Another year is upon us. But not just another year, another decade. When we look back, we think of where we were at the turn of the century. I remember that it was an exciting time as we watched it change throughout the world, one hour at a time. We worried that computers would throw us into turmoil and many of us stocked up on food and other provisions because of that.
Jake was still alive back then. The parkway was a thing of the future, partially done but not complete. Jake's was the primary truck stop for the area and was known throughout the country. We had articles written on us in national magazines and I made friends with a writer who called himself the 'silver fox'. He and his wife, Shirl, drove the country in a motor home while he wrote. I remember telling him how Shirl was going to need a more permanent home. I also recall the phone call as he sat in his new home laughing while Shirl was headed to Walmart to find things to decorate it.
So many things have happened both positive and negative We grasp and hold on to the positive and hope to let the negative go but to learn from it. We look at the future with anticipation and with positive thoughts. Change will come and we will grasp it and try to wrap our minds around it.
Just as no one back then could imagine what it is like today, we cannot fathom our future either. But, we can step into it with cheerful hearts, thankful for what we have and open to change to make things better.
With that in mind, I make one major change at the beginning of this year.....this decade. And that it in my dinners. I have looked at them for quite some time. We are creatures of habit and tend to just do what we have done in the past. Breakfast and lunch comes in plates that are delivered to the table at the same time. But dinner is different. You bring soup or salad before. And with most, you bring a hot dinner roll. All this makes the cost of that meal more and quite often, that soup, salad, and dinner roll is left behind on the table while the main part of the meal is consumed. So, I have decided to make a bold change and serve my dinners Ala Carte. By this, I will be lowering their price instead of raising them and then up charging for any diners who prefer the old style traditional dinner meal.
I believe this will do a few things. First off, and most important, it will make dinner more affordable. We all want that. Secondly, it will reduce waste. And lastly, it should improve service in a meal that is the hardest to serve appropriately. Timing on dinners has always been a problem. And with only one plate to serve, this should make the service much quicker.
Now, I will sit back and watch to see if the customer agrees and ready to adjust to my new thoughts if they do not. For I know that it is not about me but about them....which is you, the reader of this stream of thought.
Thank you all for the past year and I look forward to talking with you as I walk through the room and do my thing in the coming year.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
A minor rant
We are soon to look at a new year. In some ways, we are excited while in others, apprehensive. I must admit that most of my apprehension comes from what the government plans to throw at us in the coming year to help pay for their increasing budgets and this massive health care issue.
Being a businessman now, I certainly see through some different eyes and will admit that. And in that same light, I see things that I would not have noticed before particularly how our state government is twisting this new tax program around to try and talk the people into voting for it. They try and increase their coffers by attacking corporations and saying that they need to pay more of their 'fair' share.
While their new plan will not affect me that much, it will increase the fees for having a corporation like mine by 1500%. They say that we are not paying enough in taxes but what they don't say is that we pay like anyone else. Every cent of profit that the corporation makes is added on to my wages at the end of the year so that I do pay my fair share. So, this just becomes another expense of the business which only in the end is a higher tax increase than one really imagines.
But it is not my type of corporation that is getting the worst of this 'fair' tax increase. It is the C corporation that will be affected the most and I feel we will see many of these dissolve. Maybe that is the underlying reason behind all of this, no one truly knows except the politician himself who as we all know does not always tell us those real reasons.
These C corporations are now to be taxed upon their sales and not their income. So, lets take a business such as mine. The actual income or bottom line is 5 to 10 percent of that figure. The staggering fact there is that there are corporations that will owe more taxes than they have income.
Those corporations will either dissolve or make wholesale changes from within.
The bottom line on all of this is quite simple. These are the creators of jobs that we direly need in this economy. We are in a state with a very high unemployment rate. Hundreds of people lined up recently for part time jobs in a new local restaurant.
The decisions of these corporations, in my thoughts, are very simple. Close their doors, lay people off, or change the way they do business. Either way you look at it, it means less jobs not more.
Now, equally in my simple way of looking at things, it also means that in the long run, less taxes for this same government.
