1947 Western Flyer

My first bike was a Western Flyer.  What a bike!  I sold two calves and bought 2 bikes…one for my brother and one for me.  I can remember the bumps and bruises from learning to ride my bicycle.  When I was growing up I always went to the movies on Saturday to spend my twenty-five cents in allowance.  The theater always had a double-feature western, a serial much like the modern soap operas, newsreel, and cartoon.  The ticket cost 9 cents and I had a penny for ball gum out of the machine, and a nickel for popcorn.  There were no cokes or candy.  When the movie was over, my friend who always went to the movie with me would share a milkshake with me at the drugstore next to the theater.  The cost for the milkshake was 20 cents and we got the stainless steel for making the shake and two glasses.  It was always great.

After I purchased my bicycle…and learned to ride it…I was allowed to ride the 3 1/2 miles to town for the Saturday movies.  The first time I rode my bike I walked home after the movie because I was unaccustomed to taking my bike to town.  There was a special place in front of the theater for parking bikes.  I left the bike there all week and when I arrived the next Saturday…there was my bike just where I had left it.  I have confidence if that had happened today there would be no bike.  Today it would probably not be there unless I had locked it to a bike rack.  Times have really changed.

I have always heard the saying…”It’s just like riding a bike.  Once you learn, you never forget!”

We may not forget the things we learn, but sometimes it takes us a while to relearn them.

Bicycle for Two at Galveston

Pam and I spent the weekend in Galveston years ago and rented a bicycle like the one above.  It was fun riding along the seawall.  We did have a problem however.  I rode up front to steer.  Sometimes  I would look back at Pam to see if she was actually helping provide the power for the bike or just along for the ride.  Well, we were riding along fine and I looked up and the was a Pepsi can on the seawall.  We were meeting another bike so I couldn’t avoid the can.  I ran over it and it clamped around my front tire and came around to the fork and we stopped immediately.  Real life front-wheel brakes.  We stood up on the front tire and Pam landed on my shoulders.  Luckily we didn’t crash off the seawall.  Maybe my problem was not remembering how to ride a bike like I did when I was young.

I shaved my mustache off a while back.  I had worn my mustache for over 40 years, so Pam had never seen my upper lip.  She didn’t know what it looked like and I had forgotten.  After I had shaved a couple of times, Pam told me I had a gray hair in the middle of my upper lip.  I looked in the mirror and I had been missing that one hair.  I guess I didn’t notice it because it was gray and I just didn’t look close enough.

I soon realized that I had forgotten how to shave my upper lip.  I didn’t remember all the facial contortions necessary to get a close shave.  When I was in the  Army I had learned to shave without a mirror while in the field on maneuvers.  I call it the “Braille” system.  Feel and shave.  I guess I can justify my mistake because it had been over forty years since I had shaved my upper lip.  I have had to relearn what I had done automatically for so long.

Proverbs 22:6:

 ”Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it”

I read my Bible each and every morning…not because it is a habit that I do automatically.  I read it because I need the wisdom and encouragement before I start each day.  There was a time when I skipped reading the Bible each day and had to relearn and realize the need for each day in my life.  It is just as important as breathing…I need it every day.  His Word is such a blessing.  I just can’t go through life without reading the Manual for Life.

3rd Armored Division

I proudly served in the 3rd Armored Division 1955-1957 .  I know what it is to experience being away from family during the Christmas season.  A few years ago I joined The Association of 3rd Armored Division Veterans.  I just received my latest publication from the organization and want to share the following poem (Author Unknown):

“A Soldier’s Silent Night”

‘Twas the night before Christmas, they lived all alone,

in a one-bedroom house made of plaster and stone.

I had come down the chimney, with presents to give

and to see just who in this dwelling did live.

As I looked all around, a strange sight to see,

no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.

No stocking on the mantle, just boots filled with sand.

On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands.

Medals and badges, awards of every kind,

a sobering thought came alive in my mind.

