The Flu

   Last week, I had the flu. It was terrible. I would get up, get ready for school, try to survive for 9-10 hours at school, make it home, take some medicine, sleep from about 4:30-5:00 pm till 6:00 am, and then do it again. It was a truly nightmarish existence. Add to it that the week also consisted of me having to meet with the middle school principal about pacing, then I met with the assistant headmaster about assessment preparation, also had a meeting with the high school principal, got evaluated, and had gate duty. The whole week felt like a painful exercise in trying to pretend to be sober. I am feeling better now. Thanks for asking. My meetings went well. I am not sure how. And I must have resembled the slowest guy in the world as I made change for folks when I had gate duty. I know at one point I almost gave up when a parent paid the $3 fee with a $100. It was almost too much.

So, for this post, I wanted to give everyone some facts from the CDC about the flu. Here they are:

1. In 1918/1919, the flu epidemic killed about 50 million people worldwide.
2. The flu is spread when someone who has the flu sneezes, coughs, or talks.
3. The current flu shot is syntheticwhich means doesn't contain the actual flu virus.
4. Around 49,000 people die of the flu every year in America.
5. The current strain of the flu is called the H3N2 virus.
6. 2009/2010 H1N1 strain only killed about 300 in America.
7. Almost 98% of the people who get the flu shot, get the flu.
8. Until the early 2000's, more folks died from the flu shot than the flu.
9. Getting a flu shot will help you get acclimated to past flu viruses, but not newer strains of the flu virus.


Hope everyone gets better or stays well and away from what I had!

   David

A Brief Glimpse of Glory

  I am in a Bible Study that meets on Wednesday night at 8:00 pm. I like the study, but at times it gets to be a lot. What I mean by this is that the study requires you to memorize verses, read a lot, answer questions, etc which is almost too much at times when you think about all the other things I am required to do. I am sure each of you can relate. Everyone is so busy. However, I am always so glad that I get to be in the study once I am sitting down. It is worth it.

  The leader of our group is an elder in our church, but more than that he is a real person. He always tells us where he has failed. He doesn't have his work finished sometimes. He doesn't memorize the weekly verses sometimes because he hasn't had the time. His marriage isn't perfect. He has financial worries. All of this makes me respect him even more. The reason for this is because it helps me see that every age and every person has struggles, worries, bad times, etc, etc. His favorite topic is how vastly important it is to always know that Grace is the only reason anything good occurs in our life. Anything. If we have money, it is grace. If we don't, it is grace. If our marriage is strong that week..Grace. If it is struggling..it is Grace. If we are memorizing the verses, having quite times, praying....it is only Grace.

  I need to hear this. Often times, I  am so goal focused that I begin treating the Christian faith like my running, or fixing up my house, or my job. Something, "I", need to accomplish. "I" becomes the lone pronoun. I need to pray. I need to memorize scripture. I need to tithe. I need to behave in a certain manner. I need to love my wife, family, in-laws. This is all very depressing because I fail at all of it ALL the time. I am only really good at one thing and that is sinning and doing what I don't really want to do, but in truth it is exactly what I want to do.

 This brings me to my favorite part of my Bible study...it makes me think. Every week, I leave and have learned so much. I am convicted. I am relieved. But every time, it causes me to think. And lately, it has made me think about the reason for this post. I have become so convinced that we must never try to separate Christian beliefs from the world around us. What I mean by this is that I feel like when we try to make the Christian faith about things not on earth, then it is quick to lose track of. When I think about the Christ's relationship to the Church, it can he hard to understand, but not when I think about it like marriage because I have seen a marriage and am married. I can think about God as Father because I have a father. I can think about Christ as the Son because I am a son. I get the Parable of the Sower because I have grown something from a seed. I understand my need to be dependent upon Christ as a child. I am surrounded by needy kids all day. I can understand a deer panting for water because I have seen it in real life. When I read the Bible it is full of images on/from Earth. I just think that we spend so much time trying to make the doctrines of Christianity so lofty that we forget that most of the parables of Christ were agrarian in nature. We forget that God created all living things on earth and thought they were good. We forget that mankind is made in the image of God. We forget the verses about Christ making all things new and that when Christ returns there will be a new heaven and EARTH.