Now, the second part of this is that they claim that they will create jobs with these tax increases. But, what they don't say is that those created jobs are short term and to sustain them we must continue a spiral of increased taxes.
Wouldn't we be better off creating jobs that are sustainable or that create more jobs? Who cares if some fat cat makes a bit of money off of that? At least their will be plenty of jobs for the people who need them.
I don't know about you, but I would rather feed that fat cat than that devouring vacuum called government who claims that they are acting on our behalf but in reality see only their own agendas.
Holy cow! I started off thinking that I was going to state the positive and ended up with all of this.
One thing that I do know. What ever the challenges that are placed in front of us, we will be resilient and creative. And we will keep our focus on what is the most important and that is people themselves.
My job and my crew's job is really quite simple. To serve our customers. To give them the best quality for the price in an environment where they feel welcome. To honestly and genuinely care for each person that walks through our doors. And then to reach outside those doors to a community around us and help out where we can. I truly believe that if we keep that focus, we can weather what ever storm that is placed in front of us.
Being a businessman now, I certainly see through some different eyes and will admit that. And in that same light, I see things that I would not have noticed before particularly how our state government is twisting this new tax program around to try and talk the people into voting for it. They try and increase their coffers by attacking corporations and saying that they need to pay more of their 'fair' share.
While their new plan will not affect me that much, it will increase the fees for having a corporation like mine by 1500%. They say that we are not paying enough in taxes but what they don't say is that we pay like anyone else. Every cent of profit that the corporation makes is added on to my wages at the end of the year so that I do pay my fair share. So, this just becomes another expense of the business which only in the end is a higher tax increase than one really imagines.
But it is not my type of corporation that is getting the worst of this 'fair' tax increase. It is the C corporation that will be affected the most and I feel we will see many of these dissolve. Maybe that is the underlying reason behind all of this, no one truly knows except the politician himself who as we all know does not always tell us those real reasons.
These C corporations are now to be taxed upon their sales and not their income. So, lets take a business such as mine. The actual income or bottom line is 5 to 10 percent of that figure. The staggering fact there is that there are corporations that will owe more taxes than they have income.
Those corporations will either dissolve or make wholesale changes from within.
The bottom line on all of this is quite simple. These are the creators of jobs that we direly need in this economy. We are in a state with a very high unemployment rate. Hundreds of people lined up recently for part time jobs in a new local restaurant.
The decisions of these corporations, in my thoughts, are very simple. Close their doors, lay people off, or change the way they do business. Either way you look at it, it means less jobs not more.
Now, equally in my simple way of looking at things, it also means that in the long run, less taxes for this same government.
Now, the second part of this is that they claim that they will create jobs with these tax increases. But, what they don't say is that those created jobs are short term and to sustain them we must continue a spiral of increased taxes.
Wouldn't we be better off creating jobs that are sustainable or that create more jobs? Who cares if some fat cat makes a bit of money off of that? At least their will be plenty of jobs for the people who need them.
I don't know about you, but I would rather feed that fat cat than that devouring vacuum called government who claims that they are acting on our behalf but in reality see only their own agendas.
Holy cow! I started off thinking that I was going to state the positive and ended up with all of this.
One thing that I do know. What ever the challenges that are placed in front of us, we will be resilient and creative. And we will keep our focus on what is the most important and that is people themselves.
My job and my crew's job is really quite simple. To serve our customers. To give them the best quality for the price in an environment where they feel welcome. To honestly and genuinely care for each person that walks through our doors. And then to reach outside those doors to a community around us and help out where we can. I truly believe that if we keep that focus, we can weather what ever storm that is placed in front of us.
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Christmas
For 23 years, I worked Christmas. It was not that I had to or even if I wanted to. My reasons were quite simple. My crew had to work so I did also. I know it was hard on my kids but it was hard on theirs also. So, one of the first decisions that I made when I took over the diner was very simple. Thanksgiving and Christmas were to be family holidays and were going to be off for my crew.
We had plans for Thanksgiving and some of our crew decided it was important to them also but Christmas. The diner was to be officially closed. And so it became.
My Christmas started simply by getting out of bed. There were no responsibilities other than just that. Trinity needed some things so we decided to go out. We decided that if we found a coffee shop open, we would get a latte and bring one back to Judy. We noticed a store open and figured that the Starbucks within would be open also. We were right.
