A Tale Of Two Summers

 

A Tale Of Two Summers

Some people are famous and some are infamous. Some simply are themselves and make a difference in a quiet manner with little fanfare. The following entry has some of both. It originally ran on August 1, 2006.

Four decades ago, Charles Whitman's name was added to the history books. On August 1, 1966, the twenty-five year old ex-Marine and Eagle Scout barricaded himself in the Texas Tower on the University of Texas campus in Austin. Perched high above the city and with a sniper's vantage point, Whitman picked off unsuspecting victims for roughly ninety minutes before being shot to death by several police officers. The death count at the conclusion of his rampage was fifteen, including his wife and mother who were killed earlier the same day. Thirty others were wounded. One of Whitman's targets died about five years ago. A rifle shot had destroyed his kidney, leaving him to survive for more than thirty years on dialysis. Weary of the toll the procedure was taking, David Gunby stopped his treatment and passed away in a matter of days. It is amazing to watch film clips and witness the change in television over the years, both in the camerawork and the methods of reporting. Charles Whitman, in some measure, was a precursor to the tragedy that would be Columbine. Back then, our society was more innocent and susceptible to shock. Charles Whitman helped pull back the curtain to provide a morbid glimpse into a culture swirling toward a violent future.

Let me tell you another Texas story. In the July 20 web version of The Observer, a community paper in Kingwood, we find the account of Beth Grimnes. A twenty year old life guard at a community pool, Beth resuscitated a ten year old boy who come into contact with a high voltage of electricity, jolting him into cardiac arrest. Beth, who had never even had to attempt to rescue a swimmer in her five years, performed CPR and mouth to mouth, reviving the boy and delivering him alive to the paramedics. The young man's mother credits Beth with saving her child's life and giving proper credit, proclaimed "God used her in a major way." Beth Grimnes- life saver and hero. This is one of those 'rest of the story' stories. You see, Beth Grimnes is one of my former students. In the 1999-2000 term, Beth was in my eighth grade Bible class. What an absolute jewel of a girl. Once she was helping me with an errand before first period and I introduced her to our secretary as, "my assistant, The Lovely Beth Grimnes." I started calling her LBG for short, a nickname she loved. Beth's younger sister, Katie, got mad because Beth would never tell her what the initials stood for. Katie also asked if I would give her a nickname, a request I never got around to fulfilling. The Grimnes family moved to the other side of Houston after Beth's eighth grade year and that's how she ended up in Kingwood, Texas on the afternoon of June 14, 2006. The family of Zachary Ives believes the Lord arranged for The Lovely Beth Grimnes to be sitting on the life guard chair that day. I would never argue with them.

There you have it, the tale of two Texans separated by forty years and radically different conclusions. One is infamous while the other will be remembered for all the right reasons. In Luke 6:9, Jesus was addressing a dispute over the Sabbath. The Savior asked a question that allowed only one correct reply: "Is it lawful to save life or to destroy life?" In the summer of 1966, Charles Whitman chose the latter. In the summer of 2006, Beth Grimnes opted for the former. And one ten year old boy will see his eleventh birthday because she did.

 Applicable quote of the day:
"We can't all be heroes because someone has to sit on the curb and clap as they go by."
Will Rogers

God bless,
Steve
Luke18:1

The Rearrangement

 

The Rearrangement

I'm not the most flexible person God created but sometimes, we have to make changes. The following, from March 1, 2006, is about the need we face at points in our lives to do some rearranging.

Yesterday was strange. I got sick on Tuesday and I never get sick. I've never missed a day of teaching due to illness and was not about to start; I toughed it out. A headache came on early in the day and three aspirin and eight Tylenol couldn't shake it. As soon as I got home from school, I hit the bed and slept for three hours. Food had no appeal and neither did work. I just wanted to get better. Guess how I feel today? I can't tell you how absolutely great I feel! I wish I felt this good everyday! The truth is, I do feel this good 99% of the time but it takes a bad day to realize it. By tomorrow, the euphoria will have passed but, at least for now, it's pretty exciting!

