Zzzzzzzz.......

There's this weird thing. You fall asleep and at some point you wake up and can hear whats going on around you but it's like only your mind is awake but your body can't move. Like you're only 1/2 awake. It's a real condition that has a name but I don't remember it so I know it's not just me. It happened to me in math class in 9th grade, at least that's the first time I remember it. I had pre-algebra right after lunch with Mr. Thomas. Who puts a math class right after lunch? Remember as a kid (this is going back a few years) riding down the highway in the back seat and the drone of the tires on the road and the ka-thunk ka-thunk of the joints in the road would lull you right into dreamland. Man that was good sleep! Mr. Thomas' voice was very monotone and sounded a lot like the highway and zzzzz... . Here was the weird thing. I was asleep, soft snore and drool coming out of my mouth and everything but I could hear him and and other sounds too but I couldn't move. I felt like I was in a box, all packed away and didn't know if it would open. So in my mind I paniced 'cause I'm claustrophobic and don't like being in small boxes. "Someone wake me up" I would scream. "In space no one can here you scream" was the tag line for the movie Alien. Apparently the same holds true in math class. Eventually Mr. Thomas would slap a ruler on the desk and yell "Wake up peckerhead" and bring me around. Don't think he was actually allowed to say that.

Hummm. That seemed like a long paragraph.

So I was talking to this guy the other day and he said he hated his job but it was all he knew. He felt trapped in a big box and couldn't get out. The top was open and he could see freedom, feel the breeze of freedom and hear others enjoying their freedom. But he was trapped. Had been and would be as far into the future as he could imagine. A lot of anguish in this guy. And truthfully I've been there a lot myself. I told him a few hollow pieces of advice about fixing your eyes on Jesus blah blah blah... . It did no good. Not that it wasn't good advice but when you're in the middle of some serious crap in life "fixing your eyes" is harder to do than gargling paint thinner. I really felt bad for the guy. He just wanted out.

This sleep thing. I still have that problem from time to time. During the night. Not math class (which, surprise surprise, I flunked) I "wake up" and know it's happening and I feel like I can't breath and I think I'm going to die and I buck and shake and flail about while my body remains still. Too freaky. Somewhere alone the way though I've managed to learn to moan out loud enough for Terri to hear and she rolls over and shoves me and that's all it takes to free me from my box. It sometimes is really scary. It seems so real. The trapped feeling I mean. So glad for my wife.

It's what I needed to do for my friend. A shove. A push. A big kiss. Ok, that's awkward. Sometimes what people need is not a word, spiritual though it may be, but an action. I could hear Mr. Thomas. I can hear Terri's snor.....breathing. Action is the word for the day kids. Go bowling, hiking, catch a movie, watch the game. Get together for lunch, for prayer, for fishing. Go serve someone in need. Together. Be a friend. Help them walk "through the valley of the shadow of death". Be there. That's all. Just be there.

Whoa-oh-oh, Listen to the Music

You know what I miss? I mean other than Johnny Quest? The drive-in. Fond memories of dad and mom pulling up to that metal pole and taking that speaker and hanging it on the window. There was always static when you turned up the volume. It was only slightly more annoying than when the sound of the movie came out of it. Our movies always started with a "thump thump thump" sound coming from the trunk. My brothers. My dad said why pay full price when 3 of you fit in the trunk. He was good with money that way. My mom took me to see Godzilla at the drive in once. That my friend, is real love. I hear they're reopening the drive-in again down in Ocala. That was 6 months ago and I still haven't heard. I hope so though. I want to go. I'm too old to steam up the windows now days but I can pass gas without causing a commotion.

I had breakfast with my friend Neil this week. Neil is a really neat guy. Really smart. We started a couple of weeks ago meeting for breakfast for food, encouragement, friendship. Good stuff. But the coffee's not. May have to change venues. It's a buffet but I don't think I get my $7 worth. Buffets are best left for the evening hour when you can pack it in, go home and recline in the lazyboy and really let the fat settle in around those thighs and hips.

Whether it's the drive-in or the theater I like to see those inspirational movies where the underdog comes from obscurity to best the champ. Like Rocky. Chariots of fire. Or when Peter Parker beat Bonesaw in the steel cage match. The one I think I like the best is Invincible with Mark Walburg. Football movie. Great 70's music. The one thing most of these movies have in common is when these characters pick themselves up by the boot straps (what exactly are boot straps) and start transforming from a weak nobody to the victor there is this great music in the background motivating them on. Who can run up a flight of steps or punch a side of beef without hearing the Rocky theme? When I hear one of these songs there's something in my mind that rises up and makes me want to work hard. To fight on. Need to get that stuff on my MP3.

We had a cookout at a friends house on Memorial day and had a really nice time. Great conversation and we talked some about how I've been feeling of late. Great questions asked and I got to say out loud what I've been thinking to myself and have people listen and say some encouraging words. Bright words. Good friends. Should do this more often. A lot more.

So I'm working last week off a ladder, thinking about theme music and how I want to make changes to my life and how I feel like one of the underdogs and I have so far to go. Again. Probably only a few of us out there who are always starting over 'cause we forget to try hard and find ourselves back at the start. If we just had that music. That music that makes you fight, sweat, push yourself harder than you knew you could, do thing you didn't know you could. Be inspired just like you feel when you watch the movie. Theme music.

"You have that" my Dad says. "You are that. Sorta". "You SHOULD be that". Your friend Neil is the music. Your pool party friends are. The people who care for you are. The church is your music. Or at least should be. They are the ones who come into your life and encourage and inspire you to greater deeds. Push and pull you into places you thought not possible. It's why I made 'em. And you too. Find your brothers and sisters, your wife and kids and spur them on into a deeper walk with Me. Be that music in their ear." And in His best Forrest Gump voice He said "That's all I got to say about that". 'nuff said.