Two men were running the little shop. We ordered up our drinks. I told the man that I was sorry that he had to work. He looked right through me....not hearing a word that I said. I figured it was because he was busy so I let it go and just stuffed a couple of bills in the tip bucket.
I then stood in line waiting for our drinks. The man there had been complaining to the previous customer on how he had to work and what he had told his kids when they asked him. I told him also that I was sorry that he had to work. Instead of acknowledging me, he continued to complain about his demise. I said, "I am just trying to say that I understand. I worked Christmas for 23 years and this woman next to me didn't see her father every Christmas morning just as your child did today.". He seemed to not hear a word that I said so I just let it go. I walked away almost kicking myself for even coming in. After all, if people like me did not go out on Christmas morning, he would not be working and would be home with his kids. But, now I had my Mocha Truffle latte.
I think next year, I will not be going out at all except to go to the diner to get something. I actually enjoyed going to the diner in the afternoon. I walked through the quiet diner. It was all so peaceful and quiet. It reminded me of the day before we opened up there. I walked through the building, talking to it as if I was talking to a friend. I remember telling it to get ready. I told it that it was going to be filled with people like it has never been filled before. And those people would be happy and enjoying themselves. I promised the building that if it took care of me, I would take care of it. It was funny, but I knew this inanimate object would become one of my friends and it truly has. When I walk into her, it is like walking into my home.
And I believe that is a part of our success. Allot of my crew have that same feeling of sorts. They enjoy themselves there and see many people who over the years have become friends. In one day last week, three separate customers told me that they felt our employees were like extended family to them. Those words are so much more important than anything that the bottom line can give to me.
To all of the people who have supported us over these last five years. Who smile and talk to me both in the diner and where they meet me in other places. Who encourage, support, and make my job a happy one. A very Merry Christmas. Thank you for allowing me to survive in the building that so many including myself considered the worst location in town for a restaurant.
May God bless you all.
We had plans for Thanksgiving and some of our crew decided it was important to them also but Christmas. The diner was to be officially closed. And so it became.
My Christmas started simply by getting out of bed. There were no responsibilities other than just that. Trinity needed some things so we decided to go out. We decided that if we found a coffee shop open, we would get a latte and bring one back to Judy. We noticed a store open and figured that the Starbucks within would be open also. We were right.
Two men were running the little shop. We ordered up our drinks. I told the man that I was sorry that he had to work. He looked right through me....not hearing a word that I said. I figured it was because he was busy so I let it go and just stuffed a couple of bills in the tip bucket.
I then stood in line waiting for our drinks. The man there had been complaining to the previous customer on how he had to work and what he had told his kids when they asked him. I told him also that I was sorry that he had to work. Instead of acknowledging me, he continued to complain about his demise. I said, "I am just trying to say that I understand. I worked Christmas for 23 years and this woman next to me didn't see her father every Christmas morning just as your child did today.". He seemed to not hear a word that I said so I just let it go. I walked away almost kicking myself for even coming in. After all, if people like me did not go out on Christmas morning, he would not be working and would be home with his kids. But, now I had my Mocha Truffle latte.
I think next year, I will not be going out at all except to go to the diner to get something. I actually enjoyed going to the diner in the afternoon. I walked through the quiet diner. It was all so peaceful and quiet. It reminded me of the day before we opened up there. I walked through the building, talking to it as if I was talking to a friend. I remember telling it to get ready. I told it that it was going to be filled with people like it has never been filled before. And those people would be happy and enjoying themselves. I promised the building that if it took care of me, I would take care of it. It was funny, but I knew this inanimate object would become one of my friends and it truly has. When I walk into her, it is like walking into my home.
And I believe that is a part of our success. Allot of my crew have that same feeling of sorts. They enjoy themselves there and see many people who over the years have become friends. In one day last week, three separate customers told me that they felt our employees were like extended family to them. Those words are so much more important than anything that the bottom line can give to me.
