Honor to a Veteran

Today, though I was off, my boss asked us for a picture of a veteran (thank you all who have served), and why we are thankful for that vet. Here is what I sent to her:

The veteran I chose to honor is this man, Alvin. When I met him, he had two cats, named Simon and Theodore. Why am I thankful for and honor him? 

Is it because he went to Viet Nam two times? Is it because he served in the US Army, like my own dad? Is it because I don't have a pic of my dad in his service uniform? (Yes, actually. Sorry, Dad.) Is it because when I met him, he looked like a member of ZZ Top? Is it because he loved riding Harleys? Is it because he allows me to call him Neanderthal? Is it because he assaulted me, twice? He really did, and yeah, I get it. I understand why, and it's not because I called him Neanderthal. These aren't the reasons.

Look closer at the pic. Look behind him to the left. See the little girl with the yellow  and white jumper? That's why I honor this man. After his second tour, he was shipped to Korea where he met my mother in law and they had my now bride (which subsequently caused me to have a 4 hour security interview, for my job, focused on my ties to Korea.) 

As for the assaults, my FIL Al is a big man, well he was 25 years ago. He wore biker's leathers. I am told when a guy came to pick up my sister in law for a date, he ran when Al answered the door. (Think of Lurch when he answered the door in the original series Addams Family.) When Al answered my knock, I didn't flinch. The next date, he met me at his drive way, picked me up by my shirt and slammed me into his garage door, a bit harder than he needed. My head dented the door. I didn't flinch. To this day he shows that garage door with pride. The next date, he came after me with a full size lumber axe. (He was 6'4"and proud of his Viking heritage.) I didn't flinch. He then gave me his blessing to date his daughter to which I requested his blessing to instead marry his daughter.

I figured early on, while my feet were dangling as I was against his garage door, that he was only trying to intimidate me away from his daughter; to make me prove myself worthy of his treasured princess; he was being protective of her, just like I had always planned to be with my daughter(s) when that day comes. The old axiom applies, girls marry guys like their dads, of which my bride loves to point out the similarities. 

Thank you, Al, for your service, and your daughter. (She approved this post.) 

Thanks for reading my abbreviated homage.

I Understand. I Care. I Can't.

This post was inspired to a reply to another post of masking up. I have since pondered this, what I want to say, how to say it, and how might it be received. Know that this is not a knee-jerk reaction. I am now long to think, slow to speak, or type in this case. 

 

From watching what is going on in our society, I recall that in the beginning, as New Mexico allergens were sprouting and my bride was making masks for her and my eldest for pollen, we saw that as the threat was growing, masks weren’t effective, so don’t. Now they are. I am not going to argue that here and now. That is for another article that I may not ever write or express more than I have here. The reason I point this out is that there are “two sides” to this debate. Most articles, and all that I have read, only have those who wear masks and those who will not because masks are effective. What is being assumed is that if you wear a mask, you care. If you do not, you are the lowest of spectrum of life.  The other side says, “I won’t wear a mask because I don’t live in fear.” Do not trip over that. I am not to debate that. I am merely summarizing the debate as I have seen it through the lenses of mainstream and social media. I have seen good brothers and sisters in the faith say that as Christians, we should care and it’s no big deal to wear a mask, but it is actually a mark against our Christian witness not to wear a mask. That attitude wounds me, to be honest.

 

I work with people. I love working with people. I have listened to both points of view. I understand and will not dismiss either’s concerns. Yes, there is a fear. Yes, there is my witness that I should consider. Yes, I also see that there is more going on than a virus that has not performed as promised back in February. And yes, I know several of you have lost friends and family to this virus. I understand that. I understand that each side is full of passion, and apart from this virus,

 

I also understand some of the political angles, mainly from my New Mexico filter. Our governor has mandated masks. Violation subjects one to a fine. She is coming on strong to have law enforcement agencies to enforce this. Now some say that she is not allowed to do this action. But she is. There have been citations to previous actions of the NM Legislature back when another was governor that could be applied. But then I believe that this last emergency session of the Round House (our state legislation), gave the governor fiat power to see us through this pandemic. She can pass civil punishment for not complying with the masks. Whether or not she can get people like Sheriff Kim Stewart of my own Dona Ana County, as well as others across the state, to enforce it, that is for them to decide between themselves.  I understand that an approach of one size fits all solution is not a solution. New Mexico is not New York, praise God. You see the entirety of New Mexico can fit in one of the 5 boroughs of New York with room to spare. And yet our population is crammed into the space that is easily three times the size of New York State. I also understand that this little post does not begin to cover what is being overlooked.

 

Let me come back to my Christian witness. I have had one well-meaning person, more, tell me that as Christians, we are to obey the laws of the land. The reference is Romans 13. Peter’s letters tell us that we should live our lives so that Jesus is appealing. So yes, I should wear a mask.

