we have a garden. As do 30 others at the church. We have one 400 gallon water tank, which is used frequently and needs filling frequently as well. Thanks to the city, we have access to a fire hydrant on our property, along with a nifty tool box containing a water meter and hose hook ups to allow us to fill said tank. It has been super dry of late (you knew this) and our little garden is thriving, thanks in part to the occasional watering. However, someone has to fill the tank up if we want to water the plots. I got trained to hook up the hoses and open the hydrant over the weekend, so tonight we went to check our garden and fill the tank. So fun - there were a ton of people there watering and picking mustard greens; our family greeted the Mizo families there, it was beautiful, everyone is happy and smiling and we are all GARDENING together. It was really great. Until…
I left the hose running for about an hour, in hopes of filling the tank. I needed to run back to the church to turn off the water for the night. No problem; the hook up and turn on had gone swimmingly. So, I load up while the kids are finishing a movie and run to the Big Z to kill the water and put the water box and wrench back in the office. The sun is setting, the gardens are quiet, I am feeling good about doing a good deed and stuff. Head to the hydrant, use the wrench, and turn that baby down as tight as I can get it. Start to unhook the hose, and there is still water spraying out. Must be pressure still in the line…maybe if I unhook the hose all the way it will relieve it…one more turn…and…I am soaked. Instantly. The hose hook up, with a metal end, is flailing WILDLY about, spraying water all over me, the street, the dirt the construction guys have been moving around, and I am freaking out. I realize I must turn this off, so I keep trying to turn it tighter…only to have more flailing and water. It hits me that this is metal and could really hurt - there is a ton of force, I will end up laying in a pool of muddy water and blood should this get me wrong. You have got to be kidding me. It is now 8:45 pm, getting dark…only thing I can think to do is call someone who know what the heck to do. So, muddy and soaked, I head to the office. Met there by a couple of board members who get a good laugh at my drippy appearance. I try to call the guy who showed me how to do this in the first place…busy. Call home…still watching movie and don’t answer. Call our property guy…no answer (he is at church, unbeknownst to me). DANG IT. Now, it is up to me. No other options - figure it out. I realize then I must have turned it the wrong way; I was sure I did it right…but…3 turns and about 40 gallons of water in my face later, the hose goes dead. I am mud to my knees, dirt in my teeth and eyes and hair, and the water is shut down. Unhook, retighten…and just like that, it never happened. Except for the street. And the fact that I look like I jumped in a pond. The giggles set in on the way home. I guess there is a good reason for these moments…right?
It all starts with a tattoo appointment. I have been getting art added to my right arm at Iron Heart Tattoo in Beaverdale. The incomparable Budha is the man doing the ink, as recommended by another great guy, Eric. So last night was part 2, adding a butterfly and sunburst to the first part done on my shoulder. Being bike week and living a whole 3/4 mile from Iron Heart, I decided that I would be eco-friendly and ride my bike. My good bike, the bike I had built up at Beaverdale Bicycles last year about this time. I leaned it up against the window, literally 12 inches from the front door of the shop at about 4 pm yesterday. I get called back, start the work, approx. 4:30 pm. I wondered if I should have brought it in, but in all honesty, figured that there are dozens of bikes all over B’dale that time of day on a Tuesday. Who would have the guts to walk off with my bike from the front door of a the shop, on a busy street, on a busy Tuesday evening?!? I will enter into evidence that I did not lock the bike; I honestly trusted that it would be alright for the time I’d be in the chair. My mistake, and I will own it.