This house was different, it was dark, it was dreary,

I had found the home of a soldier I could see that most clearly,

The soldier lay sleeping silent, alone.

Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home,

the face was so gentle, room in such disorder,

Not at all how I pictured a U. S. soldier.

Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?

Curled up on a poncho, a floor for a bed?

Then I realized the other families that I saw this night

Out there lays the soldiers who are willing fo fight.

In the morning around the world, children would play

Grown-ups would celebrate a bright Christmas day

But they all enjoyed freedom, each month throughout the year,

because of soldiers like the one lying there.

I couldn’t help but wonder how many lay alone,

on a cold Christmas Eve, in lands far from home.

The very thought brought a tear to my eye

and dropped to my knees and I started to cry.

The soldier awakened, I heard the rough voice,

“Santa, don’t cry, this life is my choice

I fight for freedom, I don’t ask for more.

My life is my God, my country I adore.”

The soldier rolled over, and drafted to sleep,

I couldn’t control it, and I continued to weep.

I kept watch for hours, so silent and still,

as both of us shivered from the cold night’s chill.

I didn’t want to leave them on that cold, dark night,

these guardians of honor so willing to fight.

Then the soldier rolled over with a voice soft and pure,

and whispered “Carry on Santa, it’s Christmas Day, all secure.”

One look at my watch and I knew they were right,

Merry Christmas my friend,

May God bless you this night.

As you celebrate this season the birth of Christ Jesus, please pause with me and give thanks to God for our men and women who join together to fight for the freedoms our great nation enjoy.

God bless all of you who have served in the past and those who are currently serving our nation.

MERRY CHRISTMAS! 

For this year’s adventure I did a little advance planning and presented my idea of a Thanksgiving adventure to Pam and Lyndsey.  With no hesitation…they were both in!!

We did our traveling on Thanksgiving Day and met Lyndsey at our destination.  Thanksgiving day was celebrated on Friday.  Thursday, upon arrival, I checked to see if I could locate the TV channel for the Longhorn vs Aggie game.  It was not carried, so I listened on the website and used my imagination.  I recorded the game at home so I would be able to witness the end of a long-time rivalry.

Sea Haven 

Front Deck Overlooking Beach

View of the Gulf

 Sunset – Thanksgiving Day

Sunset – Thanksgiving Day

 Pam & Lyndsey – Viewing Beach

Jerry & Lyndsey – Viewing Beach

Sunrise – Friday Morning

We had a great family adventure during our Thanksgiving weekend.  I took many pictures, especially of the food.  This was our most unusual Thanksgiving Day with travel on Thursday and giving thanks on Friday.  I’ve wanted to go to the beach in the winter for years.  There weren’t a lot of people so it was just a great time to relax and do family.

The Longhorns won the game and that was great.

I will include other pictures of our adventure on a later post.

We all agreed it was the best Thanksgiving Day we had ever had.  It will be hard for me to dream up an adventure for next year.  Maybe I should begin today.

The greatest part of the holiday was the presence of God in all we saw and did.

Lyndsey has asked me to take pictures of the entire process.  I guess she plans to make a documentary of my efforts and sometimes frustrations.  There are about 80 pieces to the bed and it calls for really precision measuring, sawing, router work, etc.  This is only important if you want the bed to be square and level with all legs planted firmly on the  floor.

While all the different stages of construction are in progress, I get an e-mail from Lyndsey.  She plans on making a “Charlie Brown Christmas Tree” and wanted a stand.  She usually sends me a picture of something and says, “Daddy, can you make this?”  My answer is always “yes.”  I may not know how, but I am a problem solver and believe I can figure it out.  The “figuring” is the most exciting part…almost!  The real excitement for a request from Pam and/or Lyndsey is being able to do a project for them.

So, this request is not something to be delayed until the new year.  It’s a Christmas thing.  I have many, many scraps from the bed project, so the materials are no problem.

