" Tell me...when a tree falls in the forest does anyone hear it....does anyone care?"

I don't know where I was or what I was doing at the time I heard my "title line" but, it has stuck to my DNA. Consequently, I pondered it often.

I love kids.....I really mean that....I love them! I don't care about their background, what they have done, what color they are, where they live, .........nothing.....I don't care. But, I can honestly say....."I Love Them"!

Consequently, they break my heart because so many of them are "disconnected from reality".

" I am a self-proclaimed expert on young people"! I'm not ashamed to say that. No one can change my mind! My statement is "non-negotiable". You may have your opinion about my opinion but that won't change or alter mine in anyway.

" What makes you "so qualified" ...it's a fair question.

I have raised five children....four boys and a daughter. They are all grown and in most cases have established families......nearly all of them have children of their own. From my grown children I have nine grandchildren. In some cases the grandchildren have their own children...thus you can add two great-grandchildren to the mix. Counting only my children, grandchildren,great-grandchildren....there are fourteen.....and I love them all..........equally ...yet in different ways.

My "bride" of 36 years is an educator. She has all kinds of degrees and is not only qualified to teach but has taught classes in Special Education, and Foreign Languages. She can even teach "English".... a 2nd language to me.................that's a joke! Although qualified to teach children of all grades she has spent most of her teaching experience with middle and high school aged children. So, what has that done for me? I'm a people watcher by nature. She has always involved me in school activities and that has given me a lot kids to watch and study.

A regular monthly activity of mine takes me into various prison and juvenile jails every month. I've done this for nearly a decade. I have encountered kids...make that children...of all ages. They have been charged with crimes that run the gamut from "skipping school, to arson, rape, drugs, robbery, stealing cars and murder"!

I've ministered in prisons all over the world. I have embraced some really bad people in my travels.... even a "hit man" with a record 45 murders! In all these cases, the only time I have ever "ministered" to an inmate in "chains and shackles" it was a child. .....a ten-year old child! It has happened more than once...........

When you take a young person out of their home environment and place them into jail a strange metamorphosis takes place. They don't look like criminals....but rather just a bunch of kids one would find in any junior high or high school class.

So why are they there"

I've heard it all..." I was framed, I was set up, I'm not guilty, I'm taking the wrap for somebody else. My parents, my aunts and uncles....my brothers and my sisters.....are in jails, prisons...what have you"! Some even take pride in the fact that they have been incarcerated four and five times....."it's a Red Badge Of Courage to them".

"It makes me want to scream.....stop the madness"! "But, would anybody hear me....does anyone care"?

Case in point.

Some time back I was coming out of the home of an extended member of our family. A loved one had died earlier that day. Just across the street was a small group of Junior and High School boys. They were talking with an acquaintance who was sitting on a very fast "All Terrain Vehicle". It was a racing model. Not even getting to my car that was parked nearby this young man started this machine up, revved it loudly and then proceed up the street.........a public road...a crowded public road ....at a high rate of speed and gaining more..............on only ...."the back two wheels"! It was a foolish and deadly stunt that continued for nearly a quarter mile.

That action went thru me like a "bullet", but what made it worse, was the laughter and support this "young fool" received from his mates!

I walked over to these kids...with the question....."who is that idiot"? Is he a "friend of yours"? What he did was foolish and extremely dangerous not only to him but those along and in his path. "Don't you realize, guys, that his "stupidity is a reflection on who you are"? If you are in support of his actions!

I happened to mention that "God's word, The Bible" states quite clearly that "we are known by the friends we keep and that our actions will reflect their actions". (To you my "reader" you will find this in Proverbs..Old Testament. Think of Wisdom, Solomon, it's in there)

Their reply was "ahhhhhhhhh we don't know nothing about no Bible". So, with the time available I let them tell more of how they felt. Our conversation ended with me explaining to them what I was all about and that it would be very wise on their part to make it a point to get to know the "God of the Bible, the God who created them,the One who has a plan for their lives". Or, sadly, I would see them again......"in a jail or prison somewhere"!

"It took less than three weeks....."

I arrived early at one of the jails I minister in and used the time to talk with the kids that had been brought to me....there were more coming. After exchanging small talk with these boys and getting them to relax in my presence one of them asked me where I "preached"? I told him in some detail but also added where I lived. My reply caught one of them by surprise and he jumped in his seat..........and then he said, " I live in the same town you do"! A brief pause in our conversation was soon followed by him breaking the silence........."preacher do you recognize me"?

Looking closely at the boy I didn't see any resemblance to any prior encounter. When you put all those kids in prison garb they don't stand out much, unless they are handcuffed and shackled.

My reply to the lad was " no, should I"? His quite, embarrassed reply was ..."do you remember when that boy took off on his "four-wheeler doing a wheelie'?

Instant recognition!

I said, "Yes, now I do........... very well..........and here we are"! "Was I speaking as a prophet to you that day or what"? ......What could he say other than yes....his words.

It makes me "want to scream....will anyone hear me....would anyone care"

There's more........

"Hard writing....easy reading..."