How often do we take life for granted? Mission trips sober us to the reality of the bounty of our lifestyle. Many feel a sense of guilt re-entering our culture with its opulence after spending time with some of the poorest humans on earth. But soon, the feeling goes into dormancy until our next trip. Most of us have exactly what we need, not to just get by, but thrive. This in my first blog entry from home. Last night, 10:00 pm CST, my Compaq Presario 1200 met the Internet for the first time, having been introduced by the computer matchmaker of Westbury Christian, Kevin Duncan. It was a difficult courtship, complete with anger, impatience, miscommunication, and PRAYER! Finally, the romance was a reality. What a terrific way to end a miserable day! In the course of installing my computer and its DSL, I had to rearrange my apartment. The desk now resides where the easy chair was, the easy chair moved to replace the dining room table, and the dining room table took over the space vacated by the desk. It's like I have a brand new apartment! Now, you have to realize I have lived in the same place for eight years and haven't changed things around one time. Necessity required a shuffling of the furniture but it's almost made it fun to come home. The furniture is not new but being in a different location gives it a different feel. The pieces were already there; moving them around just makes them seem, if not quite new, at least newer. To quote the worst grammar ever from a rock song:
"Oz never did give nothing to the Tin Man,That he didn't, didn't already have." (America, 1974)
Every English teacher in the US could grind their teeth over that word usage but we get the point. Our lives resemble a jigsaw puzzle. All the pieces are there but putting them together takes time as well as trial-and-error. I am convinced that God gives us the parts to succeed, along with an assembly manual but we don't believe we have the necessary materials encoded in our DNA. I could have been computer literate but I chose to doubt myself. I could have done many things that I convinced myself were beyond my reach. Confidence comes from success and success grows from the seeds God plants in us. It's Spring; time to let those heavenly seeds germinate and bloom!

Applicable quote of the day:
"What a surprise to find that you could shift the contents of your head like rearranging furniture in a room."
Lisa Alther

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Choosing Sides

 

Choosing Sides

The Texas high school football playoffs are not far off and  champions will be crowned in a number of size classifications. The following entry was based on my favorite television show which was based on high school football in Texas. This is from February 14, 2007.

We had a disagreement in my sophomore Bible class yesterday, centering around an incident in the television series, Friday Night Lights. In last week's episode, Dillon High School was staging a powder puff flag football game for its female students. Two football players, Matt and Tim, were the coaches and as such, had to pick their squads from the thirty or so girls assembled in the gym. Matt had first pick. Sitting off to the side was his girlfriend, Julie, who happens to be the football coach's daughter. Julie is being forced to play in the game by her mother as punishment for skipping classes. It is obvious Julie doesn't want to be there or have anything to do with the contest. So, Matt picks Tyra, a good athlete, first and doesn't select his sweetheart Julie until third. Julie is very chapped. I explained the scenario to my class and asked the girls if Julie was right to be angry. Lea took the position, adamantly, that Julie should have been upset. I wondered why, knowing that she didn't want to play and Lea's reply was loyalty. Lea turned the question around and asked me and the boys in second period what our response would be if our girlfriend didn't pick us in those circumstances. Universally, the boys' answer echoed mine: "THANK YOU!" Lea was mystified and even rekindled the discussion with several other male faculty members at the end of school who, of course, took the same stance as her favorite Bible teacher. When I presented the situation in my other classes, every girl sided with Lea and every boy saw eye-to-eye with me. Talk about following the party line!

Today, I had several of my students write messages on the Love Board. Although normally a strictly optional expression of "love" for the opposite gender, I imposed on four girls to each take a five inch by five inch square and post a public Valentine. There were two provisos: the thoughts had to be in the young ladies' native language and they could not tell me the content of their statements. Kim wrote in Vietnamese, SunWoo printed in Korean, and Joy and Eva penned their pronouncements in Mandarin Chinese. During the day, I pointed out their squares to my classes. There were several students who could translate one box but no one could understand all of the five inch impromptu Hallmark cards. I even had Kim read hers aloud but no one else in that period could comprehend her words. All of us saw the identical scripts and some even listened to a pronunciation but the meanings were hidden by language barriers. In a sense, it was like the difference between the way the boys and girls view the choosing/not choosing the girlfriend for the powder puff team. The lens our decision was filtered through was dependent on our gender. We saw the same event but came to diametrically opposed conclusions. Sometimes, we can see but not really see. I don't understand why Lea and the other young ladies think as they do but it isn't a big deal. Some things are a big deal. Jesus told his disciples, "blessed are your eyes because they see and your ears because they hear." The Savior was referring to parables and the understanding the apostles would gain versus the ignorance of the crowds. Today, my understanding was shrouded in ignorance. I saw what those girls wrote...but it had no meaning to me. I heard what Kim read....but her words were unintelligible noises to my ears. I could learn....but without incentive, I won't. I can fathom the meaning of God's word but that doesn't mean I will. Sometimes, I can't even understand a teenage girl.

