It won't happen to me.

Two weeks ago a member of our church was using the weedeater around the front of the church and hit a rock. The rock flew up and hit the glass door that was propped open. We gave him a hard time about that for days, as you can imagine. So, since I'm so much smarter and careful than he is, I made sure when I was doing the same thing yesterday that I slowed the weedeater way down and made sure it was spinning stuff away from the door. Except that one rock...

Think anybody will notice?

No more anonymous posts.

This is to notify you that there will be no more anonymous posts on this blog. Real Dew, you're welcome. Then to illustrate the fact that there is no more anonymous posting I found this picture when I googled "anonymous pic". I hope this clears everything up.

Splodey end points thataway.

Finally shooting the Glock with my friend Brian who evidently scared out the family of Mexicans who were living in my pants. It looks like we were very depressed but actually we were looking for spent brass on our way back from the target. That's Brian's wheelgun. Conclusion? My decision to Glock was a wise one.

The Question

About 1500 miles from here, as the big silver bird flies, is a country that is in almost every way different from where we live. Their culture, clothes, language, weather, even transportation would be considered strange by our standards; not necessarily strange in a bad way but dissimilar to our norms. The beautiful country of Nicaragua welcomed eleven gringos with open arms and continued to make us feel welcome for the entire ten days we were there. While the customs agent only smiled as he did his job, almost the entire rest of the country literally had open arms for us. They are very affectionate and love to hug. We also had gifts for them as we arrived. We started with the gift of English in the form of four English classes a day tailored to the individual's level of knowledge and comfort of the language. Many could speak absolutely no English while others conversed about difficult subjects with ease, only needing some clarification of nuances and figurative meanings. All were appreciative of the gift we gave since it will be a great help in finding and keeping a good job. We soon starting working in the next and best gift which was the gift of the Gospel. Through testimony, songs, and preaching, as well as our own open lives we were able to present the Good News of Jesus to over four hundred people from kindergarten age on up. My new Nicaraguan friend Marta was well into her sixties or maybe seventies and did not know how to even say "Hello" when we started but learned not only English but also about how Jesus died for her sins and was resurrected and now waits for her in Heaven. Teenagers with bad attitudes (ok, not everything is different there) heard and accepted the free gift of English but much more importantly the free gift of eternal life with Jesus. We had approximately 100 adults and 100 teenagers come to have a life-changing relationship with Jesus Christ over the week. We gave a good gift and a great gift and asked for nothing in return but, of course, received some wonderful tokens and souvenirs as we left. The best thing we received was obviously not a tangible bauble or trinket but the incredible gift of God's revelation of Himself in our work. We did what we needed to do but God blessed it and made it worth something far more valuable. As we were preparing to leave our leader and missionary friend Jody Kennedy asked us a question. He asked us what God had revealed about Himself to us this week and also what God had revealed to us about ourselves. I didn't have an answer when he asked but I see now the answer is clear that God, in his sovereignty and power showed me that He is more of a big deal and I am less of a big deal than I have been giving us credit for. And that is a great gift.

Life's better with a sense of humor.

I recently found this little hole in the wall church that meets on Thursday nights. Last night was my third time there. I was first told it was a cowboy church and so I wanted to check it out. Turns out it is a biker church. I have been to a cowboy church before and felt like it was more about "Hey look at my hat!" than it was about Jesus but the biker church has been nothing but Jesus-focused, Bible-loving, Spirit-led worship, led by guys wearing their colors but not trying to draw attention to themselves. In fact, showing up at church not dressed like a Hell's Angel made me stand out like a Suzuki in a parking lot full of Harleys; which is exactly what happened last night when I showed up on my little Zuk 300. I was going to park around the corner but Pastor Speedy (yep!) saw me and motioned for me to park right in front. So, I backed my free little beater into a row full of full-dressed Hogs that each cost more than my car did, got off and put my skunk helmet on the seat and was immediately warmly welcomed by several guys you wouldn't want to meet in an alley. We have all made mistakes in the past. We all have regrets. But as I got off the bike last night and realized how ridiculous I must look to them, I appreciated the fact that they don't take themselves too seriously. Because I still wouldn't want to make 'em mad!

Score but lose.

