March 29,2021. Holiday Island,AR. In Limbo

I'm now in between passive therapy and active therapy for my shoulder. In two weeks I will be able to abandon my immobilization sling and not look like Napoleon Bonaparte. Tomorrow night is dress rehearsal for the 2021 Passion Play season, but I will be watching from the audience and not be part of the rehearsal itself.
I can't drive my pickup because I wrecked it back in mid-December, but even if I had it, I can't negotiate a manual transmission because of my passive right arm. So I spend most of my time at the cabin, watching someone else do the yard work, tree trimming and flower-bed preparation. I know this is a temporary situation but it is putting a strain my normal see it-do it-fix it-go-go-go life style.
Add to this the confusion being reported, and not reported, at our southern border, the non-transparent transparency, the "usual" new administration policy of the past 4 or 5 Presidents of blaming their successor for all the problems in our country, athletes competing in empty arenas with "canned" audience responses, conflicting news reports, racial and ethnic unrest and it's amazing that we are surviving at all. But, I say it again......God is in control. None of this "mess" surprises Him, and if we just "let go and let God", we'll be far better off, and more prepared for the best, which is still to come. So.............Thank You, Lord.

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March 26, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Under The Microscope

How many of us can look back at our life and see a perfect score for the things which really matter? I'm talking about being truthful, never telling a lie, never promising to do something which we didn't do, doing something and saying we didn't, being considerate all the time, being generous, being kind and thoughtful to people we didn't really like, never swearing or gossiping, not being selfish or envious, not stealing, never getting angry or wanting to "get even"............
I can be pretty certain.......all of us have not measured up to the perfect or the ideal. We have "skeletons" in our closet which, if revealed would be embarrassing or cause some people to shun us or stop associating with is. We are imperfect human beings and there is no one who can "cast a stone" at us without deserving one stone, or many to be cast at them. A prime example of this is the well known confrontation between Jesus and the men who brought before Him a woman caught in the act of adultery.
Our world has always had accusers, finger pointers, muckrakers, slanderers, publicity seekers, ambulance chasers, defamers, and ne'er-do-wells, and to be totally honest, all we need to see one or all of these people.......is to look in the mirror. Under the scrutiny of the microscope of honesty we all fail the test. Get real everyone........we all have a long way to go to be who God created us to be. But..........we can make an effort to do so, if we start.....right now.....to do our utmost to turn the page and resolve to be a better person and encourage others to try to do the same. We need to be accountable, be intentional, be honest and be obedient to our Lord and Savior.......and maybe, we can truly make ourself all God created us to be: and our world, all He wanted it to be when we return to Him and what He initiated in Genesis 1:1. I'm willing to give it a try.......how about you?


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March 23, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Relax

Part of my therapy after shoulder surgery has been to try to relax, go slow, use my right arm little, or not at all, and when I do use it, or have it used for me, to not resist the therapist or Karen, who are bearing the weight of the arm while I try to relax. I'm not accustomed to that kind of way of using my arm, so it has been a learning process which will have to be learned and applied for a while, until the repair work done in my shoulder is healed and strong enough to not be susceptible to further injury.
My normal activity would have me helping prepare for the Passion Play opening, raking, hauling, lifting, involved in building projects, getting my legs in shape for the "hills" and being outside and active, not indoors doing basic range-of-motion movements and watching others do my chores for me. But, this is how it is and for the moment, I must......Relax.
A lot of our friends, family and co-workers are going through medical procedures, physical issues and sickness and in a slower-paced mode, as well. For many of them it has been painful, persistent and discouraging. I can appreciate, more now, how they feel and how they have felt for a lot longer than I have. Empathy has not always been my strong suit, but I am learning what that means and trying to uplift and encourage others in their situation as they uplift and encourage me in mine. Relax while we can. There will be plenty to do up the road as we continue to work for The Lord and His Kingdom. And be assured, relaxation is part of His plan, always has been, and always will be. Thank You, Lord.



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March 20, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Spring Is Springing

We moved the clocks ahead, the rain is coming more frequently, the grass is greening and the plants and trees are starting to bud, blossom and show some color. Spring must be springing and before long we will have forgotten the unusually cold winter we just endured.
Karen and I hired a young man to do our spring clean-up, pruning, raking and assorted yard work, because of my inability to handle these chores after my recent surgery. We are already seeing the fruits of his labor and the handiwork God builds into His creation. It won't be long and we will be enjoying the efforts of the former owners of this property and our efforts last fall and over the winter to perpetuate his efforts to keep God's "natural" creation alive. We are only two weeks from the first Passion Play performances of the season and that too is eagerly anticipated.
We pray for a renewed enthusiasm in our country and for people to spring back to something like it was before the pandemic and the economic difficulties associated with it. We need to be disciplined in our attitudes and actions and make a concerted effort to try to work together, get past the pride of "victory" and lean on the One who created us, sustains us and gives us hope for a better tomorrow. You know what's coming next.............Thank You, Lord.

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March 17, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Who’s In Control Here?