Applicable quote of the day:
"There are two great unknown forces today, electricity and woman, but men can reckon much better on electricity than they can on woman."
Josephine K. Henry

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

When OK Is Not

 

When OK Is Not

This entry from October 29, 2018 is about one of my favorite students and a haircut!
I got a haircut last Wednesday but that isn't really what this is about. I actually liked it when I got all the gel that Kim, the Korean lady who cuts my hair, slathered on. My take is that if I like the result, I can make it a couple of hours before the shower washes it down the drain and Kim is great at what she does! That brings me to Thursday.... and Euphe. I should say here that Euphe is one of my all-time favorite students. I've written a blog about her kindness in bringing me a wonderful gift back from her homeland, China, two years ago. Twice she has been in my classes, as both an 8th grader and last year as junior in my Gospels course. Both times, she excelled. Her English is tremendous and she has the ability to be funny in her second language, a skill many can never master. Last month, I wrote her college letter of recommendation and it was a glowing piece of literature to accurately describe this young lady. But let's get back to Thursday.

It was lunchtime and I eat with the high school kids this year after five years with our elementary children. Euphe's path crossed mine between the salad bar and the soup station. She asked, "Did you get a haircut?" Instead of answering yes or no, I replied with, "Do you like it?" She gave me a quizzical look and said, "It's OK." I acted hurt- you know emotional I am. When the final bell rang several hours later, she came up to greet me like she always does and I reminded her that my feelings were bruised. Euphe told me, "Well, OK means better than average." I explained to her that it didn't. She then countered with saying my haircut was nice. I told her that was even worse! We laughed and parted ways until the next haircut or second language nuance lessons, whichever comes first.

Today at lunch, I told her she would be the subject of my blog tonight and I would make her look good which isn't hard. Euphe liked that and asked when it would be posted so she could read it. Here's what I learned from my recent conversations with this terrific young lady. First, don't ask a question if you don't want to know the answer. Usually, students will tell me great or awesome when I ask that question. OK just left me hanging. It also reinforced the complexity of language and how you might have to come from a culture to get all the idiosyncrasies involved in the native dialect. And as I mentioned before, Euphe has a very good grasp of English and as good a vocabulary as many American kids. You know what's funny? Euphe came up in my classes that same week as she has this time for the past several years. I reference her in the story of the sinful woman who washed Jesus feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. I make the point that hair to a woman is almost sacred, especially in certain cultures, and the girls all shake their heads in agreement. And that's when Euphe's name pops up. You see, she has the longest hair at WCS, almost to her knees, and has for several years. She'll never get it cut before graduation which is in seven months for her. But if she did and happened to ask me what I thought, I've got my answer already ready. "AWESOME!!" And that's not splitting hairs. 

Applicable quote of  the day:
“Every barber thinks everybody needs a haircut.” 
M.F. Moonzajer

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Little Yellow House

 

The Little Yellow House

 

This is from July 29, 2021.

If you're my Facebook friend, you might have noticed that three weeks ago, I took an eight day road trip to Kansas. Normally, I only visit my brothers and their families in Wichita during Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays but not being able to go on my usual Vietnam mission left me with time on my hands. Dave had recently missed his high school reunion in our hometown of York, Nebraska and wanted to make the four hour trip to touch base with a few stops along the way. (See my last week's blog about the World's Biggest Ball Of Twine!) One thing we did in York was pose at our elementary school and the four houses in which we grew up. That's the shots above taken decades apart- I'm the smallest human. This was the first house we called home in Nebraska; 1012 Kiplinger Avenue. I was happy to see it has retained its yellow hue.

