Past, Present, or Future?
I really don't know where I want to direct this blog next. Should I continue to fill in my past and describe what makes me me? That was what I first had in mind, and where I most dread to go actually, so let's put that off for a while shall we?
Should I ponder on the present, and give updates about how life is treating me these days? That shouldn't take long. I work, I eat, and I sleep. Every once in a while, I toss in some computer gaming. There's a whole lot of stomach flu working it's way through the house at the moment, and we've all been sick in the last 48 hours. There, that's about it for the present.
How about the future? That's always a nice safe place to dwell right? I'm generally optimistic about the future (which is odd, considering how much cynicism I hold). I hope to be a great father and husband, imparting good advice and knowledge to anyone who will listen. The problem with this is that my immediate role-model for this was . . . shall we say less than exemplary. Unfortunately, this leads us back to the past, so let us MOVE IT ON!
I do have other role-models fortunately. Jesus (my step-father) was absolutely brilliant in playing his role as available yet unobtrusive father figure. In the mind-set I was in when he came into the picture, I'm certain I wouldn't have accepted anyone in the traditional role of father figure (and there are some ugly incidents to prove it). I hope to be like him. I hope to be able to clearly identify the needs of my sons, and then be able to tailor my method of filling those needs in a way that they will accept, digest, and understand. This will be difficult for someone traditionally as direct as I am, but if my sons are anything like I was (what are the chances of that happening?), Jesus' method will yield the best results by far.
I also have my grandfather, Pipa. I'm not sure how to categorize his method. I suppose I could call it the "Encyclopedia Britannica" approach. He was always the most quiet, unassuming, solitary figure in my upbringing, until you asked him a question. THEN you got the history of the subject, how it applied to any secondary subjects, and every answer known to the human race on the subject prior to about 1970. After that his memory and understanding seems to get a bit fuzzy. I'm certain I'll never be able to commit as many facts to memory as he has, but I can try to emulate his work-ethic. Whenever I have a particularly unpleasant task before me, I think of how Pipa would handle it, and how I wouldn't want to let him down. That thought got me through many of my hardest football practices, track workouts, karate sessions, and work days. If my grandfather could dig himself a basement after the age of 57, certainly I can endure the unpleasantness of a single day.
My mother (for a period of time) got to be both mother AND father. There's a task that no-one should be shouldered with (and more and more seemingly are). How anyone can be expected to successfully nuture and discipline and provide and continue to learn and grow themselves without losing their minds is beyond me. I know my mother was overwhelmed by that task, and she knew it then. She did all she could for me, and gave the rest to God.
In fact, she pushed me towards the church life pretty hard (a wise move considering what my secular life was looking like at the time). Isn't it odd then that when she decided I was old enough to choose a religion for myself (including weather or not I even wanted to go to church) I elected to keep to going to St. Philip's? I often wonder what she would have done if I had made a different choice. But I'm glad I did. God and that church blessed me in many ways. It taught me how to show God in my works, not in my words. How to spead the good news by doing, and less by talking. How to plant seeds in people, and help to cultivate them later or leave them for God to cultive later. I gained many, many life lessons in the Episcopal church, and many great friends. That was one of those gifts that just keep on giving, and speaking of blessings that last for life . . . .
You know what else looks good for my future? My wife :) The restaurant Po' Folks had a saying on their menu. "Good looks are fine for a while, but good cookin' lasts a lifetime." I got the best of both worlds! And the best part is, she gets to help guide my fatherhood path to our sons for the rest of our lives! What a bargain! This is the advantage to marrying someone smarter than you, you get all of these great ideas that would never occurred to you otherwise. These great ideas will save much time and effort down the road, and all you have to do is occasionally give a little bit of credit where it is due (like now).
Brandi (when ever you read this), Happy Anniversary Weekend! And thank you again for saying 'yes' to growing old and senile with me.
-H-
Should I ponder on the present, and give updates about how life is treating me these days? That shouldn't take long. I work, I eat, and I sleep. Every once in a while, I toss in some computer gaming. There's a whole lot of stomach flu working it's way through the house at the moment, and we've all been sick in the last 48 hours. There, that's about it for the present.
How about the future? That's always a nice safe place to dwell right? I'm generally optimistic about the future (which is odd, considering how much cynicism I hold). I hope to be a great father and husband, imparting good advice and knowledge to anyone who will listen. The problem with this is that my immediate role-model for this was . . . shall we say less than exemplary. Unfortunately, this leads us back to the past, so let us MOVE IT ON!
I do have other role-models fortunately. Jesus (my step-father) was absolutely brilliant in playing his role as available yet unobtrusive father figure. In the mind-set I was in when he came into the picture, I'm certain I wouldn't have accepted anyone in the traditional role of father figure (and there are some ugly incidents to prove it). I hope to be like him. I hope to be able to clearly identify the needs of my sons, and then be able to tailor my method of filling those needs in a way that they will accept, digest, and understand. This will be difficult for someone traditionally as direct as I am, but if my sons are anything like I was (what are the chances of that happening?), Jesus' method will yield the best results by far.
I also have my grandfather, Pipa. I'm not sure how to categorize his method. I suppose I could call it the "Encyclopedia Britannica" approach. He was always the most quiet, unassuming, solitary figure in my upbringing, until you asked him a question. THEN you got the history of the subject, how it applied to any secondary subjects, and every answer known to the human race on the subject prior to about 1970. After that his memory and understanding seems to get a bit fuzzy. I'm certain I'll never be able to commit as many facts to memory as he has, but I can try to emulate his work-ethic. Whenever I have a particularly unpleasant task before me, I think of how Pipa would handle it, and how I wouldn't want to let him down. That thought got me through many of my hardest football practices, track workouts, karate sessions, and work days. If my grandfather could dig himself a basement after the age of 57, certainly I can endure the unpleasantness of a single day.
My mother (for a period of time) got to be both mother AND father. There's a task that no-one should be shouldered with (and more and more seemingly are). How anyone can be expected to successfully nuture and discipline and provide and continue to learn and grow themselves without losing their minds is beyond me. I know my mother was overwhelmed by that task, and she knew it then. She did all she could for me, and gave the rest to God.
In fact, she pushed me towards the church life pretty hard (a wise move considering what my secular life was looking like at the time). Isn't it odd then that when she decided I was old enough to choose a religion for myself (including weather or not I even wanted to go to church) I elected to keep to going to St. Philip's? I often wonder what she would have done if I had made a different choice. But I'm glad I did. God and that church blessed me in many ways. It taught me how to show God in my works, not in my words. How to spead the good news by doing, and less by talking. How to plant seeds in people, and help to cultivate them later or leave them for God to cultive later. I gained many, many life lessons in the Episcopal church, and many great friends. That was one of those gifts that just keep on giving, and speaking of blessings that last for life . . . .
You know what else looks good for my future? My wife :) The restaurant Po' Folks had a saying on their menu. "Good looks are fine for a while, but good cookin' lasts a lifetime." I got the best of both worlds! And the best part is, she gets to help guide my fatherhood path to our sons for the rest of our lives! What a bargain! This is the advantage to marrying someone smarter than you, you get all of these great ideas that would never occurred to you otherwise. These great ideas will save much time and effort down the road, and all you have to do is occasionally give a little bit of credit where it is due (like now).
Brandi (when ever you read this), Happy Anniversary Weekend! And thank you again for saying 'yes' to growing old and senile with me.
-H-
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