So, this is my solution.  I thought it would be nice to make a stand that could be easily stored, so I used PVC with a set-screw to stabilize the “tree.”  The PVC is also connects the to legs on the stand.  The stand can be taken apart by removing the PVC or just folded up as show in the picture.  So this small project came in the middle of the much larger project.

Are you interruptible for someone else’s needs?  We are fortunate that there is One who is always interruptible for our needs.  I guess the real word is “available” for our needs.  We have a God who is omnipresent and is a real multi-tasker.  Jesus sits at the right hand of God and intercedes continuously for our cares and needs.  As a husband and father, I always try to be interruptible for the needs of Pam and Lyndsey.  Sometimes I am not aware of the cares or needs and need to be prompted by them.  God is always aware of our needs and is just waiting for us to speak to Him.  He wants a part of everything we do and the circumstances in which we find ourselves.  It is not an interruption to Him.  He is just always there for us and available at all times.  Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for our blessings.  It is a special time to give thanks but is a reminder to give thanks daily for these blessings.

Pam, Lyndsey, and I have a very special Thanksgiving holiday planned and I know we will be blessed by being together.  I wish a very special Thanksgiving Season for each of you who read this post.

So, be blessed of God and “Hook-em Horns” on the annual Thanksgiving Day Game!!!

Earlier in the week I was at a local barbecue restaurant and they had a sign advertising 2 lbs of barbecue that stated you could make 8 quarter pound sandwiches.  Well, I know that 8 x 1/4 lbs = 2 lbs, but maybe it must be explained to someone else.

I was living in Port Arthur years ago and we experienced high water during a hurricane.  There was a drive along the seawall that was under water.  The street is a one-way street and there was a sign that read “ONE WAY DO NOT ENTER.”  The water was so high it was level with the bottom of the sign.  My brother took a picture of the sign.  I am sure nobody tried to drive this route with water up to the car windows.  But, I am not sure.  I have seen cars stranded under overpasses that had signs on the bridge that read “CLEARANCE 16 FEET.”  The water under the overpass was only 2 or 3 feet below the bridge span…DUH!

When I lived in Port Arthur, there was a real good barbecue restaurant in Bridge City.  There was a sign posted that gave the price of barbecue with sauce and without barbecue sauce.  The price was higher per pound without the sauce.  This seemed a little odd to me so I checked into it further.  Barbecue sauce has weight so you get less meat.  The owner had discovered that more barbecue was sold without sauce so he raised the price for an order of meat only.  It’s called retail pricing for achieve maximum profits.

Below are some unusual signs that you might find amusing:

I hope you enjoyed the signs.  Everyone needs something to laugh about each day.  Especially in the current trying times.

The signs we observe in the world today are often funny and/or weird.  Many of them are rules and regulations to be obeyed in order to not get in trouble with the law.  With God, it’s a little different.  Well, maybe not a little different, but a lot different.  God’s Word gives us commands.  There is little room for doubt with these commands.  They are given to us that me might find and remain in a relationship with Him.  There is very little to not understand.  The reason for this is that is God’s Truth.  Disobedience to His commands is much worse than violating the traffic laws and other laws of the land.  We are blessed when we keep His commandments.  We are not always successful, but because of God’s Grace we are forgiven and can continue in our relationship with Him.

Procrastination may result in stress, a sense of guilt and crisis, severe loss of personal productivity, as well as social disapproval for not meeting responsibilities or commitments. These feelings combined may promote further procrastination. While it is regarded as normal for people to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning.

Perfectionism

Traditionally, procrastination has been associated with perfectionism, a tendency to negatively evaluate outcomes and one’s own performance, intense fear and avoidance of evaluation of one’s abilities by others, heightened social self-consciousness and anxiety, recurrent low mood, and “workaholism”.

