Category Archives: Musings

Engine lights, playoff football, & other musings on a Tuesday…

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Last Monday, I climbed into the Outback & was greeted with a yellow “Check Engine” light – bummer. Yellow. Which is probably better than red. And it wasn’t blinking, so it had to be better news than if it was both RED & BLINKING. (Right?)

Took the car to Earl’s because he has a Cool Diagnostic Tool, which told me (digitally, of course,) that the car had a P0121 Error – meaning that the Throttle Position Sensor was figuratively saying, “Hey now.”

I checked with my resident Subaru experts, Mr. H & Brother, (experts because they both either own or have owned a Subaru in the past,) & neither of them had ever dealt with a P0121. But what they HAD dealt with was the Yellow Check Engine Light Syndrome (YCELS), where an otherwise healthy Subaru would inexplicably display the CHECK ENGINE light. Which would hang around for a day or 4, & then disappear. Brother had even taken his Sube in 2 times, only to be told by the tech, “Um. Not a problem. I’ll reset the code, & you’ll be good to go. $115 please.”

Hmm. Didn’t want that to happen. Also didn’t want to ignore my engine, even if it was only YCELS. So I called my local mechanic & made an appointment to get it checked. On my way to the appointment, the Murphy’s Law of “Check Engine” lights happened – it went off. As in DISAPPEARED.

Took the car in anyway. Mechanic said, “Um. Not a problem. I’ll reset the code, & you’ll be good to go. $115 please.”

Funny.

I am very thankful for the ‘weather change’ we’ve experienced – it’s still a little cold, still a bit windy (we do live in Nevada, so wind shouldn’t be a surprise.) But the thing about the change I’m most thankful for is that we have left our record low temperatures in our rear-view. This thankfulness has been reinforced by 2 things:

  • -the continuing freezing cold spell happening all over
  • -the arrival of the December 2009 NV Energy combo Gas/Electric bill. Goodness. Our November bill was a 30% increase over October. December was 45% more than November. Ouch.

    • Tom introduced me to my new favorite place to eat – Uncle Vinny’s Pizza – breakfast, lunch, & dinner menus. Flat-screens galore. All the better to watch playoff football on. I’d recommend it.

    Speaking of playoff football – I loved the Cardinals/Packers game from last week in which the Cardinals won 51-45. I had no vested rooting interest in the game, so watching both teams offenses going off was amazing. Had me glued to the set like no other game of the year so far. (I am a 49er fan. Nuff said.)

    Woke up from a great sleep with the memory of a dream… I had dreamed that there was a new episode of Stargate SG-1 airing that evening. Silly me. Might be time for a marathon. Or at least a re-viewing.

    A few weeks ago, I was praying & had an impression… kind of a picture & an idea which is one of the ways I hear from God… anyway what I heard was an encouragement, “Read your Bible more.”

    No reason, no explanation attached. No condemnation or feelings of guilt, as though I’d neglected it. Just “Read your Bible more.”

    So I aimed to amp up my reading schedule – which for a long time has been my ‘own’ schedule, in that I haven’t followed any particular reading plan in a long, long time, almost since I started out with the “Bible Pathways” plan when I was 4. I followed that one for about 6 years, & it took me through the entire Bible in a year.

    At some point, probably my early 20’s, I realized that at times, due to familiarity with a passage, I would go on ‘auto-pilot’ & not really pay attention to what I was ‘reading.’ I was physically present, but my mind was miles away. Didn’t want to do that anymore, so I Changed it up. Bought a few “Gift & Award Bibles,” different versions (NASB, NLT, NIV, NRSV, The Message, & most recently the ESV.) Each one cost about $5-6. I’d read through one, then pick up another. But no real ‘plan’ to follow & go through the whole Bible, systematically & intentionally.

    The nudge I’d gotten to Read More made me wonder. To ask myself why I wasn’t reading on a plan. And the answer I got back, after lots of questioning & soul-searching, was that I didn’t NEED a plan. Plans were for “other people.” People not like Me.