  And this brings me to the title of this post, A Glimpse of Glory. I titled it this because my Bible study was talking about glory and we had a question asking us to describe glory. All of us did the same thing...there was a throne room, singing angels, jewels, bright lights, etc, etc. My study's leader described something different. He described a Fall dove hunt when the sun shines down on the winter wheat and makes it seemingly dance and sparkle, and the cool breeze is blowing, and your dog is hunting just right, and you feel like life could get no more beautiful or perfect. He said that was a brief glimpse of glory. I loved it because I haven't seen too much of the other stuff, the lofty items, but I have felt the same way numerous times. I now love thinking about those brief moments when it seems like life cannot get any better. That those are small glimpses into what real Glory is. That when I am running and watch the full moon rise over the Ocmulgee river that that is what Glory is. That when I have finished working in my yard and can't move because I am so sore and look out at the night light's reflection on the St. Augustine grass that is so cool to my feet. This is Glory. This is what is being redeemed. When I sit at my dining room table full of good, hot food and am laughing so hard my stomach hurts, that this is a brief glimpse into heaven and glory. This is what is being redeemed. This makes the task so much larger. I know what the world is like. I see the weeds in my lawn. I know how expensive the food was and how hard I had to work to get it. This makes the Redeemer seem even larger because it is not the heavens that are being redeemed. It is this earth and all that dwells in it that have been groaning in pain ever since Adam and Eve sinned the first time. It is the whole sum of all of these brief moments being sewn together and being made perfect. It is the whole of Glory and Christ has done it all through the Father.



 

Basking in a brief glimpse of glory watching my dogs play with their whole heart on the beach and not wanting the day to end because for a very brief moment everything is perfect,
   David

Out of the Land of Haran--A Story Snippet 1

  He'd been there once. The place where time is split in two; one side so bright you had to cover your eyes or your irises would seemingly melt and the other side so dark you couldn't see your own hand in front of your face. But now it seemed he lived there with no sight, but he couldn't seem to get past why he was there. He knew why. He would tell why. He would tell them about this place of blinding darkness. He would slam his hands on the white, pine pulpit till the little cross rattled and the mic fell to the ground; sending a vibration through the crowd till they felt it in their breasts. He'd shout it into their souls until they were there too; hands burnt from the sun's rays, but unseen to the eye. Panic born of unrelenting darkness and cold. He'd scream and shout till saliva dripped from his crooked mouth. He'd play the role of madman so they'd never forget. He'd be the terror for them. If only they'd listen. It's easy to dismiss a prophet, but a madman is different. They wouldn't dismiss him. He'd make sure of it. They would try to forget, but he'd come to them in their sleep and he would shout at them till they awoke in a cold sweat.

______________________________________________

   Sweat poured out of his body and leaked through his polyester suit and made its way onto the pavement; leaving little drops of himself for others to see, but he could see nothing. Everything was torrid and void. He didn't want to. He'd given up on seeing. All he cared for was hearing and doing, but now it seemed like his hearing was beginning to leave him and it terrified him. He had shouted into the dark fog, but there was no answer. There was no great voice waiting for him on the mountain top. There was no lone burning bush and the earth had ceased to be holy. It was all just darkness in which helpless haunts moved from one trap to the next. All the world was on fire and he was walking through the flames and they burned him, but he couldn't see them and had ceased to feel the initial searing. His nerves had left him so long ago.
   He moved slowly along the lines of the earth and longed to rest. He didn't need long, but just a place to sit. He knew he couldn't. It would let him. It was driving him into the ground and wouldn't be done with him until he had spoken his piece and told them how it all would be. He had known exactly how he would tell them and what, but as he got closer to the end, he couldn't think of what he would say or how to say what it wanted him to say. The devouring embers had died inside him and he had ceased to see it speak. There was no new vision. There was just vast darkness and a never-ending plain stretching out forever because there was no horizon; for there was no sun to rise and set.....