My brother-in-law is having a cardioversion procedure performed this morning.  I bring this up not to say he is a procastinator, but just to make a point.  There are many times when we are faced with a decision and we are unsure of the results.  We think what if it doesn’t work.  Well, what if it does work.  One thought is negative and the other positive.

I am working on one of the most complicated woodworking projects I have ever attempted.  This time I have plans rather than looking at a picture from a catalogue and drawing my own plans.  When people have brought me pictures and asked if I could build this…I always say, “sure.”  When I received the plans for my current project, I looked them over and saw how complicated the detail work would be.  It was going to be a challenge, but when Lyndsey asked if I could build this Queen Size Sleigh Bed, I said sure.  I could have just thrown up my hands and said I could never get all the 80 pieces to fit, but I believe it is the challenge that drives me.  Until I bought the first materials and made the first cut, there would never be the possibility to find out if I could finish it or not.  It’s just like walking.  You can’t walk until you take the first step.  That leads to the next step and then the next step.  That’s where I am now.  I am patiently taking one step at a time and I KNOW that I can complete the job.

I run into procastinators daily in my financial planning profession.  I visit with people who have lost a large portion of their retirement funds in the stock market.  When I suggest an alternative, they say, “but what if the market goes up?”  Well, what if it stays where it is or goes down?  I am conservative so I like to remove as much risk as possible when dealing with investments.  Many people believe the greater the risk, the greater the rewards…really!!!  Maybe so, may not.

A couple of months ago I had a thought on a new family adventure for Thanksgiving.  I could have thought Pam and Lyndsey would never want to go on this type of adventure, but rather than procrastinate, I told them my plans.  Not only acceptance by both…extreme excitement.  I could have procrastinated about finding the right place to stay and worry about it being the perfect place.  But, I searched and found the perfect place…two months early.  The excitement is really beginning to build in anticipation for our Thanksgiving adventure.  We all like adventures and try to make each time we get together an adventure.

One area we need never procrastinate about is God’s faithfulness.  When God says it will happen…it will happen.  When He says He will…He will.  We can stand firm in our faith on that.  Years ago when God said He will save me, it was no time to procrastinate and say, “well, what if He doesn’t.”  Well, what if He does.  Now that is really exciting.  Just like in the stock market…it’s a matter of risk.  There is no risk greater than being saved by our Lord and Savior.  There are many things I may doubt, but there is no doubt in His promise.

So, how is this like bowling?  In bowling I always concentrated on a spot marked on the lane.  If I hit “my spot” and was consistent in my delivery of the ball, theoretically the ball would hit the “strike zone” and knock all the pins down.  If I missed the “spot” by one inch, it made a huge difference when the ball arrived at the other end of the lane.  One inch here may be one foot there.  So it is with woodworking.  Especially when there are 70 or 80 pieces on my current project.

Headboard and footboard posts – Sleigh Bed

These posts are the first step in the project.  Two boards are cut according to the plan design.  Then these two pieces are laminated.  After that, it’s router work time.  A 3/8″ groove (mortise), 5/8″ deep must be cut on each post to receive the tenon of the raised panel that completes the headboard and/or footboard.  After finishing the grooves for the footboard post, I discovered there was a small error in placement of between 1/16″ and 1/8″.  Small error, but it’s very much like missing the “spot” in bowling.  The correction must be measured twice (at least) and cut once to keep the project simple.  The wrong correction at this point compounds the problem as each other piece in the footboard is joined.  I didn’t want to want top make an adjustment on each new piece so I needed make the right correction in the beginning.

“Laminated scrap pieces to test my correction”

With scrap material I will be able to measure twice and cut once and test the results before continuing with the laminating and router work of the rest of the pieces for the footboard.

