Another Day in Paradise

Beachside wedding

Thu, 31 Jul 2008 18:15:23 GMT

Here’s the update:

We were married at Myrtle Beach - literally on the beach - with both her kids and mine present (see attached photo). The minister was Lamar Boulware, a good Southern Baptist with a real soft spot.

We enjoyed a week there with our kids, combining holiday with honeymoon (more holiday than honeymoon).

Because of my pending military deployment, S will stay in Maine until my return, although she will be coming down to Pennsylvania as frequently as our finances permit until my departure.

We know that the challenges we face are unusual, what with the military deployment, our shared custody arrangements, and the 10 hour distance between us. But we also know that these are minor inconveniences in the big picture.

We are both content.

Thank you all for your wishes and regards.

Blessings to all,

Tim

Marriage, that under-rated institution...

Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:05:00 GMT

As Liz Taylor is quoted as saying, "Marriage is something you only do seven or eight times in a lifetime, so you should take it seriously...."

In western culture, it's not very manly to talk about love and marriage. Those are sappy topics for the weak at heart and the simple. Better to talk about sports, politics, conflicts, conquests... so, if I am weak at heart and simple, so be it!

19 years ago I got married. I was too young to know what love was, and so I married. We were both too young. I expected it to last without investing anything into it. I naively expected to benefit from it without contributing to it.

14 years later, after that marriage dissolved, I went through a spiritual journey of despair, guilt, self-analysis, discovery, and maturity. I finally came to terms with being single and content. Then, completely unexpectedly, I met the most amazing woman I had ever met in my life. Almost from the beginning, I was certain we were destined to be with each other for the rest of our lives. I didn't know how (we live 10 hours from each other), or when (we both share custody of our respective kids), but I knew God intended us for one another.

I used to hear people talk about this sort of confidence, and I would wonder what they meant. Now, I was experiencing it, and I understood. I knew that the intervening years of reflection and my lessons in contentment had prepared me to give of myself to a relationship for which I would otherwise have been unprepared - even unable to do so. I knew that the crucible of self-doubt and the overwhelming sense of failure in the wake of a previously destroyed marriage had served to refine me and had prepared me to invest myself in a relationship with this amazing woman in a way heretofore foreign to me.

In point of fact, investing in a relationship is foreign. It is unnatural, as our natural inclination is to be self-absorbed.

In two weeks, I will marry this amazing woman. Then, in a few short months, I will set off for the second military deployment of my career. During World War II, thousands of men and women waited patiently for each other as their nation called on them to sacrifice for a greater good. They waited for years, and afterward most of them remained together for decade upon decade... until only death could part them.

Jacob waited an incredible 14 years to marry the woman he loved (after Rachel's father tricked him into marrying his other daughter first...).

Today we live in a culture that horribly under-values marriage, burdens it with unrealistic expectations, insists on bolting at the slightest promise of inconvenience. 50 years ago, the Great Depression and two World Wars within a matter of two decades prepared a generation of people to understand the values of sacrifice, loyalty, and the commitment of a daily investment in renewing love; not resting in the complacency of taking each other for granted.

What my fiancé and I share is greater than common interests and values; we share a mutual desire to give. That giving is the life-blood of any truly healthy relationship. The more I give, the more she gives right back. And the more she gives, the greater my desire to give to her.

While I serve my country, I know that my sweet bride will patiently await my return; I cherish the knowledge, and know just how unusual that is, and how lucky I am. I know that however many or few our years together on this earth, we share a hope to spend an eternity together afterwards. Liz Taylor my become bored with her current partner... and the next....

As for me, I'm planning to keep this one not only for this lifetime, but the next as well. Like Jacob, I know a good thing when I see it.

I Cor 13

Your help needed!

Mon, 18 Feb 2008 13:34:16 GMT

Friends,

Two dear ladies I know, one of whom I’ve known since my youth, are engaged in the most noble of enterprises. But they need your help.

Tanya serves as the Executive Director of the American Foundation for Children with AIDS (AFCA), and Sarah just recently joined AFCA as their eBay Store Manager. AFCA’s mission is to improve the lives of children and youth struggling with the impact of the HIV/AIDS pandemic by providing cost-effective relief, services, medical and social support, education and advocacy to help these victims achieve their full life potential.

One of the ways that AFCA can earn money for the foundation is by utilizing eBay’s no-fee policy for non-profit businesses. By doing so, AFCA is able to collect 100% of the profit. It was for this reason that Sarah was brought on-board to help the foundation by serving as the manager for their online eBay store.

Sarah recently sent out this request, which I gladly pass along to you:

…My reason for writing is simple: I’m wondering whether you may have things around your home that you would be willing to donate to AFCA for us to sell on eBay? If you are familiar with eBay, you may already know that the possibilities for selling are almost limitless! Below are a few ideas of things you may have to donate…

§ Did you receive a gift for Christmas that you just know you’ll probably never use? Perhaps it’s still in its original packaging? Send it our way!

§ Are you an empty-nester who is looking to clear out all the “stuff” that your family accumulated over the years?

