Ale for the Soul

Writing prompt: Love gets him into more trouble than hate ever could. “Twenty-Fifth Reunion in the Lakeside Clubhouse” the banner reads.   Wow!   Has it been that long since graduating High School?   Pulling on the screen door it swings outward.   Immediately I step through the time portal and warp back to the life of an eighteen year old full of ambition and an inner-drive to prove myself.   Scanning the room I recognize a few faces wrinkled with age and bodies marking the lapse of years, bodies showing their equivalent to tree rings boasting of a life lived.   Then I see her…my high school sweetheart.   My heart skips a beat and then races causing my pulse to rise.   Slowly I walk toward her thinking surely she will become mine once again.   Such silliness considering the amount of time passed.   Thoughts of yester-year and the time we spent, a togetherness as sweet as honey from the comb before my heart was ripped asunder by HIM! ...

Lament for Want of What Could Have Been Deep thoughts. Pondering reflections of life on the smooth mirror of a calm lake. Intently I look. It looks back at me…as I am. Wind blows and waves chop. The mirror now turn motion picture conjuring scenes of yester-year. Parallel universe of alternate realities. Lives possibly lived for want of other decisions made. No’s made into Yeses.  Right turns made left. Where are you Robert Frost? Where are you speaking of the road less travelled? Speak into my life. Too late! The lake moves beyond the storm-driven climax. Intently I look. It looks back at me…as I was. Myriad opportunities burned away like the morning mist by the dawning sun. Regret over potential lost! The lake becomes smooth as glass once again, daring not to linger in the past. Intently I look. It looks back at me…as I will be.

Every so often I exclaim in disgust, "Why can't life simply fall in to place like it's suppose too?  Why can't I catch a break every once in a while?  Living life shouldn't be this hard."  Thankfully these words have not passed my lips lately, but I have been guilty of wanting a little easier life from time to time.  Even something as trivial as the desire to go camping, but getting forced to postpone the activity due to the forecast of potential inclement weather.  (By the way, I wasn't able to go camping yesterday or today exactly for the aforementioned reason.  This wasn't even a blip on my radar, but sometimes having something, anything, go my way would be nice.)  Then I look back in hindsight upon life.  Would I enjoy the little things in life as much if I didn't have to work for it or the timing wasn't right?  I have to remember it is God's timing and not mine which is important.  Maybe I wouldn't have been ready emotionally or in...

"So Jacob was left alone, and a man wrestled with him till daybreak. When the man saw that he could not overpower him he touched the socket of Jacob's hip so that his hip was wrenched as he wrestled with the man.   Then the man said, 'Let me go for it is daybreak.'   But Jacob replied, 'I will not let you go unless you bless me.'" (Genesis 32:24-26) There have been many struggles or low periods in my life.  On several occasions I almost became destitute to the point of homelessness; however, I refused to give up on making this thing called life work.  Certainly I could have thrown in the towel in resignation, but I kept in mind a higher calling.  Part of what drives me is remembering the original design for humanity, and this is to live in eternity worshiping God the Father.  The apostle Paul stated, "And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ...

Usually I take my first camping trip of the year during the beautiful month of March.  However, due to the nasty weather of snow, ice, and rain, I have been stalled in making any plans for such an outing.  Similar to a Quarter Horse in the chute waiting for the sounding bell at the racetrack, I am anxiously awaiting for a forecast of clear skies before I decide to break forth in full exuberance and joy for my first outing of the year.  The resolve is to not let this month pass by without a camping trip.  Finally deciding come hell or high water, I will head out to Cedar Hill State Park on Monday, March 23rd and Tuesday, March 24th.  Time is precious and I can not afford to entertain playing it safe.  I must throw caution to the wind.  Besides, what's camping without the threat of inclement weather?  It's not as if I have never been stuck camping during a snow or rain storm?  Has growing older made me soft and less adventuresome.  God for...

Each and every day, often at numerous times, I give pause for self-reflection.  Immediately I can't help but to see the darker aspects of my life, a decaying heart, and sigh an air of disgust.  Why can't I "control" the outward behavior to conform with Biblical standards of morality and right living?  The Book of Micah 6:8 speaks very clearly and doesn't allow much latitude,  "He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.   And what does the LORD require of you?   To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." It is a daily struggle with the works of the flesh, or what I call addiction.  As a recovering alcoholic who has been sober for over eight and a half years, I can see the many areas of life which need the saving grace of Jesus Christ.  These were the areas of life I tried to "drink away" in self-denial.  In addition, I know it is only from the work of God in my life can I completely and radically change from the ...

Often I reflect on the actions I perform and ponder what kind of steward of resources I am.  A steward (or stewardship) is a position of trust as a manager of a given responsibility or as an overseer acting in the best interest of the owner's (someone else's) property.  The American Heritage dictionary defines a steward as: One who manages another's property, finances, or other affairs .  Or... one who is in charge of the household affairs of a large estate, club, hotel, or resort .  Very often, especially when I can't seem to get going in my daily affairs at the beginning of and during the day, I catch myself in wormholes of activity.  These activities make great filler time but do not add value to the end goal resulting in procrastination and wasted time.  Essentially it is time spent unfocused, working on fluff, letting the urgent take place of the important.  Usually this results in a determined resolve to stick to priorities, but this renewed mind...

Roughly six months ago I began looking for another avenue of employment.  The cigar and pipe shop where I work may be closing down permanently, so I wanted to act pro-actively by living ahead of the curve.  Finding traditional employment is tough, especially for one who has a "black mark" on his record.  Quite a few opportunities would have been mine had it not been for this legal issue, a remnant from eight plus years ago.  I am not the man I was those many years ago, but employers of today act as if I'm still damaged goods out "playing the game."  Then it occurred to me.  Over my lifetime people have expressed how well I write.  The art of writing is a passion and something I really enjoy under-taking.  In fact, I've been wanting to write a book for at least the previous ten years.  Even though I have yet to outline and write a book, I have begun writing more.  So why not work for myself?  This will take away the difficulty in fin...

March is already upon me in full force, so I am finishing the final details for my first camping trip of the year.  This is becoming a ritual as the month usually brings about my first outing in to God's country...nature.  Reflecting on where I camped about this time last year, I remember staying in my maternal Grandmother's house in Austin prior to taking off to the state park.  Not realizing my mother and her siblings would sell the house a few months later, this would be the last time I would ever set foot in the house.  This place holds very fond memories of Thanksgiving dinners and exchanging gifts at Christmas with family.  Through all the wonderful memories, my grandmother and her home acted as an anchor and an oasis in the Austin area, always drawing me to seek refuge and solace in her home.  One final act, prior to dropping the key in the mailbox never to become one with this "home" again, was to watch the movie A River Runs Through .  Was thi...