    That sounded a lot like pride. Vanity. With a hint of un-teachable-ness. I didn’t like what was bubbling up. Too good for a plan? So mature in Jesus that I can do this on my own? Um. No.

    So I’m on a plan – I’m not following it religiously (meaning if I don’t read the whole amount on the day, I don’t consider the day a failure. Or that I’m behind.) And I need God’s Word in me more than ever, so that I will reflect Him, His priorities, values, & actions, & not those of a negative, bigoted, zealot that overlays God’s hopes, dreams, wants, & practices with his own.

    Love Is A Choice – may be the best interpersonal relationship book I have in my library. I recommend it at least 5 times a week. If you haven’t read it, do it!

    It’s Friday & I’m rehearsing my routine…

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    Yesterday, a friend commented that they’d observed I have a lot of ‘routines.’ I had to ask what they meant, as I didn’t recall any song & dance performances I’d done lately (other than an impromptu DLR kick in the kitchen. And the Carlton. And the little thing I did when I won my fantasy football league… but nothing major.)

    So it wasn’t THAT kind of routine they were talking about. Der. Its the routine that make life ‘feel’ normal, like things are going the way they are supposed to… that no matter how much change takes place, there are a few things, activities, habits… my things, activities, habits, that make life’s changes & curveballs… ok.

    One of my favorites: Making coffee in the evening, so it will be ready in the morning.

      -Water in the water reservoir, as much as it will hold because somehow, some way, a little bit of water manages to disappear in the brewing process. Steamy.

      -Filter in the receptacle. Double-check to make sure its open & ready to receive the bean grindings.

      -Grind the beans for 15 seconds, silently counting in my head. Lips might be moving too. Stop grinding. Hit it again for 1,2,3.

      -Whack the grinder on the right hand side 3 times to shake loose any stuck grounds, & then gently tap the grinder contents into the waiting filter. Whack the grinder again, just to make sure.

      -Smell the aroma of freshly ground beans. Hmmm.

      -Press the timer. Ahh.

    a phone conference & other musings on a Tuesday…

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    Just finished with a 2 hour phone conference call. I’ve had conference calls before, but this is the first one of this type, with 80 other people. The Good News was that there was a feature on the phone program used for the call that would allow all 80 people to mute their phone line (so background noise from each persons’ environment wouldn’t be projected to all on the call. The Bad News was that the instructions for muting were wrong. Not just inaccurate – but wrong. In order to mute the line, we had to press the # key, something the instructions specifically said NOT to press.

    Fortunately, when it comes to technology & instructions, I usually follow the “if it doesn’t work, try anything that you’ve found that works on other applications,” method. And it worked. It was a little bit fun to hear assorted (& anonymous) intra-office conversations from those that thought their line was muted. But I am easily amused.

    Thanks for the invention of Speaker Phone. I toughed it out for the first 45 minutes because the background noise & distractions were minimized that way… but an ear can only take so much. And both of mine reached their limit.

    Reminds me of my days as a reception for PERS. I worked there before Al Gore’s nifty “internet invention” had caught on, so there were quite a few incoming calls… in the years I did the job, I worked it out that there were an average of 650 calls a day.

    I still remember the day I got a headset to replace the handset. Almost wept with joy.

    It’s January 5, & my thoughts turn to… filing taxes. Go figure.

    One of the more challenging relational issues I have with the ladies of my family is their propensity to spontaneously make decisions to do something without having taken adequate time to prepare for their ensuing actions. Spontaneity is fine with me, as long as it can be… planned out. Hmm.

    I wonder if being spontaneous is tied to being an Extrovert.

    When I think about it, I’m amazed they put up with me. Perhaps they just work around me.

    TheWeez turns 13 tomorrow, which means I now have 3 teenagers. In this season of life & parenting, I find myself shooting up more & more quick prayers… especially when talking about the proposed future of Pasty. IDoey’s driver’s license countdown. TheWeez… being beautiful, witty, & loads of fun… & 13 going on 22.