 

Naturally, that brings me to the second charge, that of not caring.  I heard this when last month I posted a math problem. It was the number of active cases divided by the population of New Mexico. The answer was less than half of one percent. I like simple math. Unfortunately, my use of it has called into question my sympathy. Why? Math is hard because it is cold. But if you know me, you know that I am very caring. God even blessed me with a larger heart than most. My cardie is concerned about that.

 

Seriously though, I do care about people. I want to help those who need help. The idea of my hurting someone unintentionally makes me ill. It brings no comfort to the person hurt. And it brings shame to my witness, to my Heavenly Father.  My aim is to encourage, to offer hope.

 

And yet I feel left out. I feel ostracized by society. I know I am not alone. I am a member of a quieter group, a group that seems to be ignored. I saw our governor address my group, but not in a hopeful or helpful way. You see, I am part of the group that Can't. Mind you, not all of us are of the same mind. Some of us would wear a mask if we could, but as many would not wear a mask if they could wear a mask.  Whatever our reasons, we are united in that we cannot wear a mask. Some have medical reasons such as myself. Some have psychological or mental health reasons that are ever as valid as my own reasons.

 

Here, I will divulge information some have advised me not to because it really is not anyone’s business. The other week I posted about wearing my mask to Sam’s Club. In the time it took me to walk to the back of the store, gentle gait in no hurry, I was dizzy. By the time I knelt and took off my mask, I was already losing coherence. I nearly passed out. A friend suggested that it could have been sparked by deep-seated anxiety. She has a valid point that I did not want to dismiss. I was slow in my answer to her, but that question still lingered, because I was upset at how drastically we have changed as a nation, as a community, and mostly by how ugly people were being to one another. Could this have been an anxiety attack? Maybe. 

 

A week later, I had several appointments in a single day because my specialists were finally able to keep the appointments that I made for April. During one visit, I asked the nurse if I could try something. My O2 levels are great, generally at 99. Within a few minutes, my O2 dropped to 94. At five it was at 86 and I became dizzy. Then he put a stop to the experiment. (I think he did not want to explain to my doctor or his supervisor why I was allowed to collapse.) But that was just sitting there, no exertion, with my simple bandana, unlike the proper cloth mask that I wore to Sam’s while walking. One of my other specialists gave me the documentation I would need to carry to carry out my job duties without wearing a mask. It was not anxiety, but an actual issue compounded by my A-Fib. (At least my heart knows how to salsa dance!)

 

And there is more. As a minister, my weakest point of ministry was hospital calling. I do not like to make hospital calls. It is not that I do not care about the people. It is that whenever I visited people in the hospital, I would spend the next two days sick. Why? Because my birth was a bit early, I have compromised immunity. I have no ability to retain antibodies. (At least I will never grow resistant to antibiotics.) Back in February, my son was out and about, as my teens are prone to be. He came home and became ill. After a couple of days, thinking it was safe, I went into his room and upon taking my only breath in his foul air, I knew I was in trouble. In an hour, I was sick. I had a cold. It was the most painful cold I have had. Come to think, it was the first cold I have ever had. For that weekend, I was sick. I fought it with vitamin C. I fought it with diet. I fought it with prayer. The illness was only a few days, praise to our Father. Was it COVID? Who knows? I cannot be tested because that is my nature. I had mumps, a childhood disease that should only be a one and done, twice that I can recall because I did not build a resistance. I got sick easily. I still do.

 

So, know that when you see me in public, I am very circumspect in my actions and where I go and who I see. I deeply appreciate your concern for my vulnerability. I do not make light of it; I will not dismiss it. I have done my own research and have drawn my own conclusions. Because of our Christian witness, half our family wear masks.  Also, if you appear to be less than par, I will not approach you. I will keep you beyond arm’s length. This is something that I have had to live with for decades.

 

Here is what I want you to take away from this: Some may wear a mask. Some may not wear a mask. Some may not be able to wear a mask. When you see someone doing something different than yourself, think of a way to be an encourager. “Let your conversation be gracious and attractive so that you will have the right response for everyone.” – Colossians 4.6

 

Thank you for reading my thoughts. May the Father’s blessings shower upon you.

 

Finding the Blessings in the Storm

This is my old car, Sally. She was a fast car. She was until the day that her oil pump went out. Now she is sitting in someone's driveway waiting to be salvaged in East El Paso. She died on 3/10/2020, just before the world went nuts!

What was I doing when she died? I was on my way out of town to work in Hobbs, NM for the week. I do that a bit. Back in January, I calculated that I have spend 1/3 of my new job away from home. That of itself isn't easy, but by the Father's grace, I have been able. I could focus on the bad that is happening, or I could focus on the positives that I see around me. Someone once observed that I always see the positive, assume the best of a person as soon as I meet them. I believe that is accurate. What you focus on, you will see.

For example, when I first got that car back a couple of years ago, I started noticing other Malibus. To that end, there are 6 other Malibus in Las Cruces that is the same color as mine. One of which lives two doors down from me. Of those 6, one is tinted nearly as dark as mine and lacks the antennae, It is a near perfect clone. It is the same when I was wanting a Bronco. My kids ceased to be amazed at how I could spot a Bronco and know that I wasn't looking at the grill of an F150 or the shell of a K5 Blazer with minimal context. I still can.