Alexander Haig died in 2010, but his "Secretary of State ghost" must be haunting Washington these days. Depending on who you listen to for your "news" there are a lot of people who claim to be in charge in the new Administration. I don't want to get into a political rant, or prejudge the direction we seem to be heading, but I'm getting pretty confused by the things I have heard on Fox, NBC, ABC, and been told that other media sources have reported.
Time will tell what has been "undone" from the Trump 4 years, and what was promised by candidate Biden and is being "undone" by his Cabinet and other appointees. I do know; gasoline prices have risen, there is "something" going on at our southern border and we haven't heard anything substantial from President Biden or Antony J. Blinken. Antony who? Oh. He's the new Secretary of State. I guess he hasn't made much of an impact yet, because I hadn't heard his name on the news and had to look up on Google who the new SOS was. At least he hasn't exerted his
"Haig" authority yet. After all he does have the VP, SOTH and PPTOTS(Patrick Leahy) ahead of him. Obviously, there is more to follow...........

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March 14, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Discipline

I have always considered myself a disciplined person. Whether it was education, music study, sports and fitness, work, diet, volunteer service, following through with a project or honoring a promise, I have been able to make a plan and stick to it. I always looked to the goal of completing everything I set out to do.
My "resume" is pretty extensive. But I'm facing a different kind of discipline after my shoulder surgery. The VA gave me an initial list of exercises, stretches and a preliminary timetable for them. In the first week I got with their plan and when I met the non-VA person who will oversee my Physical Rehab, it became obvious that there were two plans and they were quite different. It was very clear that I was going to have to proceed more slowly or risk undoing the operation and injuring myself further. In this case, discipline means not pushing forward, but pulling back and accepting that this is a marathon and not a sprint. A 75 year old body is not the same as the body I had when I was previously injured or ill. I hope the various parties to my medical situation can agree on the correct rehab path and that I have the discipline, patience and sense to do what is in my best interest. I pray for God's healing hand on me and His reason and purpose for this slower season in my service to Him and His Kingdom. It's pretty certain there is a long road ahead. Stay tuned for the "rest of the story....."

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March 11, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Does This Make Any Sense?

There are so many things to be concerned about in our lives, and many of them are "game changers" when it comes to the decision we make. A wrong decision could cost us dearly, financially, emotionally, even with a life or death outcome.
As Karen and I were returning from two appointments at the VA today, we were so happy that my surgery a week ago went so well and the follow-up today confirmed that I had some pretty serious damage to my shoulder, but the initial actions by the surgery team have given me a good prospect for a positive outcome and return to strength and fitness. We praise God for all that has been done for us by the VA over the past 11 years.
But here's my main thought. As we drove home at the speed limit in our car which just passed the 100,000 mile mark, a car passed us at a high rate of speed over a double yellow line. I looked down at our speedometer and saw a top speed of 120, an illegal speed anywhere in the country and wondered why the car manufacturers are allowed to produce a car whose top speed is illegal, and a danger to anyone who drives that speed or is in proximity to someone doing that speed. Does this make any sense?
I know NASCAR, NHRA, indyCar and more than 100 racing associations like the thrill of driving fast, and reward it handsomely, but I'm not sure it has any place on a two-lane road in rural Arkansas. Just thought I'd speak up.

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March 8, 2021. Holiday Island,AR. No Pain......Is Great Gain

Athletes have the idea that to achieve the " next level" they must push through the pain barrier and keep upping that barrier to achieve more success, rewards or competitive advantage. I remember the pain from my cycling and triathlon days and as I looked at the prospect of shoulder surgery, it was good to be told by the VA physical therapist to forget the " no pain, no gain" slogan and take a less aggressive path to healing and return to fitness.
The fist few days after surgery have been wonderful. There has been NO pain, the nerve block did it's job perfectly and the start of my stretching and exercise routine has been totally pain free, in fact, it has been so comfortable, I am amazed. The weather, too, has been ideal for not having to overdress, fight the freeze or run between the raindrops. God has been with us, we have found a young man to do our spring clean-up at the cabin and we can concentrate on getting healthy, following the rehab program and get rested for the upcoming Passion Play season. Thank You, Lord for all the above, the care and prayer we receive from so many, and Your love and concern for us as we seek to serve You and be obedient to Your call on our life. We are so, so Blessed.


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March 5, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. Choose Words Wisely

Too much happening, too quickly, undoing the past with edicts, tough talk, outright lies, physical and political attacks, my way or the highway, pointing fingers, ignorance, arrogance, criminal elements, fraud, pride, lack of knowledge........making poor decisions.
What happened to kinder, gentler, harmony, bipartisanship, honesty, security., love, joy, peace, goodness...........values, character, integrity.
God help us. God....... help us........PLEASE.

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March 2, 2021. Holiday Island, AR. There IS a Plan

Most of the time, we don't know what it is, and we actively pursue it, or we sit back and wait for it to reveal itself so we can then act upon it. Sounds confusing.....and it probably is. But, God knows the plan , knows the timing of it and waits for us to be ready, then reveals it and expects us to act accordingly. A lot of active passivity and passive activity. Confused? Not really, if you think about it.
Since December 16 when a I was supposed to have my rotator cuff surgery, and didn't, a lot has happened. Most of it has been the subject of my blogs. Tomorrow will be my rotator cuff surgery and if, God willing, it does take place, I will begin a recovery period which would have been well on its way to being completed if I had had the surgery on December 16. Confused? Not really.
Everything happens for a reason and God orchestrates it all as HE wills it, and we need to accept it, "roll with the punches", and understand and accept that it is all happening the way it is for our good and His glory. Simple stuff, when we act in His will, not our own, work when He calls us to work, rest when He calls us to rest......and through it all...... Thank God for His plan and His timing.
What more can be said? Just..........Thank You, Lord.

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