To all of the people who have supported us over these last five years. Who smile and talk to me both in the diner and where they meet me in other places. Who encourage, support, and make my job a happy one. A very Merry Christmas. Thank you for allowing me to survive in the building that so many including myself considered the worst location in town for a restaurant.
May God bless you all.
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Thanksgiving in prespective
I have tried writing stories of Thanksgiving but nothing says the story better than pictures. Thanks to my daughter, Carrie, for showing you the fun that we had. The end result was that we served approx 450 meals and raised $1000 to help someone in this extra needy holiday season.
The pies are prepped
and ready to be served
The food is also ready
as are the greeters
and Jimmy and family in the kitchen
The feeding begins
and so does the fun including Frank and his conga line
Musicians entertain
and friends volunteer
Deliveries are prepared
with more volunteers delivering
Friends are greeted
and interviews are made
The best part of the day are the friends
and the fun
Seating has to be adjusted
and more interviews made
Thanks to all of the organizations and businesses that helped
It was great to see the kids get involved
Birthdays happened
and great food was served
More musicians entertained
and more kids helped
Seniors had fun
as did the entertainers
Friends were made
Food was served and consumed.....until all was gone
and every slice was sliced.
The pies are prepped
and ready to be servedThe food is also readyas are the greetersand Jimmy and family in the kitchenThe feeding beginsand so does the fun including Frank and his conga lineMusicians entertainand friends volunteerDeliveries are preparedwith more volunteers deliveringFriends are greetedand interviews are made
The best part of the day are the friendsand the funSeating has to be adjustedand more interviews madeThanks to all of the organizations and businesses that helpedIt was great to see the kids get involvedBirthdays happenedand great food was servedMore musicians entertainedand more kids helpedSeniors had funas did the entertainersFriends were madeFood was served and consumed.....until all was gone
and every slice was sliced.
Thanks to all who made this years Thanksgiving such a great success. To the organizations and businesses who donated food and time to the donations given to pay for some of the seniors meals to the many volunteers and musicians to Jimmy and his family that joined my own.
Thank you all and God bless you.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Black Friday Revisited
Last year, I shared my story about shopping for socks many years ago. I have learned alot since then and this morning, I was prepared to go shopping my way...and it worked.
I had two things that I wanted to get. Socks for Judy and I and a Blue Ray DVD player that was down at Walmart. I was sure the DVD player was gone as people waited in line in the middle of the night for that one but I was going to check it out, just in case.
I pulled into Fred Meyer's at 7:50. I spied a 10 minute slot next to the door. If all went as I hoped, I would be out in plenty of time. In two minutes, I had Judy's socks, two more and I had mine. One minute later, I was at the self check out with no line. Two minutes after that, I was eating donuts and drinking coffee as I walked out the door to my car. At 8AM, I was well on my way to Walmart arriving and parking at around 8:05.
I walked into Walmart knowing where the DVD players were by the map on the internet. I walked to a huge display full of players. They had put it a few isles away from the electronics and my thoughts had gone right....no one was around them. I had my player and was in my car heading to a busy diner at 8:15.
I am sure that the crew was very tired of my bragging but I was very proud of my shopping trip this year. Maybe the older and wiser thing has some truth to it?
I had two things that I wanted to get. Socks for Judy and I and a Blue Ray DVD player that was down at Walmart. I was sure the DVD player was gone as people waited in line in the middle of the night for that one but I was going to check it out, just in case.
I pulled into Fred Meyer's at 7:50. I spied a 10 minute slot next to the door. If all went as I hoped, I would be out in plenty of time. In two minutes, I had Judy's socks, two more and I had mine. One minute later, I was at the self check out with no line. Two minutes after that, I was eating donuts and drinking coffee as I walked out the door to my car. At 8AM, I was well on my way to Walmart arriving and parking at around 8:05.
I walked into Walmart knowing where the DVD players were by the map on the internet. I walked to a huge display full of players. They had put it a few isles away from the electronics and my thoughts had gone right....no one was around them. I had my player and was in my car heading to a busy diner at 8:15.
I am sure that the crew was very tired of my bragging but I was very proud of my shopping trip this year. Maybe the older and wiser thing has some truth to it?