§ Maybe you’re not an empty-nester yet but your kids have outgrown the myriad of toys that you still have around the house…

§ Or, maybe you don’t fall into any of the above categories but you’re still like Jason and me who, even though we’ve only been married for 7 years, are still amazed at the amount of “stuff” we’ve accumulated!

These ideas just skim the surface of the possibilities that are there for AFCA to earn money using eBay’s services.

Of course, any donation you make to AFCA could be verified by a receipt for tax-exemption purposes.

So, if you’re looking for a way to get rid of a few things in your home, please contact me and I’ll be happy to make arrangements with you.

Thank you in advance for your help.

Sincerely,

Sarah Ladner

eBay Store Manager

If you’d like more information about AFCA, please visit their website at www.helpchildrenwithaids.org. Or, let Sarah know and she’ll be happy to provide you with a brochure.

American Foundation for Children with AIDS

Headquarters: 769 Grant Street, Lawrence, KS 66044

Main Office: 6221 Blue Grass Avenue, Harrisburg, PA 17112

Phone: 888.683.8323 • www.helpchildrenwithaids.org • sladner@helpchildrenwithaids.org

I wasn’t able to attach the sheet Sarah sent me that provides more detail. If you’d like me to email it to you separately, contact me privately, provide me with an email address and I’ll send it to you. If you have an item you’d like to give that’s not mentioned on the sheet, please contact me and I’ll be happy to discuss it with you.

Thank you in advance for your generous donations to this important work!

Tim

Another Christmas Story

Fri, 21 Dec 2007 18:13:56 GMT

I had heard this story before, and found it both humbling and gratifying to know that in the midst of evil the light of good shines brightest. In the interest of full disclosure, I AM supporting this candidate for President. Here is his Christmas story:

My Christmas Story

As a POW, my captors would tie my arms behind my back and then loop the rope around my neck and ankles so that my head was pulled down between my knees. I was often left like that throughout the night.

One night a guard came into my cell. He put his finger to his lips signaling for me to be quiet, and then loosened my ropes to relieve my pain. The next morning, when his shift ended, the guard returned and retightened the ropes, never saying a word to me.

A month or so later, on Christmas Day, I was standing in the dirt courtyard when I saw that same guard approach me. He walked up and stood silently next to me, not looking or smiling at me.

After a few moments had passed, he rather nonchalantly used his sandaled foot to draw a cross in the dirt. We stood wordlessly looking at the cross, remembering the true light of Christmas, even in the darkness of a Vietnamese prison camp. After a minute or two, he rubbed it out and walked away.

That guard was my Good Samaritan. I will never forget that man and I will never forget that moment. And I will never forget that, no matter where you are, no matter how difficult the circumstances, there will always be someone who will pick you up and carry you.

May you and your family have a blessed Christmas and Happy Holidays,

John McCain

www.JohnMcCain.com

Wishing all a Blessed Christmas

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 21:32:30 GMT

A Christmas Story unfolds

You know those sappy Christmas stories that start to circulate this time of year; the one about the little boy in tattered clothes who walks into a flower shop with a handful of change and asks how much for a dozen roses for his mother, and the clerk who takes pity and tells him he has just enough, and then sees him run off to the cemetery to lay them at a tombstone….

…or the story I’ve posted on this site related by John Henry Faulk Christmas Story about a cold Texas Christmas and a barefoot boy clutching an orange just as excited as a boy could be about the “most wonderfullest Christmas in the whole New-nited States of America….”

I always suspected those stories were skillfully imagined rather than based on reality, but I could be wrong.

I’d like to tell you a true Christmas story that is even now unfolding. This story begins just the other day in a middle school in a town in Maine.

Yesterday evening I was driving home from work and (as I am wont to do) I phoned my fiancé, “S”. She informed me that she was gracing an art supply / hobby shop. She further informed me that she was selecting a prize for the winner of a competition over which she had presided earlier in the day.

Some background: The woman I love is a sixth grade teacher, and advisor to the middle school newspaper. The paper ran a competition for best artwork depicting a winter scene, which was won by a young lady of amazing talent who chose a horse in a field as her subject.

The girl was called down to “S”’s classroom to be informed that she’d won the competition. The prize, it had been decided, would be art supplies. The child was asked what sort of art supplies she’d prefer (water colors and brushes, pencils, markers, etc.).

She didn’t know. You see, while she possesses a great deal of innate talent, she has not had much experience plying her skills, so she had no point of reference, and so was naturally unsure. “S” suggested she take some time to think about what she’d like and report back once she’d decided.

At the end of the day, she approached the newspaper advisor and haltingly made her request. Would it be okay, she asked, if instead of art supplies, she could have a model car for her brother, since that’s what he wants for Christmas? Apparently, she was not expecting much of a Christmas this year, and wanted to make sure her brother wasn’t disappointed.

At this point in the story, my dear “S”. asked me if I was still on the phone, because I wasn’t responding. It’s hard to talk when you have a sizeable lump in your throat. Alas, I was succumbing to emotional involvement in the story.

Of course, it doesn’t end there. “S”, in her typical style, took it upon herself to spend her own money to secure the model car, adding it to the previously agreed-upon prize, carefully wrapping them both to give to the contest-winner today.

I love that woman.

I’ll keep you posted as this tale continues to unfold.

