I DRIVE A REALLY OLD PICK-UP TRUCK -

LOTS OF RUST

SLOOPY STEERING

SQUEEKY BRAKES

NON EXHISTANT SHOCKS

IT GETS ME WHERE IN NEED TO GO ...



I TRY TO DRIVE MOSTLY DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS

WHEN I CAN SEE THE GULLIES AND DITCHES AND SHEAR DROP OFFS ON THESE BACKWOODS ROADWAYS I CALL HOME

I DON'T LIKE SEEING THEM ...
GUARD RAILS ARE A LUXURY !

BUT AT NIGHT THESE MENACING OBSTACLES DO NOT IMPEDE MY TRAVEL

THE HEADLIGHTS ON MY TRUCK HAVE WELCOMED BLINDERS

I CANNOT SEE THEM

THEREFORE THEY ARE NOT THERE ! !




MAKES ME WONDER ABOUT SIN . . .




AM I  MORE CAUTIOUS DURING THE DAY ?



DO I ONLY SEE WHAT IS ILLUMINATED AT NIGHT ?


DO I HAVE BLINDERS ON ? ?





PEACE&LOVE&LOY&BLESSINGS!

BRAKES HAVE BEEN AROUND FOR QUITE A LONG TIME . . .

WAGONS HAD THEM

HORSES HAVE THEM

TRAINS, PLANES AND AUTOMOBILES HAVE THEM

SO TODAY LET'S BEGIN WITH YOUR CAR - -

YOUR CAR HAS BRAKES !
AND THEY DO ONE THING -
STOP THE CAR ! !
BUT YOU KNEW THAT, DIDN'T YOU ?!?!

BUT WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU LOOKED AT YOUR BRAKES ? ?

I DON'T HAVE TO LOOK YOU SAY ...

I KNOW ABOUT HOW MANY MILES I HAVE LEFT ON THEM -
THE MECHANIC JUST SAID THAT THERE WAS PLENTY OF GOOD MEAT STILL LEFT ON THEM -
THEY FEEL OK TO ME -
THEY AREN'T SQUEEKING YEY -
I'M STILL STOPPING -

OK - - SO WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CHECKED YOUR BRAKE FLUID ???

OR LOOKED AT THE LINES ???

OR LOOKED TO SEE IF YOUR MASTER CYLINDER WAS LEAKING ???

NOPE . . .

ALL I KNOW IS THAT THE CAR STILL STOPS ! ! !

HOW ABOUT IN THE RAIN ? ?

OR THE SNOW ? ?

OR ON THE ICE ? ?

WELL -
I USE A LITTLE MORE CAUTION THEN . . . I DON'T GO AS FAST ...

BUT I STILL GO !

HOW ABOUT THAT MANIAC OVER THERE ON THAT SIDE STREET THAT'S BARRELLING DOWN ON YA ???

WHAT ABOUT HIS BRAKES ? ? ?

SURE HOPE HE STOPS IN TIME . . .

SO I GUESS THAT WE ARE ALL IN AGREEMENT - -

BRAKES ARE PRETTY DARN IMPORTANT ... EVEN IF WE DON'T THINK ABOUT THEM TOO OFTEN !!!

NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT YOU AND ME . . .

AND OUR INTERNAL BRAKES

YOU KNOW

THE ONES WE HAVE TO STOP SIN ! !

THE ONES ATTACHED TO OUR EYES AND EARS AND TONGUES AND HANDS AND MINDS AND HEARTS

DO YA NEED A BRAKE JOB ? ? ?

THINK ABOUT IT ! ! !

PEACE&LOVE&JOY&BLESSINGS!

PAY ATTENTION !!

I SAID FINAL NOTE FROM THE FARM . . . NOT ME ! ! !

SEASONS CHANGE AND TIME MARCHES ON -
AND SO IT IS WITH THE FARM

IT'S TIME TO TRAVEL A DIFFERENT PATH, TO TRAVEL TO NEW DESTINATIONS, TO EXPERIENCE NEW BEGINNINGS ... AGAIN . . .

WE DIDN'T PLAN TO LEAVE THE FARM -
WE DIDN'T PLAN TO SAY GOODBYE TO OUR FOUR LEGGED FRIENDS -
WE DIDN'T PLAN TO LOOSE SO MUCH -

THINGS AS THEY ARE, IT IS TIME TO GO

I COULD BLAME IT ON ECONOMICS OR POOR LONG TERM PLANNING OR LOSS OF JOBS OR A HUNDRED OTHER THINGS

BUT BLAMING DOES NO GOOD - BRINGS NO SOLUTION - SOLVES NO PROBLEMS

SO WE PUSH EVER FORWARD

AND HAVE HOPE

HOPE IN THE PROMISE OF THAT NEW DAY...