I've got to take my "hat off" to those who make their living by writing...be it a book, newspaper, or whatever source of media they use. I have found that "writing" is not as easy as it looks.

I remember a statement one of my English teachers made many years ago. She said...."hard writing, easy reading, easy writing....hard reading". That statement has stuck with me for many years now and I can't, for the life of me, figure out why? I guess it is just one of those things that locks on to your DNA and you have to live with it.

I've said all this as I have been pondering what the next subject would be of this "infant blog". A lot of subjects have come to mind. There has been the relationship that I have with my dog, Jack. He's a buddy for sure. And then, there are relationships that I have with my close friends...like Butch. In some ways their connected.....

Jack has been my "main pet" now for the past 8 plus years. At the time I acquired him I had been longing for dog that could really be a buddy. You know, the kind that goes with you where ever you go. In the beginning that is exactly how it was. He was my constant companion whether I was going to work or the grocery store.

I had a cardboard box set up in my office that was referred to as "Jack's box". I had placed some old clothing and padding into it so that he would be comfortable. Everyone who worked with me accepted the fact that he "was gonna be around"....like it or not. Fortunately, for me and Jack, everyone was very kind and did in fact accept the little fella.....a mix of "Jack Russell Terrier" and another breed yet to be determined.

Several months went by with Jack as my work mate until the day he got "fired"!

There was another work associate who shared the office with me and made the mistake of laying her purse on the floor. During a brief absence by me from the office, Jack took it upon himself to "lay claim" to this object on "his territory". "He peed on it!" Oh Lord why did he have to do that? Course' the answer is simple....he's a dog...and dogs do that.

Now the little fella is confined to "house arrest" at home; a home he shares with several "back up pets"...all cats. And,they love to "push him around". It is really something to watch.

On the other end of the spectrum of "friendship" is my buddy "Butch".

Butch is one of those people who come into your life when you weren't looking for anything. It starts off as a simple acquaintance, and slowly but surely builds into a close friendship. Our backgrounds are very different, yet we have many things in common. Our love for the Lord, our desire to sing, both of our spouses are teachers....the list goes on and on.

At the time I met Butch he brought another old acquaintance into our relationship, his name was Larry.

It all started with music....all three of us loved to sing Gospel music. With that common denominator, it was easy for me to include them in the realm of my ministry and they likewise included me in theirs. The years that followed were filled with some great times. Our friendship grew over this time and it was always a time of good fellowship and a "no holds bared" exchange of ideas. We talked about everything...politics included. Larry would get so mad during some of these exchanges that he would demand the car be stopped (in the middle of nowhere) so he could get out. Of course, this request was denied and then someone would say something and we would be laughing to the point of tears. It was "guy thing"!

Sadly, Larry became ill a few years into our relationship and died. He has been gone now for almost three years yet, it still feels like it was just yesterday. I don't need to say how much we both still miss Larry. I have caught myself looking back at someone that is passing in the background because from that angle he looked just like our old friend.

Since Larry's passing, Butch and I have become really "brothers-in-spirit". I can't speak for him but as far as I'm concerned he has become a Blessing. He is a "sounding board" for me in so many areas of my life....one I can trust when I open my heart and share the things that I hold close to my heart. At times he may give me an opinion that I don't like to hear but in the long run he is a willing listener. It is hard to find people like that today as everyone seems to have their own agenda. Butch is a Blessing!

So how are the two alike....Jack and Butch? They accept me for who and what I am and they are both trustworthy in their own way.

Isn't it interesting how God Blesses us by using creatures that come from opposite extremes....one the animal kingdom.....and the other from "one formed in His own likeness"?

I believe it is the measure of Blessed man when he has a "Good Wife, A Trusted Friend and a Loyal and Faithful Dog" I've got all three!

Hitting the open road with "Buelah" and me.

I've mentioned earlier my love for motorcycles. This is a "passion" that I've picked up late in my life and since this discovery I've logged many miles. My neighbors probably think that I'm nuts because no matter the temperature they have witnessed me pull away from my driveway year round. Other people have expressed bike riding better than I can by using the analogy; "Riding in a car and watching the scenery go bye is like watching a movie. Riding a motorcycle down that same road "puts you into the movie"!

Riding a motorcycle opens my senses like nothing else I've experienced. As you ride down a country road you pickup all the activity around you, especially fragrances.. If someone is washing and drying their clothes you not only pick up the scent of it but, you can recognize the brand of washing powder they are using. In the spring the countryside is alive with the aroma of flowers and clover, evergreens and fresh mown hayfields. Here in the Appalachain Mountains you can add the fragrence of "wild onions....or more precisely, ramps. In the fall, especially the late fall, the air is rich with the scent of dried leaves, and wood smoke coming from chimneys. It is amazing.

So, with that said....come along with "Buelah and me" as we travel down West Virginia State Route 99...running the ridgeline of Bolt Mountain.

Are you blessed?

When was the last time you stopped to consider just how “blest” you are?

I’m talkin’ about by the people around you, places you’ve traveled, sights seen, fragrances that “take you back” by their aromatic beauty. I’ve been thinking about this quite a bit lately, as it seems the “blessings just keep on coming”.