    As if you were already tired of hearing this: I have added yet another kettlebell exercise (the Figure 8 w/hold,) to my repertoire, bringing me to a grand total of 5 exercises that I do in a row before my body says, “Done.” My goal is to work up to 10. Can I get a “Booyah!” ?

    Me & theBean were given a fantastic 2 night stay in Tahoe, which we’re taking advantage of this Friday & Saturday. Sweet!

    Life is beautiful.

    Musings on a Tuesday…

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    The 2-week break from school that my kids are on has provided me with an opportunity to take a couple of half-days to spend with them doing some of our favorite things. Today we went to see Avatar in 3D. It reminded me of a few movies, especiallyDances With Wolves. Had popcorn. With lots of butter. Yum.

    When we were standing in line for the popcorn, the person in front of us ordered popcorn & specified “Very light butter.” I was incredulous – Very Light Butter? Isn’t the very purpose of movie popcorn to soak it in so much Real Movie Popcorn Butter that every time a handful is taken, it requires a full napkin to address the mess left on your hand? So I asked for the butter on mine that they should have put on the other person’s popcorn.

    Pasty is in Tennnessee… Cookeville to be precise. Visiting his girlfriend & her family. It was all he wanted for Christmas, so he’ll be there for the next few days… And that event marks the entrance to an interesting phase of life: the parenting of an adult.

    Which reminds me: today at the movie theater, I was waiting for theWeez to come back from the little girls room. Out of the blue, a pretty young thing came up to me & put her arms around me. Whoa. It was theWeez. Here I was, waiting for my little girl, & here I am confronted by this beautiful almost woman. Goodness, time flies.

    This evening, I met with 3 of our 4 church team leaders for the 1st time in a couple of weeks; normally we get together every week to communicate – to bounce ideas off of each other, talk about recent happenings, & plan for upcoming stuff. With Christmas & its festivities, we missed a couple, which I didn’t think would be a big deal. Turns out I was wrong – communication means the need for more communication, clarification, knowing & being known. I didn’t realize how much I had missed it, or how good it would be to catch up. I’m thankful for those guys.

    Woke up this morning with the feel of sand & sun lingering from a vivid dream… only to find a cold, foggy, & snowy day awaiting me. I’ve never been a beach guy, & my perfect days have always revolved around the indoors. But man, I sure could go for some sand & sun about now. And a nap.

    Complaining doesn’t help bad or uncomfortable situations. It just takes me deeper into a hole, & requires that I ignore the areas of life where God is actively, consistently, faithfully at work in & around me. And I’m not gonna waste the energy on it.

    Booyah. I love that word. Booyah. It is a great transitional word that says Nothing & Everything at the same time.

    What was THAT? & other musings on a Tuesday…

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    Left the office a little early today to run some errands only to find… snow. Flakes the size of KAN-tuck-ee. I did what anyone else would do in that situation: I checked my Weather Channel app on my iPhone. It confirmed what I already knew; there was no snow. Except that there was. Checked the hourly forecast. No snow. The weekly forecast. No snow. Actually said 0% chance of snow.

    Except that there was. Sigh.

    Made it home, only to find… blue skies. Silly skies. Goodness. What WAS that?

    I’m hungry. Looking back, I forgot to eat breakfast & lunch. Oops. Sort of missed them, probably due to the filling affect that coffee brings with it. Only had 2 cups today, but they were very well placed cups.

    What to eat? I can visualize dinner right now – chili, topped with processed Con Queso… using salami as a spoon to scoop it out. Ah, yes. I think that would be great. Now only if I had a personal chef to make it for me. Because cooking chili would take at LEAST 3 minutes. Then a thought hits me. Con Queso. Spanish for “With Cheese.” With cheese? As opposed to… what? I don’t even want to read the ingredients. Bet its not organic. :)

    Reading a fictional book a friend lent me, based upon another non-fiction book. So far, so good.