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
A Football Adventure
Casey's favorite team is the Detroit Lions. It has been since his youth and he has stuck with them. So, when he found that they were going to be playing in Seattle this year, we set up plans and bought tickets. I thought it through knowing the weather up there and made sure that our seats were on the bay side of the stadium so that any weather would be behind us and we secured seats up top on that side of the arena. We bought four so that Jayden and Casey's girlfriend, Jessica could go.
Saturday afternoon went by slow for two reasons, we had to wait for Jess to get off of work and the Ducks were losing down in San Fran but finally we hit the road around 5 or so. We made fairly good time and I watched the speed signs closely between zig zag and sandy as they fluctuate a bit there. I usually set my cruise on five miles above the limit, knowing that no police will stop for that. Coming into Sandy, I didn't notice the signs but slowed down knowing that the Sandy 25 was just around the corner. As I entered Sandy at my speed of 25 or so, I noticed the lights in my rear view mirror. I slowed and looked for a wide stretch to pull off at (for officer courtesy) and the policeman got angered at me, hitting his siren for effect. He informed me that I was driving 57 in a 40. I asked where and he told me of how there were two signs one informing of the other up and coming 40 mph and when I hit the 40 sign, I was going 57 (obviously decelerating from my 60, but oh well). I said something as he handed me the $170 ticket and he coldly informed me that he could double the price as it was in a safety zone. I thanked the kind sir and we got on our way.
We stopped at our friends house in Vancouver where Trin stays when working in Portland. Randy and Anisha Slocum are some of the most giving people that I know and since their kids were gone for the weekend, they too went out for the night leaving the house to us. If we had not shown up, Trin would have been home alone. We all situated ourselves for the night and I dropped off to sleep around 10. I heard a siren but thought it might have been a dream or something and lay there in my bed. Trin banged on the door and came inside looking out the back window overlooking the yard behind. I could then see the emergency lights and saw many of the locals mingling around a SUV that had been driven into the fence of the neighbors. A police car sitting next to it seemed to have forced it there.
I put on my clothes and went out to see what was up. As I approached the scene, an Asian lady was smoking a cigarette and walking my way so I asked her what was up. "A guy just jumped out of this car and ran down the road. I think the police have him.". Other police cars showed up and one large police officer walked up to us, grabbed the woman throwing down her cigarette and spinning her around to slap on the cuffs. She had been in the vehicle! I threw my arms up and backed away finding another neighbor to talk with. In all, around 9 police cars showed up. I was so happy that I was there because I know Trin well and she would have panicked over the situation leaving me helpless to help her out so far away.
The excitement over for the night, I got back to sleep and we headed out early the next morning. We arrived in Seattle around noon, just in time for the 1PM kick off. We mingled in the crowd outside the stadium eating dogs from the local stands in the street as a part of the whole football package.
We arrived in our seats about a half hour before the kick off. Although they were high up, we had a fantastic view of the whole field from the 50 yd line.
Others began moving in around us and a family of four came in two rows down. They were very colorful and informed everybody around them that they had come in from Iowa to see the game. The funny thing was their dress. The mother (who reminded me of Edith Bunker from All in the Family) was dressed normally, her husband was all decked out in Minnesota Viking gear, the son in Miami Dolphin gear, and his wife/girlfriend the only one in a gear of one of the teams as she sported Detroit Lions gear including an autographed Joey Harrington jersey (that should be worth a bit).
Edith began excitedly taking pictures of their game event. She had that big Edith smile on her face as she snapped the shots. But when the game started and the crowd roared around her, she turned sideways and held her hands over her ears not looking at the field at all. After that initial excitement, she sat down and preceded to put all of her stuff on the seat next to her. The problem was that seat was soon occupied. She seemed frazzled bringing all of her stuff back to her small space. Putting her coat on, taking it off, putting it on again and finally placing it on the seat behind her. She sat back down and seconds later threw her hands up in the air. She had lost something. She looked in a panic around her and then made the fellow who had taken the seat away from her stand up so she could look around him. She finally found it behind her on her seat. By the end of the first quarter, her seat was vacated and I spied her sitting in the isle way. She could not handle the closeness of us all, I guess. Her husband joined her at the end of the third quarter or so.