THE ONE WE ALL LONG FOR . . .

GOD HAS MADE ME STRONG

GOD HAS MADE ME RESILIENT

GOD HAS GIVEN ME PEACE AND HOPE AND GOD HAS KEPT ME EYES LOOKING UPWARDS

AND SO THE HORSES RUN TO GREENER PASTURES AND THE GOATS WILL FAINT IN DISTANT FIELDS

I GOT TO LIVE A MINI DREAM . . . THAT OF AN OLD HIPPIE FARMER

AND I WILL CHERISH THAT THE REST OF MY LIFE

THIS IS NOT GOODBYE

THIS IS JUST ANOTHER NEW ADVENTURE

AND I'M SURE I'LL SEND YOU PICTURES

DOWN BUT NEVER OUT -

BBB

I DON'T THINK I EVER INTRODUCED YOU TO BO -

A PURE BRED BOXER, SON OF MY DAUGHTER JANNA'S BOXERS -

WE GOT HIM SEVERAL MONTHS AGO AND MISS TONI AND CHRISTOPHER BECAME QUITE ATTACHED -

I LIKED HIM TOO ...


SOME DAYS I HATE BEING A FARMER !

SOME DAYS THE CHOICES ARE A LITTLE TOUGHER THAN OTHERS !

SOME DAYS JUST STINK !


BO GOT PARVO ...

BO GOT IT EVEN AFTER THE VACCINATIONS ...

BO GOT IT EVEN AFTER THE LOVE AND CARE THAT ANY MAN'S BEST FRIEND COULD HAVE ...


AND SO I HAD TO BE A FARMER . . .

I HAD TO PUT HIM DOWN . . .

AND IT STUNK . . .


NOW I IMAGINE GOD IS WATCHING US - -

AND HE SEES EVERYTHING THAT WE DO - -

AND EVERYTHING THAT WE DO EFFECTS HIS PERFECT HEART - -


AND EVEN WHEN HE GIVES US THE BEST OF CARE, THE BEST HE HAS, THE VACCINATIONS AGAINST THIS WORLD WE LIVE IN, WE BECOME SICK.
SOMETIMES THROUGH OUR OWN FAULT, SOMETIMES THROUGH NO FAULT AT ALL.

AND HE MUST BE THE FARMER !



PLEASE KEEP US IN YOUR PRAYERS TODAY AS WE DEAL WITH THIS FAMILY LOSS . . .

AND THANK GOD FOR LOVING US SO MUCH AS TO BE THE FARMER SUPREME . . .

I AIN'T JESUS !

NOPE, NOT EVEN CLOSE !!

'BOUT AS FAR AS ANY ONE MAN CAN BE !!!


SOME PEOPLE SAY YA GOTTA BE LIKE JESUS ...

ACT LIKE JESUS ...

WALK IN HIS SHOES ...



I SAY - - IMPOSSIBLE ! ! !

I AIN'T JESUS ! !



NOW THE GOOD BOOK SAYS THAT WE WAS BORN IN THE IMAGE AND LIKENESS OF GOD . . .

DON'T REMEMBER READIN' THAT WE WAS GOD !

OR THAT WE HAD TO BECOME GOD !


I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE JESUS AND ONE GOD ! ! !


SO I GUESS THAT MAKES ME A CREATURE ...

I CAME FROM DUST ...

AND DUST THESE BONES WILL BE AGAIN ...

BUT IN THE MEANTIME I HAVE LOTS OF SPACE TO FILL AND THINGS TO DO . . .


SO GOD GIVES ME AN INSTRUCTION BOOK - -

SO I CAN PUT THE PIECES TOGETHER - -

AND MAKE SOMETHING OUTTA IT - -



LIKE MOST MEN I LOOK AT THE PICTURES AND TRY TO ASSEMBLE IT - - -

SOMETIMES THE DIRECTIONS CONFUSE ME - - -

SOMETIMES TWO PIECES LOOK LIKE THEY SHOULD FIT - - -

SOMETIMES I KNOCK A PIECE OR TWO UNDER THE COUCH - - -

SOMETIMES I BREAK A PIECE - - -



USUALLY MY WIFE DON'T SHOOT ME WHEN I MESS UP -

I DON'T GET DIVORCED OR PUT IN JAIL OR HANG FROM THE NEAREST TREE -

I AIN'T JESUS -



SOME DAYS I GET LUCKY AND MAKE SOMETHING . . .

IT LOOKS PRETTY GOOD . . .

IT MIGHT EVEN WORK . . .

FOR AWHILE . . .


THEN IT RUSTS OR STOPS RUNNIN' OR FALLS OVER OR JUST PLAIN QUITS !