Oh… and… Merry Christmas - from both of us.

(Santa's helper)

Immigration, Materialism, Wealth, Brotherhood

Tue, 27 Nov 2007 16:40:15 GMT

Introduction: I write to challenge. I don't expect everyone to agree with me. I do expect people to pause and think about what they hold dear in their own lives. I notice that people who have never been challenged; whether economically, or by losing their health, losing a loved one... take an awful lot for granted.

I've suggested to both of my children that when the time is right, I'd rather they spent a year overseas in a third-world country helping others than beginning college in some American fishbowl. Growing up among nomadic people who had few material possessions has taught me much about the importance of family, hospitality, helping the less-fortunate regardless of how much or little I have, and of being grateful.

So here's what's on my mind today:

I've heard arguments of all kinds on the immigration debate. I understand the economic arguments (on both sides). As far as I'm concerned, they cancel each other out. Then there are the racial arguments. Oh, you probably won't hear someone frame it that way, but so far, the people I've heard argue against illegal immigration quickly slide into arguments against immigration on a broader scale, and suddenly the discussion becomes one about 'Mexicans', 'Guatemalans', or Spanish-speakers in general from 'south of the border'.

Let's call a spade a spade. I hear an awful lot of White Anglo-Saxon rednecks who would otherwise call themselves 'Christians' use racial slurs against Latinos, make fun of their accents, stereotype their food, living conditions, personal hygiene habits, etc.

This is an issue about which I used to not feel strongly, but because of the abhorrent things I continue to hear, am quickly developing an aversion to most of the 'anti-immigration' arguments I hear from a visceral level.

Granted, I used the term 'anti-immigration' instead of 'anti-illegal-immigration'.

One problem I have with the entire argument is that illegal immigration can be largely blamed on a ridiculous system that actually encourages it. Do I think people should be rewarded for breaking the law? Of course not. Do I think American jobs need to be protected? Building a higher wall is not going to protect American jobs any more than raising tariffs on certain industries, and anyone who watched GM, Ford & Chevy during the '80's knows how they squandered that.

Americans need to be less dependent on 'jobs' and need to relearn how to be self-reliant. 100 years ago, this nation was made up of people who appreciated the smallest blessings, uttered phrases like 'waste not, want not', and 'a penny saved is a penny earned'.

Today, we utter words like 'entitlement', and phrases like, 'I'll sue'. Asked the best ways to develop wealth, average Americans answer with one of the following means: Winning the lottery, inheriting a large sum from a relative, or winning a lawsuit.

Here's one of my favorite arguments: "These people should have to go through the legal process to become citizens." This from people who had the luxury of being born American citizens, who did nothing more than exit their mothers' wombs on American soil. Do you have any idea what ludicrous loopholes we require of people to become citizens? Forget our neighbors south of the border for a moment - consider loyal translaters in Iraq who risk their lives and the lives of their families daily, and once they're targeted by Al Qaida in Iraq or another terrorist group have to flee to Jordan or Syria rather than being able to rely on the US State Department to protect them. 50 visas per year. That's what we offer. And we expect Iraqis to jump at the chance to help us? Right.

I have a tremendous amount of respect for someone who risks his very life to cross a border for the chance to make his family's life marginally better, and at the same time actually pays the IRS taxes on the illegal money he earns working 12 hour days 7 days a week while sharing meager housing with a dozen other illegals who spend their days harvesting crops at wages that actually allow you to buy fresh produce at a price you can afford.

Here's another argument I love: "The thing I can't stand is that they don't learn the language." This is usually uttered by the very same people who can't put together a sentence in English to save their lives. I work in an environment that is as homogeneous as it gets - not one minority in the place. I hear these arguments daily. I also don't have to dig very deep to find examples of English grammar gone wrong. This hypocritical argument is just one of many that raise my ire.

I’m probably the world’s worst speller (that’s why I use ‘spell check’. In this posting alone, I found three spelling errors. So I’m not trying to put my fellow workers down – only pointing out the hypocrisy of being offended because someone is having difficulty learning English as a second language, when they have not even come close to mastering it as a first language!

I’m perfectly willing to hear people offer arguments who disagree – please just do yourself the favor of checking the facts and basing your arguments on solid ground, and not racial stereotypes. You will get farther with me if you’re trying to convince me of the validity of your point of view.

A brother just returned from a missions trip to Nicaragua. His impression was summed up in one sentence: “We are so rich compared to those people!”, he realized. “They have so little, but compared to us, they are so committed to helping their neighbors who are even more poor than they!”

What are you committed to? Keeping up with the Joneses? Materialism? What’s your god? When did our fellow man become less important than our individual pursuit of wealth?

Happy Thanksgiving

Wed, 21 Nov 2007 17:47:58 GMT

Dreading the annual required family gathering? Not looking forward to threading through the crowd of annoying family members you pride yourself on being able to avoid the rest of the year?

Developing a headache over the very thought of entertaining whiny, bored, electronics-addicted kids you'd just as soon send off to some boot camp?

We should all be so lucky.

Thank you to all the men and women who put their lives on the line every day. You may not agree with the policies that place them in danger. Chances are they don't necessarily agree with them either.