 So, not only is woodworking and bowling similar in some ways, but they are both similar to life itself.  Each decision we make in life not only has an effect on us…it affects other lives as well.  If we miss the “spot” or don’t “measure twice – cut once” in our decisions, the effect on our life and the life of others can be tremendous.  It is very much like disobedience to God.  Sometime we try to measure sin as being small, medium, or large (maybe XXL) to justify something we just want to do.  One of our “small” sins in missing the “spot” affects our relationship with God (and others).  If we don’t make the proper correction, it is much easier to move on to the “medium” sin and then on to the “large or XXL” sin.  So, that’s the way life is like woodworking and bowling.  A little error here is a large error down the road.

Ferris Wheel

 I’ve never been a great fan for riding on ferris wheels.  Never have I been interest in where the name came from or when was it first invented, so I looked it up:

A Ferris wheel (also known as an observation wheel or big wheel) is a nonbuilding structure consisting of a rotating upright wheel with passenger cars (sometimes referred to as gondolas or capsules) attached to the rim in such a way that as the wheel turns, the cars are kept upright, usually by gravity.

Some of the largest and most modern Ferris wheels have cars mounted on the outside of the rim, and electric motors to independently rotate each car to keep it upright. These wheels are sometimes referred to as observation wheels, and their cars referred to as capsules, however these alternative names are also sometimes used for wheels with conventional gravity-oriented cars.

The original Ferris Wheel was designed and constructed by George Washington Gale Ferris, Jr. as a landmark for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. The term Ferris wheel later came to be used generically for all such structures.

Since the original 1893 Chicago Ferris Wheel, there have been eight subsequent world’s tallest-ever Ferris wheels. The current record holder is the 165-metre (541 ft) Singapore Flyer, which opened to the public in March 2008.

Pam and I traveled to Dallas yesterday for a Texas State Fair adventure, in other words we wanted to see some of the exhibits and try some of the WEIRD DEEP FRIED FOODS.  I don’t know whether people had visions or dreams to come up with some of these foods.  It may have been their response to a nightmare they had.  Whatever the case, we did enjoy some of the offerings.

I mentioned the ferris wheel because I have not taken a ride on one since I was very young.  I tried it once and was probably more scared than thrilled because of the wind, rocking, and height.  So I have refrained from the temptation to ride ferris wheels for many. many years.  But, we were on an adventure and this is Pam’s favorite ride.  I told her I would ride with her.  This was either a surprise or shock to her.  She said it would be alright for me to sit in the shade and wait for her, but because she is Pam and I am me, I told her I would ride with her.  I really wasn’t bad and I could see the Dallas skyline.  I don’t remember how high the wheel is but while we were stopped at the top, Pam noticed a large crate filled with pumpkins and they looked like oranges to us.  That’s high enough for me.

We had a great time, listened to the Ranger baseball game on the way home, and arrived home in time to see the 9th inning and a Texas Ranger come from behind victory.  So, I guess we saw the most important part of the game.

Life is an adventure and I guess I learned a “life lesson” yesterday.  I don’t believe I’ve always had a fear of ferris wheels.  It is just not the most comfortable thing I desire to do.  As to the “life lesson,” there are many things we fear in life because of the unknown factor involved.  It is by faith that we continue forward and our faith in God replaces our fear with a peace that can only be provided by Him.  It is that faith that allows us to approach all circumstances and enjoy each adventure of life.

The PURPOSE at the beginning of each project is to reach the final goal…placing it at the planned location.  However, during the entire project I may run into problems that call for making adjustments for a specific PURPOSE.  In building the raised panels for the headboard and footboard for the sleigh bed, I needed to use my table saw for the angle cuts on the edges.  The panels are 54 inches long and I discovered I could not place them on the saw table because my ceiling was too low.  This required me to move my Shopsmith to the shed on the side of my shop.  This caused a problem because the equipment is very heavy and I am only one.  But, I got it moved.  After making some trial cuts on scrap wood, I discovered another PURPOSE.  My table saw fence is only about 4 inches high, so in order to achieve the proper angle cuts, I had to build and attach a larger fence.  This is one of those PURPOSES that pops up from time to time in many projects.  When I had remodeled our kitchen, I had saved the cabinet doors and they were just what I needed for the extended fence:

Table saw, extended fence, and panel

Many times the new PURPOSE I encounter requires a lot of patience.  But, I am a problem solver and enjoy the challenge.  I was able to make the cuts for the raised panel with the assistance from a friend who came by to borrow a sander.