    My theBean is at work. Tuesday & Wednesday are Doubles: a lunch & a dinner shift. That means they’re the longest days of the week for me. She works hard. Sometimes I like to go in to her restaurant, sit in the lounge & watch her do her thing. So gifted, such an eye for detail. Very pleasant in all of her interactions with others, something I’m still trying to learn. Love that girl.

    Listening to PFR. I could listen to Great Lengths over & over. As a matter of fact, I AM listening to it over & over. Feels a little like a binge.

    Of all the emotions that, when unleashed & given full vent, are most destructive, jealousy, born from discontent, has to be at/near the top. Man, it’s ugly & doesn’t play well with others. It undermines, whines, cries out in immaturity for self-fulfillment, but ironically is never satisfied.

    Teach me LORD to be content in any & every situation.

    Went to the gym to show a couple of buddies the way of the Kettlebell. Pretty soon, the gym is going to have to get another set to keep up with the demand. They can thank me later. :)

    Prepping for Christmas Eve service & a Christmas Eve message used to be something I dreaded – mostly because I felt like I needed to come up with something Clever. Unique. Special. Different. And the longer I’d been around & attended church Christmas services, the more daunting ‘my Task’ became.

    Then a couple Eve’s back, it hit me. Christmas isn’t about me. Being Clever. Unique. Special. Different. Christmas is about Christ, & the Good News of Great Joy for EVERYONE. And I get to be a part of telling that news. Silly me, making it so hard, when in reality its the easiest & best story ever.

    Verdict is in: Chili. With Con Queso. Yes.

    Saturday-ness in the Inclement Weather…

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    Just got in from shoveling. Again. It’s like a competition. This bout with the shovel was the best, because it was raining. Truly. Nothing like it, especially with the promise of more snow for the evening. Ahh.

    I got to perform a wedding earlier this afternoon. Right before I went into the sanctuary, I stopped to look through the foyer windows & out into the world – amid the falling snow, I saw sun. Little blue sky. Rays sparkling off the plentiful snow piled on the ground. Beautiful, like myriad diamonds. What an environment to do a wedding in, I thought.

    After the wedding, I was lurking outside the room where the pictures of the bride & groom & their families were being taken… thinking about the weather, wondering when in my life I’d learned to hate snow. Don’t know. At some point, the sheer joy that falling snow would bring had been replaced by a dread, a tangible negative response in my gut. Tried to pin the time down, but nothing came to mind. It’s fear.

    Fear? Of snow? Why? Hmm.

    Weez - 01/2005 SnowstormIs it from worrying about having to transport youth group kids from home to Camp in the mess of snow? Worrying about theBean traveling from Sonora to C-town when we were dating? Getting stranded during my Domino’s delivery days? Or is it more recent, from the blizzard of 2005?

    Why fear?

    Something comes to mind: Danger. Separation. Isolation. Being without. Lack.

    Hmm. Not sure why, but the realization & beginnings of identification with the pit in my gut makes me feel better. I pray. Ask for a new way of seeing snow. For comfort. Truth. Confidence in my God’s care & provision for me.

    I look outside again & see that there is a backhoe in the Church parking lot. Scraping the snow off the lot & the driveway. It’s Rod, a guy from Church – he found out we didn’t get the lot scraped after the big snow Monday & borrowed the backhoe from his workplace. Then, he came up on his day off & spent a few hours plowing & scraping the residual snow & ice from the lot. Went out & talked with him. He was beaming. Glad to help, to do ‘his part.’

    I wept…

    Now, it’s later, & I look at the winter wonderland that has enveloped all I can see around me. Flakes the size of Silver Dollars (remember those!?) are falling. I sense awe, & wonder. Ponder the beautiful blanket of snow that makes everything it covers a work of art. Amazing.

    I want to go shovel again… maybe later.