Behind me a crowd of 9 or 10 Canadians showed up. Mostly guys, there was one young girl in the bunch. They were all drinking beer and arguing over which Hockey team was better, Calgary or Edmonton. Through most of the game, they talked beer and hockey (ehh). Their heavy Canadian accents highlighted the yelling back and forth. The funniest remark that I heard was somewhere in the second half. "Hey, this is great. We should do this more often. Anyone know which team is winning?".
As they drank, the language got more and more loose. The "F" word started to get thrown around and by half time was a steady flow. I had had enough and I stood up, turned around, looking at all of them in the eye in my best Grandpa stern look and while pointing down at Jay, said, 'Do you think you could stop the swearing please.". They were all very apologetic and I heard many "sorry sir's". I thanked them and sat back down. During the second half, I heard them policing themselves. As one would slip up, the other would hit him and I am sure point back down at Jay. I got to rather like those guys who seemed clueless as to who was even playing the game down on the field.
After the game finished, we fought the crowds going out and got in our car, deciding to drive straight home as it was only 4:30. We made only one big stop in Portland for gas and supplies and arrived in Bend around 10:30 - 11.
As I drove down the freeway in Washington, I would fly past cars and then realize that the 70mph had been reduced to 60mph only to have those same cars fly by me minutes later when the 60 became 70 again. I do need to keep a closer eye on those types of signs, don't I?
Saturday afternoon went by slow for two reasons, we had to wait for Jess to get off of work and the Ducks were losing down in San Fran but finally we hit the road around 5 or so. We made fairly good time and I watched the speed signs closely between zig zag and sandy as they fluctuate a bit there. I usually set my cruise on five miles above the limit, knowing that no police will stop for that. Coming into Sandy, I didn't notice the signs but slowed down knowing that the Sandy 25 was just around the corner. As I entered Sandy at my speed of 25 or so, I noticed the lights in my rear view mirror. I slowed and looked for a wide stretch to pull off at (for officer courtesy) and the policeman got angered at me, hitting his siren for effect. He informed me that I was driving 57 in a 40. I asked where and he told me of how there were two signs one informing of the other up and coming 40 mph and when I hit the 40 sign, I was going 57 (obviously decelerating from my 60, but oh well). I said something as he handed me the $170 ticket and he coldly informed me that he could double the price as it was in a safety zone. I thanked the kind sir and we got on our way.
We stopped at our friends house in Vancouver where Trin stays when working in Portland. Randy and Anisha Slocum are some of the most giving people that I know and since their kids were gone for the weekend, they too went out for the night leaving the house to us. If we had not shown up, Trin would have been home alone. We all situated ourselves for the night and I dropped off to sleep around 10. I heard a siren but thought it might have been a dream or something and lay there in my bed. Trin banged on the door and came inside looking out the back window overlooking the yard behind. I could then see the emergency lights and saw many of the locals mingling around a SUV that had been driven into the fence of the neighbors. A police car sitting next to it seemed to have forced it there.
I put on my clothes and went out to see what was up. As I approached the scene, an Asian lady was smoking a cigarette and walking my way so I asked her what was up. "A guy just jumped out of this car and ran down the road. I think the police have him.". Other police cars showed up and one large police officer walked up to us, grabbed the woman throwing down her cigarette and spinning her around to slap on the cuffs. She had been in the vehicle! I threw my arms up and backed away finding another neighbor to talk with. In all, around 9 police cars showed up. I was so happy that I was there because I know Trin well and she would have panicked over the situation leaving me helpless to help her out so far away.
The excitement over for the night, I got back to sleep and we headed out early the next morning. We arrived in Seattle around noon, just in time for the 1PM kick off. We mingled in the crowd outside the stadium eating dogs from the local stands in the street as a part of the whole football package.
We arrived in our seats about a half hour before the kick off. Although they were high up, we had a fantastic view of the whole field from the 50 yd line.
Others began moving in around us and a family of four came in two rows down. They were very colorful and informed everybody around them that they had come in from Iowa to see the game. The funny thing was their dress. The mother (who reminded me of Edith Bunker from All in the Family) was dressed normally, her husband was all decked out in Minnesota Viking gear, the son in Miami Dolphin gear, and his wife/girlfriend the only one in a gear of one of the teams as she sported Detroit Lions gear including an autographed Joey Harrington jersey (that should be worth a bit).