But while civilians enjoy the luxury of pontificating over policy, there are a few, special people who believe in old virtues like loyalty, selfless service, honor, and duty, and who don't just talk about them, but put them into action.

I'm thankful for people who, instead of arguing why our troops should be deployed, instead go. I'm thankful for people who walk the walk, and leave talking the talk for others to do.

I'm thankful for people who can disagree passionately about foreign policy, politics, religion, and whose city boasts the best NFL team, and then suit up and have each others' sixes without any question about why they're doing what they do.

To all my brothers and sisters putting it all out on the line, I salute and thank you.

Judgment, hunger, and compassion

Thu, 04 Oct 2007 03:29:08 GMT

What kind of person are you? Are you a 'no mercy', 'law and order' type? Or are you a 'bleeding heart', 'give 'em another chance' type?

Maybe your life experience has something to do with where you fall on that continuum.

There’s an old Jewish proverb: “He who is full loathes honey, but to the hungry even what is bitter tastes sweet.” The meaning is that when things get tough, certain options seem much more appetizing than when there is plenty. While there are exceptions, desperate people have been known to take desperate measures – Maslow recognized this, and alluded to it in his hierarchy of needs.

Jesus of Nazareth actually referenced hunger and, apparently, situational ethics when he defended himself and his disciples against the Pharisees' accusations that he was breaking their Shabbat laws by eating grain as they walked through the fields on a Saturday. He rhetorically asked them if they hadn’t heard of King David and his troops eating the consecrated bread at the Temple in Jerusalem (against Mosaic law) when they had been on the run and hungry.

It’s imperative to recognize the difference between ethical values and poorly written legislation; not that I’m advocating that it’s ethical to break the law today, but this was exactly Jesus’ point as he recognized that the Pharisaical laws of the times were largely oppressive, and were themselves unethical.

It’s easy to judge others when we have the luxury to do so. I’ve noticed a marked difference in the level of compassion between people who have tasted 'hunger', and those who haven’t.

Even if we're not talking about an unethical law, the prescribed punishment might be unnecessarily draconian, and therefore unethical.

For example, the over-reaching, yet popular "Three strikes" laws that were passed in state after state in the '80's and '90's placed untold thousands in prisons arbitrarily who were non-violent, and for whom restitution or other punishments would have been far more appropriate. Ironically, here in Pennsylvania, one of the loudest proponents of such legislation in 1988 was then-Lackawanna County Prosecutor Ernie Preate, who was running successfully for State Attorney General. 12 years later I had the opportunity to ask him, as an ex-convict, how he had changed from the fiery prosecutor he had once been. His answer was simple: "I'm a much more compassionate person today."

Matthew 7:1-5

So what's the big deal about Maine?

Fri, 10 Aug 2007 18:39:16 GMT

Well, for starters, moose, Bar Harbor, lobster, the great outdoors...

... but what's truly great about Maine is the incredible woman who actually agreed to marry me. Not only does she love all the things I love (music, good books, gardening, kayaking, bicycling, debating theology and politics), she loves her kids, she's beautiful, and she's humble. She loves her kids. Four great big cats and the most loyal dog are her daily company whether she's splitting wood in the winter, taking a walk through the woods in the Autumn, tending garden in the Summer, or doing... whatever people do... in the Springtime.

So what's the big deal about Maine? The last best woman. That's what.

And now a message to that wonderful woman:

Avete saputo, siete l'amore della mia vita?

Time for another president already?!! But we're not finished flogging this one yet!

Tue, 17 Jul 2007 23:23:12 GMT

(or... 'Whatever happened to principles over politics?')

I must be getting old - I no longer look at election year hopefully and with anticipation. Now, it's accompanied by anxiety and despair. Maybe it's not my age that's the problem - maybe the field of qualified candidates just seems to have been overgrown by the weeds of big money and influence.

I'm not going to take the time to review the list of candidates and their positions here - plenty of 'spin-spaces' in cyberspace for you to get your fill without me adding to the milieu.

What I will do, however, is share my gut instincts based on my decided cynicism of media coverage to balance my cynicism of self-proclaimed saviors and equally cynical pundits.

I won't even bore you with a complete listing of candidates - suffice it to say that if they're not mentioned here, I either haven't been paying enough attention to know they're in the running, or I've already written them off as 'not-really-serious candidates'.

Newsweek's Periscope has rolled out a humorous analysis of candidates' respective bumper stickers (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19762070/site/newsweek/ oddly dated the 23rd (don't know how they're pulling off the time-travel.)

Here's my gut reaction to the candidates:

Hillary scares me.

Obama interests me.

Giuliani makes me roll my eyes and shake my head.

Don't know enough about Romney.

Edwards scares me more than Hillary.

McCain makes me wish he were better at campaigning.

You see, the thing about McCain is that he frustrates me - I respect him as a war hero, as a principled statesman, and as an intellectual. He amazes me in that it seems like such an effort for him to get his message across. I know the media filters his (as well as everyone else's) message, but he just seems like a fish out of water on the 'Straight Talk' campaign trail. It could be that the title seems absurdly simplistic amidst such weighty issues. Maybe he should borrow Gary Eichelberger's slogan, "Principles - Not Politics".