I was reading The Maxwell Leadership Bible discovered something about PURPOSE in Phillippians 1:12-18:

Purpose:  Paul Stayed on Mission, Even in Prison

Paul might have been forgiven had he chosen to take a little sabbatical as he sat in prison, awaiting his trial.  Yet he used even this opportunity to advance the gospel.

Paul was a leader who never drifted from his mission.  He determined to leave his mark wherever he went.  George Washington Carver wrote, “No individual has any right to come into the world and go out of it without leaving behind him distinct and legitimate reasons for having passed through it.”

How did Paul’s sense off purpose keep him in the battle as he sat in prison?  What did he learn behind bars?  Consider the following:

1.  A PURPOSE will motivate you.

2.  A PURPOSE will keep your priorities straight.

3.  A PURPOSE will develop your potential.

4.  A PURPOSE will give you power to live in the present.,

5.  A PURPOSE will help you evaluate your progress.

So, having a PURPOSE doesn’t apply just to woodworking.  We encounter many PURPOSES in life and God is always there for each new encounter…..and adventure.

Last Friday I received this “Certification of Recognition” from The Texas State Board of Public Accountancy for 50 years of licensure as a Certified Public Accountant.  WOW!  It seems like only a few years ago that I was studying for and taking the CPA examination.  The accompanying letter bestowed congratulations from the Texas State Board on being among those distinguished Texas CPAs who have maintained their licenses for 50 years.

The law requiring certification in accounting was passed in 1945.  I passed my exam in 1961 and my license number is 5,487.  I called the State Board this morning and they told me that approximately 98,000 licenses have been issued in the State of Texas.  I have often been curious as to how many active CPAs there are with a license number lower than mine.  Just curious, it’s no big deal.

In addition, the Board invited me to attend, along with Pam and Lyndsey, the December 3, 2011, swearing-in ceremony in Austin, Texas, and to be seated with the other 50-year honorees on the stage during the ceremony.  This is expected to be a highlight in the professional lives of both the new CPAs and their 50-year counterparts and to serve as an inspiration to those newly licensed.

Many people have heard my story of a mother who sat me down and discussed the various professions available.  I was 11 years old and in the sixth grade.  I decided that day that wanted to be a CPA and even though I took a few rabbit trails to the side and skipped the opportunity of a college degree.  I know that God has had His Hand on me my entire life and through hard study and my experience in accounting I was successful in passing the exam.  You can no longer qualify for the exam without a college education, so I was fortunate in qualifying through experience before the law changed.

The State of Texas recognizes the CPA Certificate as a master’s degree and it allowed me to teach night classes for a junior college when I first moved to Jasper.  That was an experience I will always remember.  Three of my students in “Principles of Accounting” later became CPAs.  I was extremely honored to have had a part in that.

During theses past 50 years as a CPA, I have been an employee of two CPA firms, spent 30 years in banking as a Chief Financial Officer, and after retiring 9 years ago (for two days), I changed my focus to financial planning.  That change has brought much joy to me to be able to be instrumental in people reaching their retirement goals.

I have had many great, and trying experiences, during these past 50 years along with many highlights.  Pam and I always look at everything that happens in life as an adventure, so I have had some great adventures during those years.  My most wonderful adventure as been meeting and marrying Pam, followed closely by the arrival of Lyndsey in our lives.  Those two make every day an adventure for me and I love every minute of it.

So, I have been blessed during my life and walking in God’s blessing has been an experience and adventure that there are really no words to express.  It is because of my relationship with Him, that I have been able to fill my life with many adventures.