    Monday musings on a Thursday in Reno…

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    Got home last night about 9… the last leg of the trip, even though it was only a 2 hour flight from Denver, was the most challenging. I think its because I just wanted it to be OVER already.

    Some things that I’m pondering this morning in my partially convoluted (but never deluded) state are:

      -Coffee at home in my own kitchen sure tastes good.
      -Sitting on the couch last night with theBean with a good Cabernet made it seem like I’d never left at all. Funny.
      -My bum is killing me from all the sitting of the last 2 weeks. Wonder how bad it would have been if we hadn’t walked 10k/day? Feels like a big old bruise. Probably TMI…
      -Words are eluding me this morning as I try to express my self. Or to ask someone to pass the … what is that word again? I’m not thinking in German, I’m replacing the ‘right’ word with a completely wrong one – like “sofa” for “cup.” Ahh.
      -The sky is blue. I missed that about Reno. Frankfurt was grey & rainy for 99% of the time. Not that I minded.
      -Thursday night NFL games are here. I’m smiling on the inside. Back just in time.
      -I wonder if I’m more nervous for Pasty’s Zone championship game tomorrow night than he is?
      -I’m craving a big juicy steak, covered in butter.
      -Today I get to see theWeez hoop it up at SHHHHWWOPE. Can’t wait.

    Going to try to sneak a work out in, then it’s time to start my Monday. On Thursday. Here I come. Watch out!

    playing catch up…

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    15 November –
    Woke up early on Sunday to have a breakfast with Alex & Linda – she made her famous pfannküchen (pancakes.) Very nice.

    Alex dropped me by the TPLF Sunday a.m. service – I enjoyed time with friends; the room was totally packed to the point where it was standing room only. Eddy spoke on “Faith.”

    There was a bit of a rush to the Hauptbahnhof “main train station”, mostly due to my incredible ability to take the simplest of train switches & complicate them. I am convinced that this just may be my superpower, which will be wonderful & make me totally fit in if I every meet up with the cast of Mystery Men in a real life adventure that requires getting lost in a train station I’ve been in 100 times. And a special shout out to the nice police officer that tried to send me to Munich.

    Got to the station & met Shawn & Matt by our favorite cigar shop – it’s a landmark… Ate a döner in the food court, & caught up on the boys trip to Berlin. Especially fun was hearing the story about how they narrowly avoided getting into a fight with an irate (& very large) Englishman. It’s their story to tell, but suffice it to say, the moral of the story is: be careful who you sit by, especially if they are a loud-mouthed American from the Bay Area that wants to rip on England, English food, & worst of all, English soccer.

    Made our way to our train – the ICE. Its interesting to ride these for me, because there are no assigned seats – except for the people who HAD assigned seats. Meaning, some people had paid extra couple Euros. Its kind of a gamble to find a place & sit down, then hope that no one comes to kick you out of the seat by an extra paying customer…

    It only took us about 1:20 to the Southwestern burg of Baden-Baden. It’s as different from Frankfurt as Napa is from Reno. Julia picked us up – it was so good to see her in her element. She drove us (quite safely actually) through several villages to her home in Achern. Absolutely beautiful, esp. as the light rain that has accompanied 90% of our visit continued to fall – not pour, but mist & drizzle.

    We were greeted by her parents as long-lost friends with many hugs & tears. Made me well up a bit myself, & also to give thanks to the LORD that we were nice to Julia while she lived with us ☺.

    The Kern family has an absolutely beautiful home – & the first thing we did was all sit around the table for coffee & marmot-cake (which is named because it looks like a mole-hill.) We spent an hour talking with the family, with Matt & Shawn getting to know Klaus & Pia (the parents) & Linda (the sister.)

    We made our way to our rooms – which were prepared so wonderfully & with great care. The hospitality we are being shown is truly humbling.

    While dinner was being prepared, the boys & I spent an hour talking; we’re helping Matty prep for his impending nuptials – only has 5 months to get ready ☺. Really good talks, with lots of questions from Matty (go figure!) Shawn & I laughed a lot.