One friend told me once that he didn't think McCain had a chance of winning, simply because 'he's mean'. Sorry, friend, I think he should be even MORE mean. What I'm trying to say is that he almost seems apologetic about his points of view on the Iraq War and on Immigration, when he should be coming across as passionate if he wants to sway over a majority of primary voters in the Republican party. Otherwise, Charlie Brown, he just comes across as wishy-washy.

In any case, I haven't mentioned Senator Paul, because he's such a long-shot, and as much as I respect him, there's just no way he's going to last through any significant part of this primary season. Similarly, I didn't mention Dennis Kucinich, because he's equally a long shot, although he has a way of making his liberal position on social issues sound almost palatable to even conservatives!

Enough of my random spewing... I gotta go put my McCain bumper sticker on my car.

War - what is it good for

Wed, 16 May 2007 23:00:59 GMT

Thanks to my friend Matthew Vadum for reminding me of the canonic veracity of the following quote:

"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things; the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling which thinks nothing worth a war, is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does about his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance at being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself." - John Stuart Mill

Today's rising crescendo of voices against the war in Iraq begs the obvious question: Is the answer to an unjust war an equally unjust retreat? Through the fog and information-overload of daily death and bombing statistics, arriving at an educated conclusion to the query, "where do we go from here" may seem impossible.

The United States is on the threshold of choosing a new Commander-in-Chief. If we select an individual based on his promise to stay or go in Iraq, we choose a simplistic response to a complex issue, and thereby abdicate our role and privilege as voters. If we have blood on our hands now, cutting and running promises only more blood, and yet staying guarantees us a greater sacrifice.

While few today still believe we should have invaded Iraq, our imperfect memories betray us; we tell ourselves we knew this was a bad idea to begin with - we told everyone it was a mistake.... The historic data confronts us, however, and reminds us that Republicans, Democrats, and Independents alike were fooled into believing that Saddam was a bigger threat than he turned out to be.

It takes little integrity to turn and look away when there's violence taking place in another part of the world. How often have we stood aside as genocide took place in locations like Cambodia, Rwanda, and now in Darfur. In Iraq, we have the unique complication of having stirred up much of the trouble we are encountering; how much more are we responsible, then, for addressing it, and not running away from it.

It strikes me as an excessive degree of hubris and hypocrisy that the same people who wag a self-righteous finger at Republicans for not doing something about Sudan are the same people who are clamoring for us to lick our wounds, turn tail, and flee from Iraq, advocating that we leave sure destruction in our wake. At the same time, the Republican Party continues to embarrass itself by justifying itself, rather than admitting what the rest of the world already knows - we made a mistake. My father taught me long ago that a real man apologizes when he's wrong. By not doing so, he only proves his immaturity, and subsequent inability to handle responsibility.

"We only went into Iraq because of oil...." Regardless of your political point of view, I challenge you to rise above your paranoia and conspiracy theories to consider this fact: We, the United States of America, have created a situation where not only are scores of our own soldiers dying weekly, but thousands of innocent people are dying every month, and millions who at first welcomed us as liberators, are left wondering what went wrong, as a few radical Shi'ia and Sunni terrorize them daily.

War is a horrible thing. Doing nothing is more horrible yet. When 'bringing home the troops' is a euphemism for defeat, then we have succeeded not only in defeat as a nation, but as a symbol for all who seek to come to the aid of the downtrodden in the world.

Our simplistic answers to the world's problems are haunting us; 'democracy' is just one small step removed from mob rule.* 'free elections' in many places seems to provide the majority with an inferred mandate to slaughter the minority. On top of that universal lack of regard for human (read "minority") rights, we Americans lack the fortitude for commitment once the going gets tough. If we don't win easily and quickly, then we shut the drapes and turn our heads, and pretend we can't hear the screaming anymore.

No political party has a corner on making stupid mistakes. The Republicans can't seem to gather the integrity to apologize for being wrong about our intelligence. The Democrats would rather trade integrity for populist "bring the troops home" propaganda. Our collective integrity as a freedom-loving nation respecting the rule of law requires us to rise above our mistakes, past and present, publicly apologize for our clumsy stupidity, and seek an international alliance pledged to the restoration of a lasting peace in Iraq.

The alternative is too ugly to consider.

*"Democracy is the recurrent suspicion that more than half of the people are right more than half of the time." E.B. White, New Yorker, July 3, 1944

Thank you to Frackville / St Claire residents

Tue, 20 Feb 2007 18:50:39 GMT

This past weekend, the Pennsylvania National Guard was activated to assist stranded motorists and to keep motorists from entering dangerous stretches of Interstates 78, 80, and 81.

I spent a couple of pretty cold and otherwise boring days at the bottom of an on-ramp in Schuylkill County with Specialist Arms and a crew of other soldiers. During that time, several local residents stopped by to thank us for our service, to offer coffee, donuts, and other goodies. One young lady who works at Chick-Fil-A stopped by with some chicken nuggets and hot coffee for us to enjoy, even though we were well stocked with tasty MRE's.

Thank you to all the patient residents of Frackville, St. Claire, and surrounding area, who took the time to stop by, encourage us, and keep us loaded up with hot beverages and good food.