Keep going or give it back to Flannery,
  David

Good Riddance

    Sometimes we lose things or have to say goodbye and it is painful. It takes us a little time to get over them and sometimes we never do. I still miss my previous dogs, except Goliath, but that is for a different post. However, today is different. Today is a good day. Today, after I run exactly 4.43 miles and not an inch further, I will say goodbye to these forever:

  I couldn't be happier. I will then pretend all 350 miles didn't happen. My feet are not happy with my brain. They weren't bad shoes. They just weren't for me. They helped me to my fastest 5K and helped me through my first marathon, but I will not miss them. They will be put to pasture and put behind a mower. Goodbye and good riddance!

In other news, the Brooks 3 Ghost has won these awards in the last  two years:

  1. Best Shoe Update-Runner's World 2009
  2. Greenest Running Shoe 2009
  3. Fitness Magazine's Neutral Running Shoe of the Year.
  4. Runner's World International Shoe of the Year 2010!

What do my feet know?
  David

My Favorite Joke

I feel like I need to share this joke with you. I have known it for a very long time. In the time I have known this joke, I have heard many, many jokes, but none of them have beat this one. If, after you read this, you find yourself questioning many things about me, you should really just either a) forget you read this, or b) pretend you read this on a Laffy-Taffy and move on, or c) remember that I live at least 200 days of every year in the company of 8th grade students! Here we go!

There once was a little girl:

And this little girl went to the mall with her family. And at this mall, she saw a girl with beautiful blond hair.

And she ran up to her and said, "You have the prettiest blond hair that I have ever seen. I wish my hair was as pretty as yours."
And the girl with blond hair smugly replied, "It's natural." And then she fluffed her hair and then walked away.

And so the little girl went on her way, but then spotted another girl, but this girl had brunette hair.

And she ran up to her and said, "You have the prettiest brunette hair that I have ever seen. I wish my hair was as pretty as yours."

And the girl with brunette hair smugly replied, "It's natural." And then she fluffed her hair and then walked away.

And so, the little girl walked away and kept looking around the mall and she spotted another girl, but this girl had red hair.

And she ran up to her and said, "You have the prettiest red hair that I have ever seen. I wish my hair was as pretty as yours."

And the girl with red hair smugly replied, "It's natural." And then she fluffed her hair and then walked away.

And so, the little girl went on her way, but then she spotted a girl at the food court with green hair and snot running down her nose.

And she ran up to her and said, "You have the prettiest green hair that I have ever seen. I wish my hair was as pretty as yours."
And the girl with green hair wiped the snot off her face and moved it into her hair and  smugly replied, "It's natural".

End of joke. Time to laugh.

  David

Lessons from a Couple Snow Days

  We just had two snow days here in Middle Georgia. There is nothing quite like a snow day. It is like manna from heaven or finding $20 you didn't know you had, in reality neither of those things happen to me. I'd be happy to find a dollar I didn't know I had. I could then come up with six more cents and buy one of those wonderful vanilla cones from McDonald's. But all I'm really trying to say is that nothing is like a snow day. Nothing.

  When you live somewhere like Chicago, like my little sister, then a couple inches of snow is really an after thought, but if live in Macon, a couple of inches of snow can halt life as you know it and shut down everything and make you think the Apocalypse or the Rapture has come and you have been left behind without Kirk Cameron to show you the way. It is an Event. It is something people will be talking about till you die or move. When people think snow is coming there is this stillness in the air and everyone speaks in hushed tones so that any announcement can be heard. It is as if you are waiting for the words to come from God or Mark Richt himself. It is the one day you dig really deep into your faith in humanity and believe the weatherman. You better be paying attention or you may not have chance to hear it again or get to Kroger before all the milk, eggs, butter, cheese, and bread are sold out because getting snowed in for days at a time is very common here in Middle Georgia!