We moved here from Brooklyn where Dave and I were born and here is where my memories really begin. I was four and everything in the world was exciting. Dad was a preacher, Mom was a stay at home mom at the time, Scott was a few years away, and Cecelya and Sandy had not yet joined our family. This house was owned by Dale and Raylene Larson. He was the President of York College and I grew up with their children, Aloha and Zane. The house was small but it had some great features! The living room wallpaper was the Grand Teton Mountains and the ceiling in the room Dave and I shared had the solar system on the ceiling that glowed when the lights were out. Our neighbors in the next two houses, the Gurganuses and the Thomases, both had York College structures named after them so we were in high society. Dad's office, the church building, was fifteen seconds away by foot and I loved spending time there- I was especially fascinated by the baptistry. This is where we lived when Dad started cutting our hair and taking us to YC basketball games- pretty sure we got in for free! Mom, as the preacher's wife, played hostess for every baby and bridal shower for every young lady in our congregation. It was here where our folks had us skip meals so we could give the money saved to missionaries, something they explained but I did not get at the time. Fast was how you ran, not something you went without to a little boy. I somehow survived measles/mumps/chicken pox on this piece of land. School began for me in this house and I've never left. Even at five, I walked to Willard School, five blocks away. And then after about four years, we moved to another house, the first our parents ever owned, and more memories of growing up and being shaped would follow. That's several more pictures and stories for another day. 

It's never meant that much to me that I was born in Brooklyn, although someday I would like a Brooklyn Dodgers hat. (7 1/4 if you are interested!) Do you know how many times we are told Jesus returned to Bethlehem, His birthplace? None! I do wonder if He ever had the urge to travel the six miles down the road when in Jerusalem for Passover. On the other hand, we are told about Him returning to Nazareth where He had been brought up and how He was referred to as Jesus of Nazareth. His reception in His hometown was anything but warm; they wanted to kill Him after His synagogue proclamation that He was the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecies. Dave and I had no such hostile reaction- we just slipped in and out. There are two things I did notice from the respective pictures posted above. The first is that in the 2021 photograph, I'm wearing a Nebraska Youth Camp shirt with HOME emblazoned on the front. I didn't think that out beforehand but it was appropriate. (Shoutout to my WCS colleague Jay Roberts for this addition to my wardrobe!) The second thing that hit me is that my picture pose is unchanged from that autumn (I'm wearing flannel) day many moons ago. Hair pushed over my left eye, hands in pocket. The one thing different is I am missing Mom's motherly touch and Dave is missing Dad's. That's OK. They gave us the foundation to be able to stand when they were gone and much of that grounding came in these four yellow walls.

Applicable quote of the day:
When you finally go back to your old home, you find it wasn't the old home you missed but your childhood.
Sam Ewing

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

The Passing

 

The Passing

I was blessed with great women and men of faith in my life as a child. This entry, from June 7, 2011, is about one of them.
A great man died yesterday. Brother Alex Humphrey passed away in Florida with his loving family family bedside. Alex might not have been an international icon but that does not preclude him from giant status. He was my Bible professor at York College and a more knowledgeable scholar I've  never known. He taught me Hebrews but while expounding on the Word, he taught me and a generation of YC students a whole lot about life. He knew the Scriptures but more important to me as a kid, he lived the teachings of Jesus. He was plain spoken and you knew where he stood but he did it with a deep down gentleness that many preachers and educators lack. A piece of York College died when Alex Humphrey took his last breath on Monday.