One National Guard soldier who wasn't able to make it through the closed interstate to drive to the muster point for activation went ahead and took the initiative, driving his own privately-owned vehicle to our location on his own time to check on us, and make sure we had everything we needed. He made the trip to several 'outposts' at least once a day. Thank you Chief Ives!

One gentleman who stopped by with coffee told us that when he was in the army during the Vietnam conflict, he remembered returning to the States to taunts of 'baby killer'. He wanted to make sure we knew that we were appreciated, a sentiment we returned to him; both for the coffee, and for his service in the past.

Thank you all, who faithfully support your troops, regardless of their assigned mission, in every way, great and small. It is necessary and appreciated more than you can know.

I don't pray any more... we're not on speaking terms.

Sun, 21 Jan 2007 20:04:22 GMT

A few weeks ago, I was browsing my local thrift store when I overheard the following snippet of conversation between a regular customer and an employee:

Employee: "I pray this good weather keeps up."

Customer: "I don't pray any more since 9-ll. I just don't see the point in praying to a God who would let something that bad happen."

My initial reaction was decidedly mixed. I immediately began to run through, in my mind, my close brushes with death, the births of my beautiful children, the gorgeous colours we had just witnessed in the previous Autumn season, and I wondered, exactly who is this woman, that she thinks that she knows better than God what He should do.

I began realizing that although I wasn't overtly angry with God, it had been some time since I took the time to recognize all that I took for granted, and was grateful for it.

Then, I wondered what personal loss this woman may have suffered that made her sound so bitter, so lost, so sad. She had mentioned 9-11, but I wondered if there was more to her coldness. I wanted to say something to her, but I had no idea what to say. She and I see the world from such vastly different perspectives, that what, I wondered, could I possibly say that would be meaningful, appropriately challenging, and yet kind, and understanding?

After mulling over the conversation for a while, I still couldn't think of the perfect response; a deep emptiness gnawed away at the pit of my stomach. Didn't this woman see that the very fact that she was alive, breathing, in relatively good health, enjoying common grace of good weather..., was all evidence of God's preserving hand in her life? And that despite the fact that she had self-righteously proclaimed that she was no longer on speaking terms with God!

Then, this morning, I read something interesting. It was a story told by Dr. John Witherspoon..., as told by Clarence Macartney..., in an excerpt from Dale Ralph Davis' book, "Joshua, No Falling Words"..., reprinted on the back of a church bulletin:

"...Witherspoon was a signer of the Declaration of Independence and president of the (then) College of New Jersey. He lived a couple of miles away from the college at Rocky Hill and drove horse and rig each day to his office at the college. One day one of his neighbors burst into his office, exclaiming, 'Dr. Witherspoon, you must join me in giving thanks to God for his extraordinary providence in saving my life, for as I was driving from Rocky Hill the horse ran away and the buggy was smashed to pieces on the rocks, but I escaped unharmed!' Witherspoon replied, 'Why, I can tell you a far more remarkable providence than that. I have driven over that road hundreds of times. My horse never ran away, my buggy never was smashed, I was never hurt.'..."

The next time you are tempted to be angry with God because he isn't running the universe exactly the way you would, just remember, it is his universe, after all.

I still don't know what I would say to that woman if I had the opportunity again. But I do know this - I'm humbled to recognize that it's not because of anything that I've done to merit his grace, that it's despite my wrongdoing that he continues to sustain me, that there is far more to be thankful for than I have given thanks, that he provides for me perfectly, even when I don't ask for his help, don't know what to ask for, or ask for things I shouldn't.

If you're not on speaking terms with God, consider this: Everything you have is a gift. Being ungrateful is a pretty good clue that you've been spoiled rotten and don't even know it.

Sure, I can complain! Who can't!! When I have something to complain about, I go to my counselor... on my knees... and it's amazing how my complaints melt away in thankfulness as he gently shows me how good I have it.

Is it 2007 yet?

Thu, 11 Jan 2007 01:25:33 GMT

Thank you all for stopping by... so regularly... and making me feel guilty for not updating this space.

I'm still at work, more than 12 hours after I began my work day, and as tired as I am, I truly enjoy what I do.

Listening to NPR's 'All Things Considered' this afternoon, streaming it illegally over my workplace computer, I heard this commentary by Kevin Kling that is one of the most beautiful, funny, inspiring, whimsical, and deep things I've come across since Squirrel Monkeys.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6788291

If the link doesn't work, go to www.npr.org and select "All Things Considered" from the program drop-down menu, and look for it (today's date).

Please do yourself a huge favor and visit Kevin's website (http://www.kevinkling.com/).

Enjoy... and thank you. Thank you for listening, thank you for stopping by, and thank you for indulging me. And thank you, Kevin, for the Squirrel Monkeys.

Happy Christmas

Fri, 22 Dec 2006 14:00:56 GMT

I've been busy lately (hence no posts), and yet I'm grateful for the work that keeps me from this space; good job, great family, enjoyable school work....

I've attached an audio clip of a now-famous story by John Henry Faulk, first aired on public radio a few years ago. Mr. Faulk, a well-respected story-teller from Texas has since died, but he leaves this, among other memorable stories, as wonderful memorials.