Edith began excitedly taking pictures of their game event. She had that big Edith smile on her face as she snapped the shots. But when the game started and the crowd roared around her, she turned sideways and held her hands over her ears not looking at the field at all. After that initial excitement, she sat down and preceded to put all of her stuff on the seat next to her. The problem was that seat was soon occupied. She seemed frazzled bringing all of her stuff back to her small space. Putting her coat on, taking it off, putting it on again and finally placing it on the seat behind her. She sat back down and seconds later threw her hands up in the air. She had lost something. She looked in a panic around her and then made the fellow who had taken the seat away from her stand up so she could look around him. She finally found it behind her on her seat. By the end of the first quarter, her seat was vacated and I spied her sitting in the isle way. She could not handle the closeness of us all, I guess. Her husband joined her at the end of the third quarter or so.
Behind me a crowd of 9 or 10 Canadians showed up. Mostly guys, there was one young girl in the bunch. They were all drinking beer and arguing over which Hockey team was better, Calgary or Edmonton. Through most of the game, they talked beer and hockey (ehh). Their heavy Canadian accents highlighted the yelling back and forth. The funniest remark that I heard was somewhere in the second half. "Hey, this is great. We should do this more often. Anyone know which team is winning?".
As they drank, the language got more and more loose. The "F" word started to get thrown around and by half time was a steady flow. I had had enough and I stood up, turned around, looking at all of them in the eye in my best Grandpa stern look and while pointing down at Jay, said, 'Do you think you could stop the swearing please.". They were all very apologetic and I heard many "sorry sir's". I thanked them and sat back down. During the second half, I heard them policing themselves. As one would slip up, the other would hit him and I am sure point back down at Jay. I got to rather like those guys who seemed clueless as to who was even playing the game down on the field.
After the game finished, we fought the crowds going out and got in our car, deciding to drive straight home as it was only 4:30. We made only one big stop in Portland for gas and supplies and arrived in Bend around 10:30 - 11.
As I drove down the freeway in Washington, I would fly past cars and then realize that the 70mph had been reduced to 60mph only to have those same cars fly by me minutes later when the 60 became 70 again. I do need to keep a closer eye on those types of signs, don't I?
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Ned
Every one of us has one. That single most important person who was the biggest influence in their life. Now there are usually many different influential people but usually one who sticks out above all others.
For me and my two brothers, that was a man named Ned Landers. Graduate of the University of Oregon, he was an excellent trumpet player and a very good baseball player. I believe he could have excelled in either of these but he chose another direction. To follow God in ministry.
His first church was the small white Baptist church in Crescent. He was newly married to a beautiful woman named Marcene. Marcene complimented him so well in his profession and the town quickly embraced the young couple.
Ned was not a fiery speaker. But he always spoke truth and backed it up with his life. I often remembered his laugh and don't recall ever seeing anger in his eyes, even when I drove my car through his freshly built white picket fence in front of his house.
He was the one who led me down the path of my decision to believe and who went out back of that church camp chapel with me and knelt behind a log pile where I a made my commitment. Afterwards, I looked up and saw a heard of deer grazing just feet from us. Ned talked of the innocence of the deer and correlated it with the innocence of Christ. I felt very peaceful and happy that night.
I know both of my brothers felt the same of Ned that I did as they both talked so highly of him from time to time. I remember Marvin telling me how highly he felt of Ned and Rudy told me a story once where Ned had challenged him. He said, Ned told him if he comes to a crossroad in his life, sometimes the road that looks harder is the one to take as if will challenge your growth more.
Over the years, I have watched Ned as he led three Churches All three saw growth but all three were small churches. I believe that was Ned's calling. To take a small church and help it develop. He always took a meager salary and was taken care of by the church. I know that must have made his life harder at times but Ned never showed it. I have always looked at that as a perfect example of what Christ would want to see in a leader of His church. I don't ever recall Ned complain about anything. Comment but never complain.
