IF I COULD JUST GET IT ON PAPER

I check in with many Blogs during the week. Some more than others. Some because I agree with what the person says, some because I agree with what the person stands for and some because I like to ask, "What the heck is he thinking?"

I just figure, even though no one checks into this blog, I need to type my mind. So I will try to post more thoughts. They, as always, are my thoughts. Like the Buffett song says, "If I could just get it on paper. Things that have happened today......"

Has any one else wondered why the first Bobblehead give-away for the Diamondbacks this year is a cartoon replica of one of their broadcasters? The broadcaster can not be the most popular person in the organization. Unless it is the Dodgers and Vin Scully is the most popular person inthe organization. And most important.

A month into the season and I am ready to be the first person to sign the Let's get rid of Sutton petition. I am ready every year.

See, this is a good way I can vent and stay harmless.

April, In Like An Animal and Out Like Another One

I just noticed I did not post anything in April. I know my thousand of follower(singualar) were all disappointed I did not share my randomness all throughout one of my favorite months of the year. (Tied with the other 11 months).

What happened while I was away?

I was going to try to write some more about my memories of my friend, Rick. As was mentioned before, we shared the month to celebrate our birthdays. To tell the truth, it was hard during this month. There is not a day that goes by that a memory does not come up. So, after I quietly observed a moment for Rick and his family, I couldnt add any more thoughts. Oh they were there. Like when the pastor of the church I attend read from Peter when he quoted Isaiah, saying the people, like sheep, had gone astray. Jean turned to me and said..... Bah. Thanks Rick. Even she knows.

Speaking of Rick and our great, safe, friendly, on-going, fun, never mean rivalry of rooting for different teams in California. Los Angeles has given me another reason to not like the Dodgers any more. I know, the real fans did not attack the Giant fan on opening day. I am sure a gang member, yes I said it, attacked the fan. But how did it get to that point? The crown jewel of baseball will forver be tarnished.

President Obama produced his birth certificate. My randomness so I can say this, I think he is leading the country in the wrong direction. But that is all his opponents had? A birther conspiracy?

Two days after my birthday, I was treated to a surprise party by Jean and my kids. Likein many areas of my life, I did not have a clue. A wonderful time was had by all

Rick Partain: Shared Birthday and Shirts

Springtime, when a young man's fancy turns from Ice Hockey to Baseball, or however that old saying goes. Springtime lasts all winter in Arizona and then when the rest of the country begins to thaw, we start summer.

My favorite song is Groovin, made famous by the Rascals. Recently it was remade as an instrumental by Kirk Whalum, Norman Brown and Rick Braun. It was number one during this time of year in 1967. or 66, whatever. It has always been a happy song.

My birthday is in April. I share the month with members of my family. But I also shared it with my friend Rick Partain. His birthday is April 3 and 18 days later, it is my birthday. I am sure through the years, we shared celebrations with our church youth group. But it was never lost that he was just a little older than me. Even though I was more mature, more learned, more, yeah right.

One year my dad bought me a shirt at JC Penneys. It was a red paisley shirt. I think I have a picture of me wearing the shirt. I was proud of that shirt. One Sunday, I wore the shirt to church. I was ready to show off my new shirt. I walked into the Sunday School room. By the way, if you dont know what Sunday School is, ask your parents or your Baptist friends. As I walked in, I looked over at Rick, I usually did look to see where he was so I could sit close by. You should have seen what he was wearing. It seems Rick had somehow acquired the same shirt.

The teasing was taken in fun as it was given. Laughter throughout our day at church and that is what church is all about. laughter, eh?

Although we played up the embarrassment factor all day, I was secretly happy that Rick had chosen the same shirt I had. It validated the choice my dad had made for me. I wore the shirt proudly for as long as I had it. I had a shirt just like Rick Partain. It was always important to me to do as much as I could like Rick.

Strangely enough, Rick never wore the shirt to church again.

California Road Trip Part One

The search for the California sunshine took four days and led us from Burbank to Santa Maria and back again. The sun trying to shine through the clouds was the best that we could do. We all love to use that line from the Edward Bear song, It never rains in Southern California. But it pours, man it pours.

