Jose Jimenez
P.S. Hey AMIGO can you bring the potato tortillas that you put butter and sugar on then roll it all up? leftovers or something you called it. It was good.
Dear Jose,
Good to hear from you. It sounds like you have the same weather there as we do here. I may or may not be on your crew, they sent me to the training center to learn how to dig alongside the bomb. It's a good thing to know yoga when you dig along side of pipe. But maybe I will get sent back out west. Hoping to get close to Williston or Watford City. Do you remeber that lady from church?
Well she is becoming more special in my life, and she is even coming to visit Middle River again. Seems as though she sort of likes the swamp and welcomes the look of leaves contrary to sage brush.
It's a good thing to have her as a friend. Hmmmm.!? I often wonder and hope for a brighter bigger picture with her.
It sounds like Hunter and Gracei had a good Spring season of ball. Hunter and Gracei are both learning the fine art of throwing a pitch. Although Hunter appeared to get a good talking to about control issues and beaning other opponents.
Going to pick some mushrooms tomorrow, so I have yo go to bed.
Buenos Noches My Friend
Tom
Just wondering what you been up to my friend. Things got warm here in Racine, then they got cold , then they got wet again. Went and seen my dad in New Mexico. He just got back from Antarctica, its gonna get cold down there. He says the penguins are doing good, seems that when all is said and done the global warming is doing them good after all. It seems that the warmer waters has heated up reproductive activities, and more fish seem to be coming their way, especially the mackerel.
Talked to the boss he thinks maybe the end of next week we go back to work. Like you say where you come from... Uff Da!
Hope to see you soon.
Your friend,
Jose Jimenez
P.S. Hey AMIGO can you bring the potato tortillas that you put butter and sugar on then roll it all up? leftovers or something you called it. It was good.
Dear Jose,
Good to hear from you. It sounds like you have the same weather there as we do here. I may or may not be on your crew, they sent me to the training center to learn how to dig alongside the bomb. It's a good thing to know yoga when you dig along side of pipe. But maybe I will get sent back out west. Hoping to get close to Williston or Watford City. Do you remeber that lady from church?
Well she is becoming more special in my life, and she is even coming to visit Middle River again. Seems as though she sort of likes the swamp and welcomes the look of leaves contrary to sage brush.
It's a good thing to have her as a friend. Hmmmm.!? I often wonder and hope for a brighter bigger picture with her.
It sounds like Hunter and Gracei had a good Spring season of ball. Hunter and Gracei are both learning the fine art of throwing a pitch. Although Hunter appeared to get a good talking to about control issues and beaning other opponents.
Going to pick some mushrooms tomorrow, so I have yo go to bed.
Buenos Noches My Friend
Tom
Friday, April 19, 2013
Hillbilly Recipe
It's been real nice lately being around a kid, not just any ordinary kid, but an onry 15 year old active boy. One night at supper, he was quite critical and animate about the table venue. Myself, being perhaps just as onry at times, decided that he could cook his own supper from now on. I, being a little more accustomed to palatable table fare, allowed only one evening of chef boy-ar- Hunter with plenty of ketchup. That isn't working very well either. Perhaps it was a guilt complex that maybe I wasn't giving my best, or that maybe a thought came I should get out of the box of hillbilly cooking methods and try make something more delictable to the customs of a hungry growing teen. Nevertheless, I found myself looking for a cookbook. I thought maybe one night tater tot-hot dish would suffice.
I went through a change of life recently, and for the love of all good things i will not expound on the details of searching high and low in my kitchen, through boxes in the house, through crevasses of the mind and soul, but I could not find a cookbook on my property to say politely as trying not to offend light eared readers, and not to revert to character defects of an untamed tongue and the mind of a uncouth hillbilly; but, I could not locate a cookbook to save my part of the body that cushions a seated pose. I was explaining this to a friend of mine in frustration and laughter of the details of missing cookbooks from my home. We decided that cookbooks do not belong to hillbillies. And either a hillbilly can get by without one, or if he can not then he must lose a degree of status among the uncultured and unkempt life of fellow hillbillies. After all, it would be poor to admit that we might actually use a written recipe or need one sometimes.
