Happy 80th Birthday Pop!



I am heading to the Fam Cabin in New York for my Dad's 80th birthday celebration tomorrow. He actually does not turn 80 until next week on 10/18 but this weekend was the date that worked for all four brothers, which turned out to be a fairly elongated communication process.

It seems a million years ago when we celebrated his 70th Birthday at the Cabin. Amazing how much shit can go down in a decade. I have washed ashore and am loving life again.

But, it all worked out for this weekend despite the drama with the Bros. Actually, it was not that bad. Just some tectonic family plates creaking.  

I have a killer case of brew, one that I spent at least an hour looking for, using my iPhone and checking the beer distributor's super-sized three ring binder for pricing. I like to shop for three things: Beer, Coffee, Books. All addictions-lite. I would fight to the death for words. willing to assume wounds for coffee, and I actually think I could give up beer. I would if God wanted me to. Instead, His counsel to me has been handle with care and appreciate.

I bought Victory's Weizenbock. I think that is the spelling. An intense autumnal high ABV beer. Came in under 50 bucks.  

If Pop utters his "Beer is Beer" mantra, I am going to withhold my brew. Drink your Wal-Mart swill. I know that sound harsh but I ain't spending hard earned cash when one doesn't value it. Dad or not. Much of our problems in life result from a lack of appreciation. We take for granted what we shalt not. But, we do. Then, we lose it or abuse it. And realize that we have lost the joy because we rejoiced in the gift rather than the Giver.

My Dad and Mom modeled the value of reading. The poster above hangs in my Dad's Condo. It bring me great affection to think about it. Books. Aaah. And so it goes, life does not bend to our wishes. We are to wish according to the preordained design.

See you next week my friends!    

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Shake the Dust: Anis Mojgani

Pslam 90:2 "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God." I am not real certain where Anis Mojgani comes from belief-wise. Cats like him tend to be synchrestic spiritually rather than Christ-centered. Yet, this poem captures the spirit of Jesus. What this poem also needs is grace....we shake off sin and mortality and take on Christ and immortality. This is for the fat girls This is for the little brothers For the former prom queen And for the milk crate ball players This is for the school yard wimps And the childhood bullies that tormented them Shake the dust. This is for the benches and the people sitting upon them. This is for the bus drivers driving a million broken hymns And for the men who have to hold down 3 jobs, Simply to hold up their children. For the nighttime schoolers And for the midnight bike riders trying to fly Shake the dust. For the two year olds who cann
Read more

White Shoes, White Stones

Rev 2:17 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. To him that overcometh, to him will I give of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knoweth but he that receiveth it. (ASV) With the white stone mentioned above in the Scripture verse, "And will give him a white stone" it is "Supposed that by the white stone is meant pardon or acquittance, and the evidence of it; and that there is an allusion here to the custom observed by judges in ancient times, who were accustomed to give their suffrages by white and black pebbles; those who gave the former were for absolving the culprit, those who gave the latter were for his condemnation." (Clarke) What has brought about this essay was my purchasing the other day of some very white and new Nike jogging shoes. My old pair of Nike's have been worn down. I was developing serious pain in my feet which is a solid sign that it is t
Read more

Going Rogue: Dare, Risk, Dream

Image
I picked up a bumper sticker at a Pub recently from the Rogue Brewery . On it there are the words: DARE, RISK, DREAM. Typically, the word Rogue is a negative term. I will let you decide if Sarah Palin and her book has made the word less or more so. Initially, I taped the bumper sticker to my computer lap top with the backing still on it in case I wanted to remove it. Just a second ago, I committed fully, and pulled the backing off and affixed it to my Dell. No turning back. Is that not an illustration of how to accomplish great things? We have to stick and commit. If we go taping ourselves to the backs of things, it leads to easier removal but also to tepid efforts. Now, if I take this bumper sticker off the back of my lap top it is going to be a mess...I am all in. Consequences be damned. My summer vacation officially began today at noon (why else would I be blogging at 3:26 am?) and my creed for the summer is DARE, RISK, DREAM. A Kerouac quote to light the fireworks... "Great th
Read more