So please take 10 minutes this Christmas season to sit down with a box of tissues and listen to this story, and reflect on how blessed you are, regardless of your circumstances.

Peace and Good Will.

Tim

PS - since the File Lodge server is down, here's a link to an additional location to hear the story: http://www.box.net/public/o8t9p8bsrj

Another Remembrance / Veterans Day upon us

Fri, 10 Nov 2006 13:40:22 GMT

Last year at this time, I waxed poetic and subjected all of my blog site visitors to some rather awful ameteur poetry. This time around, I'll just stick with a few reflections.

In the US, we've just undergone an election, largely affected by an ongoing war half-way 'round the world.

Donald Rumsfeld finally returned to private life. Good ridance to bad rubbish. I frankly think he should be put on trial, but I'm not sure incompetance is a crime.

As a Christian, I 'honor the king', and so I support my president, whomever that may be, and however much I may wince when I hear him speak. I realize now that 8 years of wincing under Clinton was good conditioning for me; I now wince almost effortlessly at presidential stupidity.

Although here in the US we are officially recognizing veterans today, November 11th is actually the day. as set forth to recall the hundreds of thousands of allies who gave the ultimate sacrifice during World War I.

And though there's only room for one audio / vido file here, I leave you a second appropriate musical remembrance in the link below, and ask that you pause with me at some point in the next day or two out of your busy life in order to pay tribute to those brave young men and women who are willing to put it all on the line so that you and I can soak in the liberty and freedom we enjoy, and often take for granted.

The Pogues remember WWI veterans

http://www.pogues.com/

I remember.

Left Behind

Thu, 26 Oct 2006 01:38:35 GMT

While deployed to Kosovo, my buddies (Dave & Bill), and I came to befriend a Kosovar by the name of Albert. Albert is a hard-working civilian employee for a NATO organization, and an all-around good guy. Albert is in the same position hundreds of thousands of post-war refugees are in throughout the world; he was separated from his family during the war.

In the 1990's, when Kosovo was plunged into bloody civil war, tens of thousands of innocent civilians were slaughtered. Albert's family fled to Macedonia, where they quickly obtained refugee status and are now living as US citizens in the US. Albert was working in Germany at the time, and his family was unable to get word to him during their hurried exodus, so he had no idea where they were, or what had happened to them.

As soon as he was able, he returned to his family's former home in Kosovo, where he learned that they had left their hometown. Unfortunately, no one there knew what had become of them. Knowing of the mass graves being discovered throughout Kosovo, and fearing the worst, he abandoned his search, mourning their loss.

His family, in the meantime, was slowly tracking him down from their new home in the US, beginning with his last known address in Germany. When they were finally able to reach him by telephone, you can imagine what a joyful reunion it was. All were elated.

Like so many families in the past, they had found tranquility in the land of opportunity they now call home.

That's the happy part of the story.

From this point on, it's filled with frustration and disappointment. Once Albert's family had made contact with him, they immediately applied for a visa so the family could be reunited. Since Kosovo is no longer a war zone, Albert is not high on the State Department's priority list. As of today, there's an incredible backlog of applications from throughout the world's former and present war-torn regions.

In the midst of Albert's pursuit, we here in the US have seen a debate on immigration that seems to generate more heat than light. Lawmakers seem paralyzed to act, afraid they'll lose significant support from a constituency that doesn't fully grasp all the nuances of what's at stake, proving once again that democracy is merely one step removed from mob rule.

People like Albert are held hostage every day by a bureaucracy designed to do the bare minimum, by an executive branch that changes policy on a whim, hot one minute, and cold the next, and a legislature that remains wont to act for fear of losing its grip on its collective seat of power.

This story is not over yet. As progress is made, I will report it here. In the meantime, thank you in advance for your prayers and support.

But for now, I've left a friend and brother behind, and I won't rest until he's home.

A funny thing happened on the way home from Maine...

Wed, 11 Oct 2006 22:12:32 GMT

Two nights ago, on my way back to Pennsylvania from Maine, I experienced what could have been frustrating, and could have brought out all sorts of negative feelings.

Instead, I chose to enjoy the moment:

I was surprised to see how expensive petrol was in New York state, and was holding out at between a half and a quarter of a tank for better prices at the PA/NY border.

About 400 miles from home, in Fishkill, New York, at about 8 pm, I experienced a tire blow out on Intersate 84. I pulled over to the left side of the road (where there was no shoulder) on a rather steep slope, and proceeded to empty my boot / trunk of its contents in order to reach the 'doughnut' spare, while my kids spread a blanket out in the middle of the median and enjoyed the respite with their Gameboy.

Upon successful completion of the tire change, and after re-filling my boot in the pitch dark with all its former contents spread out in the highway median, my car (because of its unusual 30 degree tilt to port) sputtered out of fuel. There would have been enough in the tank had I been on level ground, but....

... and while I waited for the tow truck, my battery died. I reached into my glove box and pulled out my flashlight... which held two dead AA batteries....

Finally, the tow truck operator arrived, poured 3 gallons of petrol in the tank, jump started the car, and I was off... or so I thought. The spare tire was so old that it had dry rotted.