I must share with the reader our next conversation of oral proportions. I must also confess that men, especially hillbilly men actually share recipes. Yes, ladies do not monopolize the recipe sharing world. Single guys need to eat something different every so often and we do enjoy eating and eating well and we must share something with our fellow hillbilly buddies so that they should not suffer of get bored with with singleness of purpose food. So my friend shared with me his recipe in hillbilly dialect his version of potato soup:
"You take a kettle like this one (grabbing a 4 quart sacepan). You fill it about up to here( pointing about 2/3 toward the top) with potatoes and onions. You can add some gralic if you have some around. Cover with water and boil a long time. After you boil it a long time, you can add some meat: bacon, ham or sausage. Summer sasusage even works. Turn the heat way down(simmer). Then you add a good goober(1/3 to a1/2) of sour cream or chip dip if you got it. Add a smaller goober(1/4 to 1/3 cup) of ranch dressing. Add cream to thicken it up, and milk to get it to the consistency that you want. Do not boil! jus let it simmer. When the meat and everything is good and hot, add a good handful of grated cheese(any kind) on top. Do not stir. As soon as that is melted, dish it up."
Be it male understanding, or hillbilly bonding, this recipe made very good sense to me. I take no offense to one who whose noggin is baffled or perplexed. Perhaps the reader is not hillbilly enough to comprehend simple explanations and may require a more scientific standard written down recipe. And that is ok. I personally extend my condolences.
As for supper tonight I can cook using wither the hillbilly method, or a traditional recipe card method. Either one will get my tater-tot hotdish in the oven. As long as I mix in a dash of understanding, and a few shakes of respect, a goober and a half of compassion and a few sprigs of tolerance, a bunch of love and a teaspoon of patience, dinner will go just fine as it normally does. I have to admit that it would be nice if having a kid in the house came with a recipe that turned out every time. Bless my table Lord and we thank Thee for Thy gifts.
I went through a change of life recently, and for the love of all good things i will not expound on the details of searching high and low in my kitchen, through boxes in the house, through crevasses of the mind and soul, but I could not find a cookbook on my property to say politely as trying not to offend light eared readers, and not to revert to character defects of an untamed tongue and the mind of a uncouth hillbilly; but, I could not locate a cookbook to save my part of the body that cushions a seated pose. I was explaining this to a friend of mine in frustration and laughter of the details of missing cookbooks from my home. We decided that cookbooks do not belong to hillbillies. And either a hillbilly can get by without one, or if he can not then he must lose a degree of status among the uncultured and unkempt life of fellow hillbillies. After all, it would be poor to admit that we might actually use a written recipe or need one sometimes.
I must share with the reader our next conversation of oral proportions. I must also confess that men, especially hillbilly men actually share recipes. Yes, ladies do not monopolize the recipe sharing world. Single guys need to eat something different every so often and we do enjoy eating and eating well and we must share something with our fellow hillbilly buddies so that they should not suffer of get bored with with singleness of purpose food. So my friend shared with me his recipe in hillbilly dialect his version of potato soup:
"You take a kettle like this one (grabbing a 4 quart sacepan). You fill it about up to here( pointing about 2/3 toward the top) with potatoes and onions. You can add some gralic if you have some around. Cover with water and boil a long time. After you boil it a long time, you can add some meat: bacon, ham or sausage. Summer sasusage even works. Turn the heat way down(simmer). Then you add a good goober(1/3 to a1/2) of sour cream or chip dip if you got it. Add a smaller goober(1/4 to 1/3 cup) of ranch dressing. Add cream to thicken it up, and milk to get it to the consistency that you want. Do not boil! jus let it simmer. When the meat and everything is good and hot, add a good handful of grated cheese(any kind) on top. Do not stir. As soon as that is melted, dish it up."
Be it male understanding, or hillbilly bonding, this recipe made very good sense to me. I take no offense to one who whose noggin is baffled or perplexed. Perhaps the reader is not hillbilly enough to comprehend simple explanations and may require a more scientific standard written down recipe. And that is ok. I personally extend my condolences.
As for supper tonight I can cook using wither the hillbilly method, or a traditional recipe card method. Either one will get my tater-tot hotdish in the oven. As long as I mix in a dash of understanding, and a few shakes of respect, a goober and a half of compassion and a few sprigs of tolerance, a bunch of love and a teaspoon of patience, dinner will go just fine as it normally does. I have to admit that it would be nice if having a kid in the house came with a recipe that turned out every time. Bless my table Lord and we thank Thee for Thy gifts.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)