But, there was more to the man than just an academician or minister. He and his lovely wife, Ruth, were like an extra set of parents to me. I grew up in a unique church where almost all of the adults were connected to the college. In fact, there was no Church of Christ in York, Nebraska until York College, which had been closed for a number of years, was reopened by a new faculty and administration. Most of  the members in that small Midwestern congregation were southerners educated at colleges like Harding, Abilene Christian, and David Lipscomb and who came to staff the college. The parents looked out for each others' kids and although unrelated by blood, we became extended families. None of the parents were divorced, all the moms cooked, and they all had a universal blessing to correct the others' children should the need arise. I remembering staying with the Humphreys and their son, Phil, in their gracious home when my folks traveled. Ironically, now as a Houstonian, I struggled to decipher their Texas accents! But they looked after me as their own in my mom's and dad's absence. I just don't think you see that commonality of purpose much anymore in churches, especially in larger locales. Alex helped me maintain my bearings when I wandered and my folks did the same for many of my church contemporaries. I know Phil is grieving today with the loss of his beloved father. He'll find out, as my siblings and I did when our folks went to be with the Lord, how much love his father left behind. But then, it's really no surprise. Alex Humphrey was simply part of a mighty large family, a family that has lost one of its remaining patriarchs.

Applicable quote of the day:
"Great men, unknown to their generation, have their fame among the great who have preceded them, and all true worldly fame subsides from their high estimate beyond the stars."
Henry David Thoreau

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1

Charitable Donation

 

Charitable Donation

Larry Roder, who is my brother in Christ, does my taxes each year. The biggest part of my preparation is putting together records for Larry. You want to learn about a wonderful charitable donation? Read on, from March 1, 2007.

I can't stand the Dallas Cowboys. It goes back to college days. One of my friends, Gary Beck, was from Dallas and was firmly convinced the only reason the Cowboys ever lost was due to an NFL conspiracy. It became very easy to root against America's Team. That hard line stance melted today as I was reading the ESPN website. A story came over the wires about former Cowboy teammates, Ron Springs and Everson Walls. The duo played together for four seasons in the early 1980's, establishing a friendship that would spiral outward to include their spouses and kids. After retirement, the two remained close, to the point of being named godfathers to the other's children. More than fifteen years ago, Springs was diagnosed with diabetes and has digressed steadily, in spite of thrice-weekly dialysis. He has lost the functional use of one hand and has endured the amputation of a foot and the removal of toes on the other. In dire need of a kidney transplant, Springs turned to relatives, including his son, who plays for the Washington Redskins, and a niece, but concerns removed those kin from the donor list. Almost offhandedly, Walls offered to be tested.... and came up a match. The long term friendship between the former athletes was cemented yesterday as Everson Walls' kidney was transplanted into Ron Springs' failing body. Assuming no rejection, Springs is expected to regain motion in his hand and walk on his own once more, discarding the wheelchair that has become his transport. They are the first retired American athletes to participate in an organ swap.

Ironically, the player perceived by many to be the worst current teammate also plays for the Cowboys. who, fairly or not, has been labeled a team killer and is suspected of poisoning relationships with former quarterbacks Jeff Garcia and Donovan McNabb. Maybe T.O. could use some mentoring from Walls and Springs in regards to loyalty and camaraderie. I've noticed with my own players that it is easier for them to swallow physical play from an opponent in a game than from a teammate/classmate in a practice session. Maybe we expect it from the opposition but subconsciously believe those wearing the same jerseys as we do should cut us some slack. Jesus dealt with discord in the ranks of his apostles. James and John wanted to elevate their standing over the other ten. Friction probably arose between the tax collector, Matthew, and his eleven co-workers who hated tax collectors. It is possible that Judas was the only one of the Twelve not from Galilee, leaving him on the outside looking in in terms of accent and cultural literacy. Still, the Savior did just fine with the dozen he hand-picked after a prayer session. Minus Judas, they bonded through suffering and setbacks and became the mightiest evangelistic force in history. Everson Walls risked his life/lifestyle giving up his kidney to re-energize the life of his teammate and friend, Ron Springs. Would Bartholomew have sacrificed an organ for Phillip or would James, son of Alphaeus, given his kidney to James, son of Zebedee? In my book, there is not a shred of doubt. That's what a teammate does, even a retired teammate whose vantage point is now on the sidelines.

Applicable quote of the day:
"It's a big deal. You've got to understand now, this man is giving me something to make my life better. I would tell everybody in America, be a donor. The ultimate donor was Jesus Christ- he gave his whole life for us."Ron Springs (on receiving a kidney from Everson Walls)

God bless,
Steve
Luke 18:1