Okay, heres my dozen things... 1 - The only thing I consistently am is inconsistent. I try my best for my wife, my kids, my employer, but Ive always known Im susceptible to lapses in any aspect of my personality or performance. I didnt sleep the night after hearing my good friend Stan Ward give a speech to a group of young men, telling them, the most important quality of a Christian man is consistency. Aww, stink. 2 - There is nothing that makes me more mad than doing something with good motives, only to find out not only was it not appreciated, but your action was interpreted both as a negative and that you did it with ill motives. These are the times in life I wish I had mutant meltdown powers. 3 - With the exception of job interviews and meeting girlfriends parents, I have not given good first impressions. However, it would seem that I give pretty decent second impressions, because several of you have, through the years, told me things like, you know, I really didnt like you or know what to think about you at first, but now youre one of my favorites. 4 - There is a time in my life I just dont like to think about or acknowledge, from about 11 to about 15. Nothing traumatic happened to me during this time, but those years are hard enough already without other crazy things happening. 5 - One of those crazy things was a loss of my 3 good friends from 8th grade just before starting high school. One moved to Egypt, another to Ohio, and the third started attending a private school. Starting high school as the nerd kid whose mom wont let him listen to rock music and without any friends = very awkward lunch hours. 6 - Im an introvert. Yes, I am. Ill grant you its the closest segment of my Meyers-Briggs profile, the line between E and I, but its definitely in the I. I feel like its obvious, but even recently, friends and co-workers have been shocked to realize it. But I definitely get my energy in solitude. 7 - My friend John Bagley used to call me Chief growing up because while on a family trip to Arkansas they had driven past this place called Shawnee, Oklahoma, spelled just like my name. And wouldnt you believe it, there was this exit off the interstate into Shawnee called Kickapoo! Haha! Isnt that a hilarious name? And so they started calling me Shawnee-poo Indian Chief, which mercifully got shortened to just Chief. And 9 years later I ended up going to college in Shawnee, where I spent many Saturday nights cruising Kickapoo Street. 8 - I was once awarded the Hidden Grudge Award by my church youth choir (no, I cant sing, but in a youth group that large, you dont have to) because every night during Bible Study and prayer time during choir tour I would have some story to share that stared with, I was really ticked at blankety-blank for something they did, and they didnt even know it, and now I forgive them. 9 - One of the best things to come out of my attending a small college was that someone like me who never even thought about attempting any of the fine arts prior to college was able to give something like theater a try and become a part of several wonderful productions. The friends and memories I have from plays like MacBeth, Brer Rabbit Tales, and A Few Good Men are priceless, and the skills I learned have truthfully served me well in nearly every job Ive had. 10 - My wife does not remember the first time we met. I do. First, I remember seeing her in the mail room one day, and thinking, who is THAT? Then, I met her through a friend named Mooch, who was always complaining that there was nobody to date at OBU. Why not ask that Valerie girl out? Shes kinda cute, I said to him sophomore year. Nah... Vals weird, replied this man who went by Mooch and was widely acknowledged to be one of the oddest ducks on campus. Oh well. His loss, my gain... albeit not until several years later. 11 - I never got along well with my sister. Im not even sure why. But what I do know is this: we dont only get along well these days, but that woman is flat-out my hero. She has my love, my awe, my respect. 12 - I got many funny looks at Disney World when I would see a piece of trash and pick it up. I dont give in to this urge 100% of the time, but almost always. It comes from training that was drilled into me by Daniel Wallace at the camp where I worked. I know Christy Terral has spoken of the same thing happening with her. At a Little League game this summer I heard a father tell his son, Yes, I know its a mess by the bleachers, but I didnt spend 8 years at medical school to be a janitor. And I wanted to take Dr. Snobby down. Aint nobody too good to pick up litter.
Posted on: Sat, 16 Nov 2013 00:57:05 +0000
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