PAINT ME IT CRIES - OIL ME - TIGHTEN THE SCREWS - SHORE ME UP - PLUG ME BACK IN - REMOVE THE DUST !


AND IF WE WANT IT TO LAST, WE DO JUST THAT ! ! !

OR WE TROW IT OUT WITH YESTERDAYS GARBAGE ! ! !



IF I WERE JESUS I THINK I WOULD BE THE MAYTAG REPAIR MAN...


BUT I AIN'T JESUS . . .


YOU DON'T OFTEN SEE ME QUOTIN' FROM THE BOOK A DIRECTIONS,

YA SEE, EVERYBODY READS THEM DIFFERENTLY,

AND SOME DIRECTION BOOKS EVEN HAVE DIRECTIONS FOR THE DIRECTIONS, WRITIN' BY SOME WISE MAN,

THEN HOW COME MY WISE MAN AND YOUR WISE MAN HAVE US BUILDING TWO DIFFERENT THINGS ??

I THINK THERE'S ONLY ONE WISE MAN !

AND I AIN'T HE !

NOW IN A PERFECT WORLD ALL OUR THINGS WOULD LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME, AFTER ALL, WE ALL HAVE THE SAME DIRECTIONS, DON'T WE ?!?!?


AND YA KNOW WHAT - I'M GLAD MY THING DON'T LOOK LIKE YOUR THING, AND YOUR THING DON'T LOOK LIKE MY THING AND HER THING DON'T LOOK LIKE HIS THING . . .

CAUSE IF THEY ALL WAS THE SAME THEN WE'D NEED NO MORE DIRECTIONS, NO MORE INSTRUCTION, NO MORE JESUS !!!


I DON'T WANT TO BE JESUS ! !

TOO HARD ! !

I CAN'T BE JESUS ! !

TOO COSTLY ! !

AND I WOULD NEVER MEASURE UP ! !


I DO HOWEVER WANT TO FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS IN ORDER TO MAKE THAT PRETTY THING - -
TO ACCOMPLISH IT - -
TO SEE THE FINAL PRODUCT - -

AND WHEN I LOOSE A PIECE OR BREAK ONE OR NEED TO TAKE A LITTLE REST FROM THE PROJECT, IT'S OK !!!
WHEN I RETURN THE DIRECTIONS ARE STILL RIGHT THERE !!!
AND SO IS MY JESUS !!!



GOOD THING I'M NOT JESUS !

I'D ABANDON THE PROJECT WAY TOO MANY TIMES !

I'D GIVE UP AND GIVE IN !

I'D TROW UP MY ARMS AND SAY I QUIT !

I'D GO THE EASY ROAD AND MAKE IT MY WAY !

NO MATTER HOW IT LOOKED !


SO WHAT'S THE MORAL OF THIS LITTLE STORY ??


IN ONE WORD . . .


"LOVE"


I AIN'T NO JESUS -

CAUSE HE LOVES NO MATTER WHAT . . .

GOD KNOWS WHAT HE'S DOING !!
HE SENT ME CAMPING WITH THE BOY SCOUTS THIS WEEK . . .
HE KNEW A CRISIS WAS BREWING -
AND HE CHOSE TO KEEP ME OUT OF IT - - - 'TIL NOW ! !

YOU SEE, I THINK PART OF THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN BIG BOO SPEAKS, BOO'S LISTEN...
REMEMBER THE E.F. HUTTON COMMERCIALS ON TV ??
I LOVED THEM !
EVERYONE STOPPED WHAT THEY WERE DOING AND LISTENED - -

WELL, I'M JUST A BIG BOO - NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS !!!
SO GOD DECIDED TO HELP THE BOO'S ALONG -
YOU SEE, WHEN GOD SPEAKS EVERYONE SHOULD LISTEN ! ! !

SO GOD SPOKE -
BY BEING SILENT AND GIVING sATAN A LITTLE ROOM TO PLAY...
AND PLAY HE DID ! !

NOW I DON'T REALLY NEED TO POINT OUT HOW I BELIEVE THAT GOD PUT US ALL TOGETHER FOR A REASON - A PURPOSE, I'VE SAID IT BEFORE. AND WE, A SMALL GROUP OF GOD'S PEOPLE HAVE MADE QUITE AN IMPACT ON ONE ANOTHER, GOD'S WORLD AND sATAN'S EMPIRE. HAD WE A LITTLE MORE WISDOM, WE MAY HAVE FORESEEN RECENT EVENTS AND THE ATTACK THAT PLAGUED US. MAKE NO MISTAKE BOO'S, WE HAVE ROYALLY TICKED OFF THE oNE WHO HAS BEEN GIVEN THE EARTH AS hIS PLAYGROUND !  AND hE CLOSED OUT THE YEAR LAUGHING AT US AND SAYING - SEE, GOD, I TOLD YOU SO . . .