    For dinner we ate sauerbraten, sessel (potato/bread cakes,) & garlic laced salad greens, accompanied by a tasty spätburgunder rotwein. We sat around the table for several hours of eating & conversation.

    The thing that has stood out to us the most is the familiarity & connection that Jesus brings – across cultures, languages, & life-experience. I’m thankful for that – Matty said this was his favorite moment of the trip so far – for me, it was waaayy up there too.

    Couldn’t keep my eyes open any more, so I made my way to bed around 10, making it the earliest night in 4-ever.

    Woke up to the sound of falling rain – which, if I lived here would probably get old really quick, but for a visit, it makes for quite the experience & backdrop for our adventures.

    Ate a typical German breakfast with Pia – she wanted to take a picture of Matty eating the soft-boiled egg. She laughed & laughed as he made a mess of it on his plate – good ol’ Matty.

    Over breakfast, we had a good discussion about auslanders (foreigners) growing to the point where they will soon be outnumbering Germans; partially due to immigration, mostly due to a much higher birth rate. It made us reflect on Reno (& the States) & our own rising immigrant & non-US native population… & how it affects us & changes the culture of the city with the added language, experience, & change that comes as the population grows… It was a good talk about politics, economics, life choices, & the kingdom of God.

    Made me think & reflect on the discussions that we’ve been having with a local-Reno Spanish speaking church. And how connecting with them gives us an opportunity to connect with another facet of Reno; to intentionally be making choices to reach Reno for Christ as it grows, changes, looks, & becomes different than me. I’m reflecting on the fact that my commitment (& the commission to Christ-followers) isn’t to perpetuating me & my way of life, but to see people come to know Jesus, & to grow into finding, understanding, & following His plan for their lives…

    We have lunch coming up shortly with Roland Lorenz, the pastor of the church that the Kern family attends – he’s the initial point of contact that I’d had from the German pastors conference of years past. Looking forward to it, then a quiet afternoon together, maybe a walk in the rain, & then finally dinner with the Kern family…

    S-A-TUR-DAY… night.

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    Couldn’t sleep last night. Again. Not overtired, & no pain this time, just awake, missing home. Caught theBean at a good moment & we were able to set up a Skype with 4/5 of the fam. (Sorry Weez. You were hoopin’.) Almost forgot how beautiful that woman is. Wow. It takes ones breath away. Tried to sleep. Finally, asked Jesus to put me to sleep, & to “rest” me in the 5 hours I’d get. Next thing I knew…

    Woke up to a light rain, which has been par for the course. Not that I mind. Choco-croissant, coffee, time with theAlex & Linda, then the 45 minute trip to TPLF via the U1 & U7.

    Quiet morning at Roundabout, with good conversation, prayer, worship, & goodbyes.

    HefeWent to ALDI & snagged some cool smelling deodorant & some cheap nail clippers. It was buy those or get a manicure, & I didn’t have the time or inclination. But you could imagine.

    Made my way to Zimt und Koriander for pizza & a hefe. That combo just can’t be beat. Back to the house for a nap… have to charge up for later, as theAlex & Linda & me are headed out for the evening… which of course is where the title of the post comes from. Don’t know if we’ll see the Bay City Rollers, but if we do, I’ll be ready.

    HEED! PANTS! NOW!

    I saw the sun in Frankfurt, even though it was only for a moment…

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    For some reason I woke up early; really early today – 4 a.m. Maybe it was to compensate for the sleeping in until 11:30 the day before, but for some reason I was up & ready to go. So I read. Looked at the dark, pre-dawn sky. Counted sheep. (not actual sheep… more the pretend kind in an attempt to lull my brain into thinking it could go to sleep.) No luck.

    Thought about the events of the last few days. Time with Johannes & Anja. Anja’s famous Thai Chicken. Bulgarian Wine. “Coincidental” answers to prayers unlooked for. Hard conversations wrought with pain, challenge, & hope for a future. Continue reading →