The raindrops were outnumbered by the laughs and smiles that Jean and I shared during our visit to California. We visited my brother and mother. That, alone, brings many laughs. We went to Klondike Pizza and Irv and June treat us like royalty when we go. There isnt an available anchoive for any pizza for awhile since they load the ingredients on any pizza we order. The best pizzas and I love anchoives.

The long drive back to Burbank and the cancelled flight and the long drive home in the middle of the night could not dampen(ha ha) our spirits and we look forward to our next road trip.

More about our trip will be written on this blog for the three of you who read it.

KING ARTHUR AND PETE WILSON: PLAN B

I finished reading Plan B by Pete Wilson. This is a must read for everyone. It asks the age old question: Why, God? Guess what? It never answers the question.

I watched Camelot over the week end. Jean was so impressed that I strolled through the house singing along with King Arthur as he wondered how to handle a woman. "Merlin told me once never to be worried when a woman thinks. They dont do it very often. But what do you do while they are doing it?"

After reading Plan B, I have a deeper understanding of the fact that I am not in control. And that there will always be things in our life that make our plans worthless, that a second set of plans, Plan B, sets in. I call it real life. Some of you may call it life sucks.

King Arthur asked Merlin what good comes from sorrow, disappointment, tragedy, hurt? (Okay, I expounded on the line from the movie. It was a movie you know).

Merlins answers was, "We Learn".

What have I learned through all my Plan Bs? Many, or most of my plan Bs have been self started. I have learned.

I have learned I am not in Control. I have learned that my ideas dont always work. I have learned that I can not be the best person I can be on my own. I have learned that if I dont run my plans off the track, someone, something, some experience will. I have learned that God is in control. I have learned that when he is not guiding me, it is I who stopped following. I have learned that, although I will never get the answers to the great questions of why, when, why not, how come, why did they, will it ever, God gives me a plan to respond to what happens and guidance for growth.

I recommend watching Camelot someday. A true Plan B if there ever was one. I also recommend reading Plan B. An answer within the non-answers if there ever was one. I truly recommend you allow God into your life so you can experience that peace that passes all of our human understanding.

WILD GOOSE CHASE

I am really looking forward to Mark Batterson's visit to Central at the Prayer Conference. I am reading one of his books and I continue to pick up tidbits of teaching and wisdom from his writings. As usual, some of his points are things I have heard many times. Sometimes timing and willigness play a role in how I receive the truth.

Here is something I read today.....Satan wants to remind you of your greatest failures over and over again. Why? Because if you focus all of your energy on past failures, you'll have no energy left over to dream kingdom dreams or pursue kingdom purposes.

I do not have Biblical references to this thought, but I have always thought that Hell is a land of continual regrets. "If only; Why did I; Just one more time;...etc

So many times I read in Facebook posts by people of Grace, people living that second chance, staff and members alike, who still are so caught up in their guilt. So despondant about their failures, so sorry about underacheiving. It is so sad.

Depending on God, chasing the Holy Spirit(Wild Goose, read the book), following Jesus is an adventure. We are slaves to Christ. To some that still has a negative connotation. I am proud to be a bond servant for Christ and, boy, do I have fun.

MORE THOUGHTS AFTER READING THE FORGOTTEN GOD

i do not claim to be a book reviewer. i guess you would need to read more than the Sport's page every day in order to be taken seriously. But here are a couple more thoughts I have after reading Francis Chan's FORGOTTEN GOD....
I need to copy something he wrote. I cant do justice to it. It goes along with the current verse the church i attend uses as a basis for growth.
"Taking up my cross" has become a euphemism for getting through life's typical burdens with semi-good attitude. Yetlife's typical burdens, busy schedules, bills, illness, job loss, hard decisions, losingthe family dog, etc are felt by every one, whether or not they follow the Way or not.

It is actually giving up the life I know as comfortable and totally trust the Holy Spirit to lead me. I so need to givein to that concept.