Everyday…is a blessing. Steaming up the bathroom mirror. Looking around and "seeing" a messy room with all my “stuff”. Walking down a flight of stairs. Hearing the sound of my “Brides’ voice. Getting a “whiff” of my smelly dog, Jack, who has a major case of “bad breath"!

It’s all a blessing……………… cause' I am alive!

A few years back I was on one of several Mission Trips to South Africa. We had been ministering in the central city of Bulawayo, in Zimbabwe. After completing my work there my associates and I were traveling by truck back to Victoria Falls. We decided to take a detour and left the main road to drive thru a major portion of Hwange National Park.

Hwange at the time was home to over 50,000 elephants. Meeting a “naturalist” during our visit made it special as he gave us an explanation of all we were seeing. He went on to say the population of elephants was about 25,000 too many and that “poaching” is a major problem. The Government of Zimbabwe had issued a “shoot on site” order to their Rangers for anyone seen carrying a firearm inside the park. While talking with this man, shots range out and sadly,two such poachers were killed.

Getting back to my story….driving thru this amazing land we saw many of the animals that make this place home. Birds, reptiles, all sorts of mammals and insects….you name it…we saw it.

I recall stopping to watch a huge elephant at a distant waterhole drinking in sight of a Croc. Then there was this absolutely beautiful Giraffe walking down a nearby path. If you've never see an animal like this walking without a fence between you and it….you have missed so much; their graceful stride,…. enormous size, ….and gentle spirit….….they are absolutely beautiful.

It is easy, without realizing it, to accidently stop on a path many of the creatures walk on day bye day. This was the case further on down the road.

Unknown to us we had stopped in the path of a bull elephant. A monster if I every saw one. Grabbing the camera to shoot close-up photos of this animal in the wild, we noticed his ears flapping straight out………..then he started backing up. My host, a South African and very familiar with such encounters, began to shout………..… "heeeeeeeeeee’s gonna charge”!

In the “blink of an eye” here came this “behemoth” in full charge……only to stop just short of the truck we were in that had been frantically spinning its wheels to get out of his way!

Later, my host, sez’ “oh, that was just a false charge”! You sure couldn’t prove it by me as it scared the “begeebers out of me”!

Was that a blessing or what………how many people can say they have been “charged by an African Elephant", and lived to tell about it?

Yes, I am Blest

What's your occupation?

"Occupation"......that is something everybody wants to know or, thinks they need to know. Even setting up this blog account somebody wanted to know my occupation. Why is that important?

We so often try to put people we meet in "little boxes"....this one does this or another does that. Then we place "status" as to who is the more important based upon what they tell us.

What if your "un-employed"? Is that an occupation? Or, what if you are "retired" or "disabled" do these count as occupations?

Whenever I am asked that question I am always tempted to ask in return ..."what part of the day are you talking about"? It changes!

During the course of the day I could be an "office worker", when I go home for lunch I become a "nurse for a bedfast member of my family". During the evenings or certain weekend days I'm an "evangelist". Then there are times I am a "parent". At other times I become a "counselor" and it isn't beyond me to be a "student"

I won't say much about the times that I am "gofer" or an "errand boy" as that wouldn't make me sound very important ...would it ?

"Hey Honey I"m creating a blog........."

"..........your doing what! What in the world are you doing that for?"

I've asked myself that question for a long time now. Why heck, I don't even really understand why they (who ever "they" are) call a "Blog" a "Blog". Maybe I'll find out by doing this?

I've pondered this for a long time and it occurred to me that I've always felt the desire to be a writer, but I have never figured out the how or why of what to write about. Putting down on paper (even if it is virtual paper) does something for the "soul". It's like a "cleanser"...know what I mean? Oh well, this idea of "blogging", as I see it, is a form of writing and perhaps it will help me figure out as to whether or not I'm cut out to do this in the first place.

One desire I have is to say something good about all the people that have "blest" my life over the years either by something they have done or accomplished; or, even if it is nothing more than to accept me for who I am.

"I'm a believer in giving roses to the living"

With that said....I have been imeasurably blest in so many ways and frankly, sometimes it is easier to put into writing how one feels about another person than it is say it directly to their face. Who knows...maybe it would make them uncomfortable if I say it in their presence, whereas, if they read my thoughts in private they'll appreciate it more.

I've been given great previleges over my life. I've traveled, seen sights, heard sounds I never dreamt I would ever see or hear. I'm gonna to talk about what that all means to me.

And, then there are those questions that one ponders in life. Questions, that you would like to ask but just can't find a way to ask them. I'll bring some of those issues up.

Finally, I want to share some areas of my life that give me joy. You don't have to read them, but I am gonna talk about God's Blessings. I may even read to you ....some of my favorite portions of Scripture. I'm gonna invite you to ride along with me on my motorcycle. I call her "Buelah" because time spent on her is a "heavenly experience". I've never ridden on a "majic carpet" but I believe riding that bike comes about as close to it as I can imagine.

"I'm in the water now.......it's time to sink or swim"!