So, we have a great session. I love what Budha did, it is amazing in my opinion! I am so thrilled to see these works of art coming to life; you may or may not be in favor of tattoos, but I really think that Budha and crew at Iron Heart are some of the best around. Anyhoo…we finish up, 6:30 pm, and I pay and get ready to head home. Gonna water the garden, gonna hang w/ the fam, eat dinner…come out and nothing but my helmet. Laying in the middle of the sidewalk. Really?!? You have got to be KIDDING ME. Bike, gone. I walked around the block, so did Paul and Biff and Budha from the shop…no one saw anything. Gonzo. I am both sad and peeved. I have a strong dislike for thievery, but in particular, for bicycle thievery. That is a BAD one, in my opinion. Kari and kids come get me, I call DMPD to file a theft report, meet Officer Upchurch, give him the info, and wait. We hit the Facebook and Twitter and bemoan the loss of a sweet ride. Approx 10 pm Julie Sedore suggests checking Craigslist in case they are looking to dump it for some cash. Low and behold, 3rd ad in…MY BIKE!!! Picture and all. I was angry and happy and just plain amazed we found it. I call the DMPD, they file an addendum, and tell me to call first thing in the morning to get this process moving. In the meantime, I had sent the lone pic I had of my bike to Budha to keep at the shop just in case. Then tell him we found it on Craigslist; it was posted at 7:45 pm. Stolen and posted within an hour or so…
This is all going down at approx. 10:30 pm, by the way. I am wired at this point; my arm still tender from the ink, my mind racing, waiting for morning. Budha, unbeknownst to me is texting and talking to said bike swiper…dude wants to unload it ASAP. I miss an email at 11:30, and B waits til morning. Fast forward to Noon; I have left a couple messages downtown with the detective, to no avail. I am getting antsy as it has been all morning, my bike is still listed on Craigslist, and I am not sure what to do. 12:30, I call the number listed. Dude answers, no joke. I stumble about, he won’t cough up an address because, “I just moved to town and I don’t know my address…” COME ON!!!! He agrees to email me where to meet him. Now, I am freaking out. Heading home to grab lunch and kids from school, decide to swing by Iron Heart to see if the guys have gotten an address or anything. Turns out Budha has been texting all morning with said thief, trying to set up a time to check the bike out. I tell him to keep me posted, and head to school. I get the babies picked up, just as the Detective calls me back. He is angry with the thief too; I launch into an extended apology for a passive aggressive message I left early this morning and then tell him all about my bike and the minute details that will identify it. He agrees to call the Craigslist add and try to get it back for me. SWEET!!!
Now it gets crazy. On the way to get Kristyn from play practice, approx. 2:10 pm, I stop back at Iron Heart to update. Budha is gone, as is the muscled up cat who was getting some ink done when I stopped earlier on my way home. Turns out thief wants to meet at BBops in Urbandale at 2:30, and the boys decided to go get my ride back. Now, at this point, I should note…Budha is a large man. He is probably 6’1”, and built pretty solid. He has long blond dreads. And has some considerable tattooage. Not the kind of guy I would mess with, if you catch my drift. So they are inbound to BBops; I call Detective and let him know what is going on; he agrees to head that way, too, with another officer in tow. Now, I am in the midst of melt down mode. I want my bike. I want this to be done legally. I don’t want anyone hurt/arrested, etc. This is all going down on Wednesday afternoon, too - my craziest day of the week. Unbelievable.
Now it is 2:45. The detective calls - have I heard from my guys? No one there, no bikes, etc. I call Iron Heart; Biff, their phone and piercing guy, tells me that they have the bike, but Budha’s phone is dead and he is not sure where they are. But he will call when they get there…HOLY CRAP. This is my life. This is really happening! I call the detective; he is happy my bike is home, and basically says, fine. Case closed. How it went down, it went down. Glad you got your stuff back. I am not exaggerating, by the way. This is legit. Finally…3:10 pm, Biff calls again. “Dude, your bike is here. Come get it when you can.”