  Anyway, it happened and it was glorious. I was sitting at our dining room table grading papers and the hint of snow was in the air. I had our computer open, my cell phone nearby, and NPR was blaring and both of our fingers were crossed. (No, we are not sharing fingers these days.) I was updating the browser every several seconds just in case. Then all at once all of my devices brought me the good, no, great news. Monday, life was canceled and I was to stop grading and get back to sleeping and watching things on Netflix. I was to stay inside, not drive, don't go to work, and hope to survive the winter storm of 2011. And this I did with ease. Now, please understand it was very hard eating brownies, grilled cheese, two kinds of warm soup, and deciding what to watch on t.v. or exactly how much to read before I feel asleep again, but everyone has to do hard things in life, right? Right.

  But do not think this time was wasted. It was not. Nor was the next day when life had to be canceled again because all those 2.5 inches of snow froze and we had to take an Ice Day, which I found out was even better than a Snow Day. Mel and I spent some time watching some very good documentaries about prison, the Aryan Brotherhood, the Crips, the Bloods, and MS-13 (an El Salvadorian gang that has been labeled the most dangerous gang in the world by National Geographic).

  After watching these and a little 24, Mel and I have decided these things and there isn't much that could change our minds:

 1. We never want to move or even have to go to LA.

 2. Neither of us ever want to know enough about anything to be a prime candidate for torture.

 3. We never want to ever, ever have to go to prison. Ever!

 4. Neither of us wants to live or die by gang life. Neither of us were built for that kind of thing.

 5. Neither of us want to not have Jack Bauer on our side. If it happens that this is the case, both of us will quit whatever it is we are doing because there will not be much time left in life for either of us.

6. And lastly, cheese, brownies, chili, bacon, cantina chips, more cheese, milk, and more cheese are not suppose to be in your stomach all at once unless you are willing to drink a good party punch to wash it all down.

Hope you get a snow day,
   David

The Death of a Running Goal

I had the best of intentions.

I had read so many accounts of men; many of them older, much older, who had set the same goal and succeeded for years, and years, and years.


I even set the bar low. It was just a mile.


I started so strong.


But then it happened.

The Black Death came to 286 and knocked the door down and let himself in.


I tried to fight it with all my might. I gave it all I had. Nothing seemed to work.


I grew weak. Mel said it was my fever, but I didn't listen.


I went to change clothes, but only made it to the couch. I couldn't hear. I couldn't see well. I was burning up.


Mel suggested we watch a little t.v. We chose to watch a documentary on MS-13. You don't want any part of it. We don't. Trust me. They will kill us all. The program lasted 50 min. I remember 40 min. I went upstairs to rest a bit. It was 7:30 pm.


I woke up the next morning at 11 am.


He killed my running goal with just one sweep of his hand.


That was four days ago. I have been down for the count since. I have only managed two walks of a little over a mile.


I thought I needed to tell you. Keep everyone in the loop. Well, now you have it. All my cards are on the table. I have been sick. Very sick. I have not run for four days. But tomorrow is a new day. I hope that means it will be a new start.

I am very anxious to hit the roads. Tomorrow is supposed to be an ice day in Middle Georgia. It will not keep me from running. Few things will.

David

Suburban Revolution

    So, Mel and I live in a great neighborhood in Macon. Our house is in the historic Vineville district. It is full of old houses that people fill with great, little families and loud dogs. We are happiest about the latter.  Everyone is fixing up their old houses and living as peaceably with one another as is possible. Nothing really happens...Well almost nothing. Sometimes, the places reminds me a little of the Tom Hank's movie from the 80's, The Burbs. If you haven't seen it, you should.

     The people that live directly in front of us have turned the heads of those who abide on our street before. But this time, it was too much for one particular neighbor to take. They, the neighbors in question, were always in trouble with my wife Mel, but that is a post for her blog. She held many things against them, but you would too if you knew them. Some of the things they did that earned them some looks were: they had a maid service, but no kids and the woman didn't have a job, they had a lawn service, but their yard was very small, they had several very loud parties, etc, etc, etc. And this is where the straw landed on the camel and broke its back.