THAT BEING SAID - WE SURE MUST HAVE SOME KINDA SPIRITUAL WEAPONS IN OUR HANDS !!!
 SOMEHOW OUR ARMOR GOT A BIG CHINK IN IT !!

REPAIRING THE ARMOR IS NOT THE ONLY NEED WE FACE - -
WE MUST MAINTAIN THE ARMOR AND REGULARLY SERVICE IT - -
INDIVIDUAL ARMOR AND COLLECTIVE ARMOR - -
FOR WITHOUT THEM WE ARE SURELY DOOMED  !!!

I READ MUCH TODAY...
I HAVE FORGOTTEN MUCH TODAY...
EACH DAY IS NEW, WITH WONDERFUL SURPRISES AND REFRESHING VISTAS . . .

AND I HAVE REMEMBERED - I LOVE MY BOO'S ! ! !

AND SO DOES GOD !!!

THANK YOU MARY, FOR SAYING "YES" . . .

THE BOO'S DOWN IN BOO-VILLE, ALL SNUGGLED IN BED,
THE STOCKINGS OF BOO-NESS ON EACH LITTLE HEAD.
WITH P-BOO AND C-BOO AND G-BOO AND RED,
AND IE-BOO AND S-BOO AND ROO-BOO AND FRED.

WHO'S FRED ?!?!?

DA-BOO IN THE KITCHEN, WAS KNEADING THE BREAD.
NIC-BOO HAD FINISHED THE BOO-BOOK SHE READ.
SU-BOO AND Y-BOO AND DI-BOO UPSTAIRS THEY WERE LED,
AND PREACH-BOO AND BUMP-BOO CHI-BOO HAD JUST FED.

WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THEY HEARD A GREAT NOISE -
TO THE WINDOWS WITH SLING SHOTS FLEW ALL THE BOO-BOYS.
TD-BOO LOOKED FORLORN AT THOSE BOYS WITH THEIR TOYS,
WHILE AM-BOO AND BRITT-BOO WERE LOOSING THEIR JOYS.

THE SIGHT IN THE YARD GAVE QUITE A GREAT SCARE,
THEY THOUGHT IT A SEA PIG, THEY THOUGHT IT A BEAR.
JA-BOO AND HU-BOO DID NOT EVEN CARE,
AS CB-BOO AND LA-LA-BOO THOUGHT IT WAS A HARE.

SO AM-BOO AND JU-BOO AND K-BOO DID WHINE,
AND THROUGH THE THICK SNOW, A LIGHT IT DID SHINE.
'TWAS BRIGHT AND REAL PRETTY AND LOOKED OH SO FINE,
AND ALL OF THE OTHER BOO'S STOOD IN A STRAIGHT LINE.

THEN BIG BOO, THE HANDSOME, SWUNG OPEN THE DOOR,
THE LIGHT THAT WAS SHINING CAME ONTO THE FLOOR.
AND INTO THE BOO-HOUSE IT FILLED EVERY ROOM,
THE BOO-HOUSE AND BOO-BOO'S THE LIGHT DID CONSUME.
'TWAS CHRIST THE BOO-BABY, FOR US EVERMORE.

NOW THE BOO'S ALL IN BOO-VILLE WERE DANCING AND SINGING,
AND THE STAR 'BOVE THE MANGER WAS BLINGING AND BLINGING.

SO THE BOO'S GATHERED 'ROUND AT THIS MARVELOUS SIGHT,
MERRY BOO-NESS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT !!!



 

THIS TIME OF YEAR HAS 2 GENERAL RESPONSES :

IT'S CHRISTMAS TIME ...

GETTING READY FOR QUITE THE CELEBRATION -

OR

LET'S GET ON AND OVER WITH IT ...

I'M ALONE / I'M POOR / I DON'T FEEL IT ANYMORE . . .


SO I HAVE SOME QUESTIONS FOR YOU, AND I DOESN'T MATTER WHICH CATEGORY YOU ARE IN - -


WHAT IS YOUR PASSION ???

WHERE IS YOUR PASSION ???

WHERE WILL YOUR PASSION BE IN JANUARY ???

OR IN AUGUST ???


TODAY YOU WILL ANSWER QUICKLY, DECISIVELY, WITHOUT HESITATION . . .

ANSWER NOW, FOR TOMORROW'S MORROW - - -

NOT WHO YOU WILL BE OR WHERE YOU WILL BE OR WHAT YOU HOPE TO BE...

WHERE IS YOUR PASSION ? ? ?