So…drop off the kids, and head back to Iron Heart. (Keep in mind -this is all going down in approx. an hour and a half of time). Sure enough, there she is. My bike, minus the computer and trunk bag with some tools and koozies. He took the B’dale Bikes sticker off, but everything else is there. Elation!!! As I smile and think, “Is this really happening?”, I pull Sean, another Iron Heart dude aside and ask - “Did anyone get hurt in all this?” He laughs…”Nope. Kid saw Budha and ran off across 86th st.” So…here is how it went down - as DMPD were on the way, Budha and 2 of his friends were arriving. One guy, large in stature, happens to be a business type guy. Suit, tie, the whole deal. Guessing tats underneath, but looks straight laced from the outside. He meets the kid, guessed to be around 16, and takes my bike for a test spin. Right over to my guy Budha, who checks it out and confirms it is indeed mine (matching a pic I sent him for the shop). B walks over to kid, who says something to the effect of, ‘That guy is taking the bike’, to which B replies, ‘Yeah, that isn’t your bike. You took it last night!’ Kid looks at Budha, throws a soda in his direction, and bolts. No blood, no harm, no foul. They peace out with my bike, and the rest is history.
So that is the story. I have so much swirling about my head, so much to say. I feel like I barely know these guys, but the crew at Iron Heart are the kind of fellas you want in your corner. I have noticed that about them - they are a tight bunch that really looks out for the people they consider friends. How I ended up in this circle, I am not fully sure, but I have to say, I am touched beyond expression that a guy would take time from his day to rectify a wrong that really didn’t impact him personally. That is a dedication to people that you rarely see these days. I’ll likely spend more time with this story down the road. For tonight, I need to say thanks to Budha and the crew at Iron Heart, for showing me what love and friendship maybe should look like.
Thinking this morning in review of the last 36 years, not all of which I remember. Here are a few things that run through my mind…
- I turn 37 today. That is kinda weird. I don’t know what I am supposed to look like or feel like? I do know that life really is a journey, and that at this point in the journey, I am comfortable with who I am physically, mentally, and spiritually. There is a peace, a deep rooted joy, that comes from who I am in Christ. That brings a foundational stability for which I am thankful.
- I was raised well. The past few years, I have spent time on my bday thinking about my parents. First, I am thankful they had me. Life, you know? Second, I am grateful for the way they raised me. Mom and Dad taught me how to work hard, to take responsibility, and to put others ahead of yourself. I learned to serve, to extend grace, to be calm in all circumstance. I was raised in an environment where I was trusted to do the right thing, where I was respected as I grew up. I was loved without condition and without strings. I knew they were there for me no matter what, and that was foundational for my life as I grew and figured out who I was. I worked hard to keep their trust, because it meant the world to me to know my parents believed in me. I valued their respect because it was given to me without my having to earn it and also because I knew it was my responsibility to live in a way that confirmed I was worthy of that respect. I am the man, the husband, the father I am because of this love, trust, and respect. I hope I extend these same things to my own kids.
- I am who I am in part because of who I have been. Threads run through our lives; mine is no different. Country music on the radio this morning, in part because I grew up with the greats of country playing in the background. Fabric. I have an affinity for wild places, because I grew up in one (an acreage in the country). Threads. I have made mistakes, but those work to create the tapestry of my life now. For those moments, I am thankful.
- I am blessed - Kari is amazing. She is the best earthly thing that has happened to me. She has given me more than I could have dreamed, including a family to join (the Palmers) and a family of our own. My kids are the pride of my life. I could not be more proud or happy with the people they are. I am healthy. I am surrounded by amazing people I am honored to call friends. I get to serve my Maker at a place that is full of life. I have the privilege of living my life out, being poured out, becoming like Christ in service and in death to self at a church I am grateful to be a part of. We are not perfect; I am not perfect. We try to be faithful to what He has asked of us, I do my best to be, and in that I can rest.
And about the aforementioned peace, that joy…I know it is from the very hand of God. I know that my life, my death, my eternity are secure in the hands of Christ. This is biology, this is temporary, this is also the canvas upon which life is painted and the stage upon which I am given another day to live out my life, my death, and my eternity. How amazing.