  The yard service that they have comes at times that are only convenient for the yard service; like early Saturday mornings, or around eight when everyone is trying to go to work. They usually park in front of our driveway and Mel can't get out for work. Or sometimes they park in the middle of the street and people have to drive around them, but that is not the worst of it. Our neighborhood has a lot of trees and this is something Mel and I love. However, from November til January, there are a lot of leaves to rake and clean up. The yard service blows the leaves into yards that surround the house or into the street. This is where the story gets good...

  The family who lives right next to the house in question represents Middle GA well. They drive American cars, root for Georgia, the guy coaches baseball, their daughter has a double name, the wife wears jangly earrings and a visor, the boys play football in the yard, the dad's name is Tripp, etc. However, the other day something snapped and I am so glad I got to watch it all unfold from my front porch.

  The yard service came. They cleaned up the house nicely. They mowed. They planted new flowers. They trimmed. They edged. Then they blew all the red oak leaves into Tripp's yard and not into the street. Tripp had just cleaned up his yard the day prior. Tripp drove up. Looked at his yard. Saw the leaves. Yelled some angry words to our neighbor. Went inside. Had his wife examine the leaves in the yard. Shook his head. Went inside. Came back out wearing jeans, Nike's, a Panama hat, and a Che Guevara shirt. He then told our neighbor and his wife the plan. He swept all of the red oak leaves back into the other house's lawn in several very big piles. Shook his head. Had his wife see his work. Dusted his hands off. Smiled and went back inside. So...what is the lesson we can learn from all of this?

  Do not overestimate the quiet baseball coach who secretly has a Che t-shirt lying in his closet and isn't afraid to wear it and take action. Don't you forget it or it will cost you.

  David

 

My 2011 Goals--Part 2

  
  Books, reading, and writing play a large role in my life and hope this to continue to be true in 2011. However, in years past, I have set severally, unrealistic goals for myself and end up disappointed when the year's end comes. This year, I am going to try not end up the year disappointed. I am setting the bar low, so that anything above these goals will be a surprise and not expected. Here are my 2011 reading and writing goals:

1. I want to finish at least two stories that have been in limbo for the last several years.

2. I want to try and put together a volume of vignettes and short stories before this years end.

3. I want to read these books:

       * Grapes of Wrath--Steinbeck
       * East of Eden--Steinbeck
       * Don Quixote--Cervantes
       * Look Homeward, Angel--Thomas Wolfe

4. I want to slowly begin making my way through Faulkner. I feel I am ready. I have only read some short works, but feel that maybe 2011 is year for me to drive straight in.
     

5. And lastly, I want to finish these books:

  * Walden
  * The Cost of Discipleship
  * Pilgrim at Tinker Creek

I will be so happy if I can even get some of this accomplished. I feel like I have been short-changed from not having read these great books. I am only two chapters into the Grapes of Wrath and I am amazed. I can never having the power of words and sentence structure that Steinbeck had. It is sad he only won one Pulitzer Prize.

Happy reading and writing,
   David

How to Make the Perfect Party Punch

   So, I told you that I would give you a post today that would change your life. And I do not want to let any of you...the "blogorati" down. (If that word is not around yet, you saw it here first: A Hines Terrace Herald Exclusive. Move over Geraldo!) So, here we go. Get ready for your life to never be the same. Here is how to make the most perfect of all party punches:

1. Find yourself a bar tender, bar hop, bar maid, soda jerk, or science teacher as fast as you can. In this case we will have to settle for the latter because the making of this punch is really and must remain a science.

2. Get your supplies out. Some people like to add white grape juice into the mix, but I am a purist. And if you are one of those who just love punch with sherbet, you can quit reading this blog post and move on. I cannot follow you into that dark, dark place. Here are the necessary supplies:

 3. Next, find two glasses. Yes, two. Even homeschoolers have parties with more than one person.

 4. Fill them with ice.

5. Now add your ginger ale. My favorite brand is from Canada Dry, especially since it is 10 for $10 at our local Kroger. You need to fill the glass about 3/4 full of ginger ale. It should look like this:

  If you pour the glass till the fizz reaches the top of the glass this should be about right as far as measurements go.