Needless to say, I started driving a Malibu, and I saw Malibus everywhere. I wanted a Bronco, and now still can see Broncos everywhere. Oh, that desire was killed by my horde hauler, my Sequoia, of which I see a bit around town, including one that's the same  color with similar sun damage to the clear coat on the passenger side.

Let me get back on point. I choose to look for the positive in others. I choose to look for the blessings in the storm because that's what Paul encourage the Philippian Church, "Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable - if there is anything praiseworthy - dwell on these things." (Philippians 4.8 CSB). We are to look for these things. I believe this is also for us to look to see the blessings.

And what blessings are there? For me, this hit me hard. I hate being a one car family. We were one car early in our marriage. She would drive the car to work in the day, and I would drive it to work at night. Sometimes, however, I would need the car during the day, and that found Carol walking home from work because I fell asleep before I would go in to work. I never thought I would see that day again. And now with us having a horde instead of being just a couple...alrighty then.

The car broke down 60 miles outside of Carlsbad. Carol had to come and pick me up. My roadside assistance didn't handle "more than 12 miles". Did I mention that Carol had to work the next day? We got home at 1 am. Now my company is great, but I still had the work to do, and I promised that I would maintain reliable transportation. The company, rightly so, couldn't help me, other than to allow me to claim the time I drove home as well as the miles Carol spent rescuing me. But that meant that I had a problem to solve. How does Carol get around Las Cruces while I am away? Or how do I do my job without my car?

As I waited on the side of the road, that was the first blessing. My car came to a stop along a road in what appear to be a saddle going up the Guadalupe Pass. That saddle not only has a beautiful view of the valley leading to El Paso to the west, and of the valley heading to the Pecos River to the east, but that saddle of a stop, I had 2 bars on my phone for service. Normally driving that highway, I would listen to my Pandora app offline since I couldn't get radio stations, and most of that highway has no reception. (One time, a few miles back from where I stopped, I saw a man sitting up on his big U-Haul trying to get a signal for his phone. Since I was on company time, I couldn't stop to offer help. But I am confident that he had help coming. The car carrier he was towing looked freshly unloaded.) I was not only able to call Carol, my boss, roadside assistance as well as my insurance agent, I was able to look up rentals. I figured since I was heading to Hobbs, NM, I could rent a car. Sadly, the rental store had a two hour window that began at 10 am, which was too late a start for me. So then I figured maybe rent a car.

Blessing 2 came on its heels. Carol had arranged with her co-worker to hitch a ride to work so that I can take my Toy to Hobbs. No problem. Then Friday the 13th came, and Carol was out of work. COVID 19 shut the schools down. Though it was part time, every bit helped. Now she didn't need but a ride for a couple of days and my taking the truck on Sunday through Tuesday wasn't a hardship so much. She still needed a ride to the store, that ride of course provided by a dear friend. Then Monday I received a call telling me that my TDY, and everyone across the board was cut short. I found myself driving between Las Cruces to Lordsburg to Silver City, to Truth Or Consequences. Monday the 23rd, we started home bound. I would venture out for interviews and records only as needed. So the blessing was that I was able to use my truck and the work changed so that we are not really affected by having only one vehicle. To this writing, since the 23rd, I have only needed to head into two three times counting tomorrow.

My job has been at-home traveling into public. Now it's changed so that I am at-home calling into public. So there's the third blessing. I am not putting myself at risk, except when I need to venture to the store for essentials.

And the fourth is that I received a promotion just a couple of days ago. The difference is that now Carol is unemployed, my increase covers what she was bringing in. She can now focus on her soap business, as well as making masks for those who want one.And she's made half a dozen to point. I guess there's another blessing.

I want to encourage you, Reader, to look for the blessings. It is hard. With all that is hitting us from the media, from social media, it is so easy to see the fear. Hear me, I am not saying to downplay the COVID 19. Play it smart, play it responsibly. But personally, I am tired of all that I see that I have tuned out anything COVID related. I want to encourage you to tune out the negative and look to our Father. Yes, it's scary. God never promised that the storms wouldn't hit us. He never promised that He would only give us what we can handle. I can't handle the storms. I am not big enough (last checked, I am pretty BIG). But the Father wants you to look for him. In John 6 beginning verse 16, the disciples are in a boat, rowing in a storm, and are scared by something they saw. Jesus then calmed them, and THEN he removed them from the storm. In Acts 21, the Father warned Paul, gave Paul advanced warning of the storm that was heading his way. Yet Paul told the Church in Corinth that in Paul's weakness, God strengthened him. To the Church in Rome, Paul gave this promise, "God will work all things to the good of those who love Him." - Romans 8.28.

And finally, to make a long post short, which is a little late now, all storms pass. Again, this storm, like others before it, shall pass. Looking to the Father, focusing on His love for us, you'll soon find this storm finished.

Hey, thanks for reading along. May the Father's blessings shower richly upon you.