Prepping tonight for a class I get to lead on connection, communication, children, and Christ. Reading some really great, kind of startling, and challenging material on Digital Kids and growing up with a connectivity our world has never know. My kids are no exception - they are capable of things electronically that I never dreamed of at their age. They have access to a world that is much larger than I could comprehend when I was in grade and middle school. We communicate across so many different formats and mediums, and yet, it seems that as people we are losing the ability to truly communicate with each other. Emails carry tones that are often not intended, or are written to convey tone while seeming innocuous. Texts are full of symbols and shorthand that to many seem like gibberish but to our kids convey LOADS of info. I begin to wonder about some of this - technology is a glorious thing! All of my gadgets have a glowing fruit, even the ones I don’t use anymore. I am better at what I do because of these things, and yet find I am maybe more distracted at times too. I have been reading scripture online of late, as I can mark and track my progress with a click, but I wonder sometimes if I am missing out by not turning pages with my fingers. It is a wild world, you know? Even now…I am writing while listening to music through headphones and keeping an eye on my phone for any texts or calls that might come in, all the while keeping an eye on my Twitter tab and the mounting number of tweets that I have not read. Seems like the only ‘real’ thing sometimes is the cup of QT coffee I just finished. And yet, it is all a part of our reality.
God help me, help me help my babies, stay connected to the right things.
Been a bit. Here are some thoughts.
40 days into a read the Bible in a year deal. Don’t normally gravitate towards something so structured in my personal spiritual devotional life. Kinda nice, though, to have it laid out. Fun to see some connections, too. Using the ESVonline.org program. The iPad makes it pretty sweet, too.
That said, I continue to version hop. Bought the ESV study bible, love the notes and the online resources. This week, though, I am back using their plan and notes online with my trusty NIV. Don’t know why. Creature of habit, I suppose?
I am thinking this is what winter might be like in Colorado - snow and cold for a few days, then warm and it all melts. I have been out in shorts and short sleeves more this year in January than some years in April. Wild. Can’t say this has been too awful, either.
I love being able to do somethings that are non-church related. Got to help some friends last Friday night with a project that needed doing. I was reminded of the need at times to do something that has a definite end and that you can see your progress. Good for the soul to know some things do actually reach completion and you can take some pride in a job done. Hopefully well.
New music abounds of late - the last Crowder project, Gungor’s “Ghosts upon the Earth”, Elevation Worship, Noel Gallagher and His High Flying Birds. Music is such a part of the fabric of my everyday.
I saw what I believe to be an obvious fake cell call to get one’s self out of an odd conversation. Checking out at the WalMart last week. Next lane over, the young man checking was launching into a fairly personal and potentially intense conversation with a customer. He began to talk about his belief in something, but not in God in particular, his struggle with anxiety and all sorts of things that one would maybe not expect in a simple purchase transaction. Gal all of the sudden, as he was talking, picks up her phone and proceeds to ‘have a conversation’ all the way out and down the aisle. Pretty sure she faked it. Unreal.
The Xgames were awesome. Snowboarding, sick tricks, and some guy doing a front flip on his snowmobile and then dumping it over on himself. SOOOO glad he was ok, but he did incur a broken arm that was quite, ummm, floppy as he attempted to walk down the slope and promptly crumpled. It was mind blowing.
So there it is. Brain dumped.
These are pretty amazing photos of the Northern Lights in Norway, spawned by a recent storm on the sun. Wow.
So I read Luke 14 this morning. Then I view this.
It is easy, and common, frankly, to criticize other churches for being ‘big, showy, flashy, attractive…’ you name it. Funny how we then turn on our own churches and gauge success by looking at how many people show up.
The video…with Luke 14 as the framework. I see people lined up, waiting to come to the table, to hear the message, to sing the songs, to be a part of God moving, to join the party. I think, ‘how cool. I want to be part of something like this.’ Then I think of what is happening right before me…where people are lined up and excited to come and be a part of the banquet.
Wow.
This is what happens when Divinity chooses to use humanity.