6. Time to add the cranberry juice. This is where you either make or break the party punch. You need to go with the cranberry cocktail. The party punch will be okay if you use cranberry juice, but if you want your punch to inspire a party where people are talking about their TI-89's and how well they did at last year's Bible Drill, then you will use regular cranberry juice, but if you want the party to be full of people dancing with lamp shades on their heads and talking about they were hanging out with Ludicrous and TI right before this, then you will use the cranberry cocktail. The cocktail contains only 30% juice, but all 30% is cranberry juice. This is key.

7. The finished product should look like this.

8. Begin your party immediately. Share the party punch immediately.

  Another perfect party punch enjoyed by the biggest fan of Hines Terrace Herald. Our very own, Sweet Melissa.

Hope you make the party punch as quickly as you can. Your life will never be the same. I promise.  Enjoy!

  David

My 2011 Goals-Part 1

I have a lot of goals for 2011 and don't want to bore everyone in one fail swoop so I decided on doing several compartmental posts. (or make Mel anymore crazy with my lists and logs) The first set of goals will be about my life in running in 2011.

A pic of me trying not to come in last in a race for High Schoolers at the Magic Kingdom last year.

  So, here they are:

1. I want to try to run at least a mile everyday of this year. I have read about several people who have a streak in doing this for years and years. I am only two days in, but have run small amounts each day.

2. I want to complete another marathon. I know this sounds crazy because each of you have proof that I said I just wanted to do one to see if I could, but now am wondering if I could cover the distance just a tad bit faster. (Sorry, Mel)

3. I want to try and run faster than 1:45:00 in a half marathon.

4. I want to try and recover some of my speed this year. Over Christmas break, I drove my wife past my old elementary school where I won the 50 yard dash on multiple occasions. I want to get back to that kind of running. No, not beating elementary kids in the 50 yard dash, but running fast. I want to get below 45 minutes in the 10k and right at 20 minutes for the 5k.

5. I want to have a 60 mile week of running. I got close last year with a couple of 50+ weeks, but didn't quite make it.

6. And lastly, I want to try and run 2000 miles. In 2010, I ran 1509 miles. I am so proud, but know there were a lot of days where 0 miles were run. But to be honest, I will be happy with another year of more than a thousand. I know this sounds crazy, but if you do the math, it is really not that much. There are 365 days in every year, except leap years, and even if you ran or walked one mile a day for a year that would almost be 400 miles. If you ran or walked two miles that would be almost a thousand. So, saying you ran a 10 minute mile, if you ran for 20 min everyday you could run 1000 miles.

Well, maybe you can ask me how my goals are coming along when you see me. A little bit of accountability always helps. Look out for tomorrow's post and your life will never be the same! (Read as not just a ploy to get you to check out the blog manana.)
   David

The First Run of the Year

    


   There is something beautifully peaceful about the first run of the year. It is something I wish I could hold onto for the whole year, but I never can. It is really hard to even describe and it may just be me. I even forget about the feeling until it comes again. This is sad, but very true. I was halfway through my run last night before I felt it and then it all came rushing to me and was almost overwhelming. I know, I know. I am a freak of sorts and too emotional. I blame a lot of things for this, but all of that is for a different post or maybe never.

    The feeling is so special and peaceful because everything is new. All the worries of pace, distance, mile time, etc are those of last year. There are no race dates to worry about or anxieties when you look down and see you are running a lot slower, but feel like it is so much faster. You have 364 days to achieve all that you have set before you. You are running for the first time of the year. It is all new and all is yet to be realized. Every step is one step towards your new running goals. They all seem impossible, but strangely within reach. You have yet to run your fastest, farthest, most competitive. You have yet to have your body give up on you, hit a wall, or disappointed yourself in a race or run. All of that is to come with the good stuff and you know it will, but for a brief moment it is just you and a whole year of moments where you have every chance in the world to overcome yourself and just run. And from 8:46 pm till 9:07 pm last night, that is what I got to do. I just ran into a full year of possibilities. I got to just run and remember why I do.

  Hope you got to enjoy a good first run of the year,
     David