The tow truck operator came back, and towed me to the nearest hotel for an unplanned overnight stay.

Now, my $85 roadside assistance bill suddenly jumped to include a new tire, a tow to the shop, and an overnight stay at a small independent hotel with an unlikely moniker, the "Royal Inn."

Through the entire ordeal, I laughed. It was an adventure, nothing more. My children were thoroughly enjoying the diversion, and the interruption was a welcome opportunity for them to stretch their legs.

Staying in a hotel is always great fun for the kids, and missing another day of school was icing on the cake for them.

Should I have been upset? I could have been. But to what end? I found the entire experience enjoyable, if unexpected. The leaves were a gorgeous series of oranges, yellows and reds, and had I been able to continue home in the dark, I would have missed the entire show.

This way, I was able to drive all morning and enjoy beautiful vistas the entire way.

Of course, the $365 in additional expenses is something I'll have to adjust to until pay day, but as prices for adventure go, this one was pretty small.

Whether reacting to other people or the curve balls life throws at us, we still hold the power to control our responses. High adventure! That's what life's all about. Breath it in deeply, and enjoy every crazy moment.

R.I.P. King Tom

Fri, 15 Sep 2006 20:42:38 GMT

I'm shocked and saddened to learn that our dear friend, King Tom passed away in his sleep this past Tuesday. I derived great delight from his energy and wit, as did countless others who visited his blog site.

If you're so inclined, please join me in eulogizing him at his blog site http://ifiwereking.spaces.live.com.

For the latest information, visit Michael T's site http://mthalman.spaces.live.com/.

Long Live the King.

Jambalaya! (Caution - this dish is NOT Kosher!)

Thu, 14 Sep 2006 21:44:36 GMT

I know... I have REALLY slacked off since I got back from the big Balkan playground... kids, classes, work, cooking, baking, gardening... where does the time go?!!

If anyone's interested, I'll throw out my homemade apple pie recipe sometime (get out your cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla extract).

But... at least I can fulfill one request (Steph!!) - My Jambalaya recipe. Actually, I think I will officially change the name to Jambalaya!

Here it is:

Jambalaya!

Ingredients:

4 cups water

2 cans tomato paste

1 lb jumbo shrimp (uncooked, frozen) - you can substitute crawfish if you're so inclined

1 lb cubed smoked sausage or smoked ham (you can substitute yardbird if you'd prefer... that's 'chicken' for those of you from the city, 'McNuggets' if you're under the age of 20.

1 Garlic Clove

1 Onion

4 Bell Peppers (pick pretty colors - they won't make it taste better, but they look better)

6 Jalapeño peppers

6 Average-sized tomatoes

2 cans black beans

1 or 2 Packets of Zatarain’s Jambalaya rice. What?! You think I do EVERYthing from scratch??!! If you're that much of a purist, then I'll be happy to provide you with the information necessary to begin raising your own swine and shrimp.

Okay - if you want to use regular rice and make your own Creole seasoning, I found a couple of recipes at http://www.gumbopages.com/food/creole.html (BTW, there's also a good recipe for gumbo at http://www.gumbopages.com/food/gumbo.html).

Pour water into crock pot. Turn crock pot on low heat.

Add tomato paste.

Heat to boiling 6-8 cups water in large pot for tomatoes.... keep water to use for shrimp later.

Dip tomatoes in one at a time and soak, boiling, for a couple of minutes, until the skins begin to peel. Remove from water, and peel skins off (discard skins - keep tomatoes).

Set aside.

Dump shrimp into still boiling water, then reduce heat to medium for approx. 5 minutes. Pour out water and set aside to peel later. Try to think of someone you don’t like, and invite them over to peel the shrimp.

Cut sausage or ham into big chunks. Place in crock pot.

Chop fine garlic clove and onion. Add to sausage or ham.

Chop and combine bell peppers, Jalapeños, tomatoes. Add mixture to crock pot.

Add black beans, as well as the water their packed in to crock pot. Mix well.

Meanwhile, since no one responded to your invitation to peel shrimp, you’d better get cracking - and stop eating those shrimp!

Add the shrimp to the crock pot.

Turn crock pot to high heat for 30 minutes to an hour, then reduce heat to low setting for 6 - 8 hours.

Approximately ½ hour prior to serving (don't do this too early, or the rice will turn to paste!!):

Prepare rice as directed on package. Either add rice to crock pot or serve on the side. Serve with thick cuts of homemade bread, or in bread bowls.

Season with paprika and fresh ground peppercorn. Garnish with fresh Coriander or Cilantro.

Feeds 1 to 2 dozen hungry people comfortably.

Speak in Jamaician or Haitian accent while enjoying.

Bon Appétit!!

Post script: I sometimes double the recipe. After all, if I showed up at work with just enough Jambalaya! for a couple dozen people, there would be a riot!! This usually means borrowing another crockpot, unless you're guilty of owning several. This also means you need to ensure you have enough space in your kitchen to assemble everything.

Hey! Here's an idea... if you read this and decide you're up to it, get your camera out and snap some shots (or have someone else with clean hands do so) and then send them my way - I'll post them here and give you the credit.

You can email them to me at timbloss@hotmail.com.