Ned and Marcene always welcomed you into their home. The shared whatever they had gladly with you. I have always felt warm, welcome, and wanted in their homes.
Ned retired from his last church in Longview, WA a few years back. But a pastor never really retires. I found him this week in Yachats while Judy and I spent a couple of days on the coast. He is working with a small Baptist church there helping it get on to it's feet. We followed Ned up to his house where Marcene was busy helping out a neighbor with her laundry. We sat and reminisced about old times and what they had been doing.
I got the opportunity to share with Ned just how influential he had been in my life and I believe I saw a tear in the side of his eyes as he thanked me for the compliment. He talked of being in the church for another year or so but not being able to do much more than that as his health wont allow much more. Once more, it was not a complaint, merely a comment.
Marcene asked us to please stay and have lunch with them. I knew that they didn't have much but it meant allot to her so we agreed allowing more time for us to be together. We shared a meal with them and then left shortly afterwards with Marcene taking a picture of us with her old "film" camera.
You won't find him in a search of the net. You won't read about him in a book. But you will see his influence in just about any person that his life has ever touched. I drove away deep in thought of that couple that I truly love. My mind washed with the thought that so much of the good parts of me were molded by the influence of that one Godly man. The highest setting of the mark of being a good man. Thank you , Ned.
For me and my two brothers, that was a man named Ned Landers. Graduate of the University of Oregon, he was an excellent trumpet player and a very good baseball player. I believe he could have excelled in either of these but he chose another direction. To follow God in ministry.
His first church was the small white Baptist church in Crescent. He was newly married to a beautiful woman named Marcene. Marcene complimented him so well in his profession and the town quickly embraced the young couple.
Ned was not a fiery speaker. But he always spoke truth and backed it up with his life. I often remembered his laugh and don't recall ever seeing anger in his eyes, even when I drove my car through his freshly built white picket fence in front of his house.
He was the one who led me down the path of my decision to believe and who went out back of that church camp chapel with me and knelt behind a log pile where I a made my commitment. Afterwards, I looked up and saw a heard of deer grazing just feet from us. Ned talked of the innocence of the deer and correlated it with the innocence of Christ. I felt very peaceful and happy that night.
I know both of my brothers felt the same of Ned that I did as they both talked so highly of him from time to time. I remember Marvin telling me how highly he felt of Ned and Rudy told me a story once where Ned had challenged him. He said, Ned told him if he comes to a crossroad in his life, sometimes the road that looks harder is the one to take as if will challenge your growth more.
Over the years, I have watched Ned as he led three Churches All three saw growth but all three were small churches. I believe that was Ned's calling. To take a small church and help it develop. He always took a meager salary and was taken care of by the church. I know that must have made his life harder at times but Ned never showed it. I have always looked at that as a perfect example of what Christ would want to see in a leader of His church. I don't ever recall Ned complain about anything. Comment but never complain.
Ned and Marcene always welcomed you into their home. The shared whatever they had gladly with you. I have always felt warm, welcome, and wanted in their homes.
Ned retired from his last church in Longview, WA a few years back. But a pastor never really retires. I found him this week in Yachats while Judy and I spent a couple of days on the coast. He is working with a small Baptist church there helping it get on to it's feet. We followed Ned up to his house where Marcene was busy helping out a neighbor with her laundry. We sat and reminisced about old times and what they had been doing.
I got the opportunity to share with Ned just how influential he had been in my life and I believe I saw a tear in the side of his eyes as he thanked me for the compliment. He talked of being in the church for another year or so but not being able to do much more than that as his health wont allow much more. Once more, it was not a complaint, merely a comment.
Marcene asked us to please stay and have lunch with them. I knew that they didn't have much but it meant allot to her so we agreed allowing more time for us to be together. We shared a meal with them and then left shortly afterwards with Marcene taking a picture of us with her old "film" camera.
You won't find him in a search of the net. You won't read about him in a book. But you will see his influence in just about any person that his life has ever touched. I drove away deep in thought of that couple that I truly love. My mind washed with the thought that so much of the good parts of me were molded by the influence of that one Godly man. The highest setting of the mark of being a good man. Thank you , Ned.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)