Our democracy is dying, but fear not: we are in a Golden Age of snacks!

Maybe he's wrong about that?!!

Ultimate sacrifice

I didn't know these men nor are they related to me. They are buried in the cemetary near my house. It brings tears to my eyes when I think that these young men (18, 22, 24) sacrificed everything for a country that has fallen so low. If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 2 Chronicles 7:14

Thank you.

My friend took this picture in Arlington National Cemetary in February of 2012. These are his remarks: Although I felt guilty for imposing on a very private moment, I snapped this pic in Arlington National Cemetery in February 2012 to remind me of the sacrifices made by men and women in uniform throughout our nation's history. No idea who this vet is or who he mourns, but to him and all who serve...thank you.

Oh yea...

Picture this: you are laying on a snow white Brazilian beach. Wave after wave of gentle liquid refreshment laps at your sun-kissed feet. A lone fluffy white cloud eases past but never hinders the brilliant aurora. The air is 72 degrees everywhere except on the beach towel next to you where Michelina lays and she seems to raise the temp considerably with her native beauty. Since Michelina is mute she only motions for you to apply more suntan lotion to her back. Now, pop the top on the lotion and as you apply it to her bronze skin, breathe deeply. What you now smell is exactly how this tastes.

Hey Look. I found Dew's Christmas present.

What it takes to get me to blog again...

Yes, I know my blogging has been supermodel thin lately and not as fun to look at but I have found another outlet for my nuggets of literary gold. My insatiable appetite for expressing myself was for years what also fed my adoring throngs of blog followers. At one time I think I was up to 4 or maybe even 5 people who read this ever-offending opus and I realize their lives have been hollow and void without my wry compositions in the past few months and I am forever sorry about that. I have been a pastor and preacher for a whole year now and all 6 of my active brain cells are fairly smoking with activity since I was called, much to the detriment of Blog, I thought dog...thing..whatever it's called (and why?). I have been content studying, writing and delivering sermons and since my church flock is nearly double my blog followers I owe them my best but I am taking some time out to make known to you all how I feel about Barack Hussein Obama "coming out" (as the headline read)in favor of gay marriage. I know that ten years ago before anybody ever heard of BHO that if you had heard that the guy on the bike in the above pic was coming out in favor of such it would be no surprise. He might as well be wearing a rainbow helmet and a leather vest with no shirt, but I digress. Even after I have had 3 long years to figure out this guy, I'm not surprised by his support of it. I am, though, offended at his reference to Jesus and the Golden Rule as his basis for his decision "evolving" into this support. I would never expect a man of his character to support a ban on same sex marriage just because the Bible says that homosexuality is a sin but when he says he is a practicing Christian and realizes that this view for the rights of gays to marry "might put him at odds with others of his faith", I start to get my hackles up. Then when he says that "Jesus died on the cross" and that we should all do as "the Golden Rule says and do to others as we would have done to us", I start to get mad. First off, what does Jesus dying on the cross have to do with this at all? He didn't even tie it in to anything. He just threw that out there. Secondly, I am all for treating homosexuals "fairly and equal" as he said just like I would treat any other person who chooses to sin, whether that sin is lying, cheating, stealing, murder or doing mean things to puppies. It's all sin and one is as bad as another. But the Golden Rule does not say we should rationalize away sin. My next thought goes to the end of all of this. Just where does it end if we throw away our moral compass and allow same sex individuals to mutilate the sanctity of marriage? Can I now marry my dog? I love her and she loves me. We both want the best for each other and want to have all the same rights as non-K9's do. Or how about if all 3 of my dogs and I want to marry a lovely squid? What's wrong with that? Don't be hatin' on me and mine because you're jealous of our male/canine/marine love affair. I'm sick of this nasty, nasty old world and I look forward more than ever to my real home. Heaven will be better than we can imagine and I'm sure Hell will be worse than we can imagine. In fact, I understand the Book of Revelation to say that in Hell everybody has to ride blue touring bikes with rainbow helmets. Really. Go look it up.

Update

Just in case you were wondering...I Glocked.

To Glock or not to Glock?

At Cabela's tonight:
Me: I want the best pistol for the money.
Friendly Employee: How about the Glock? I have 5 of them.
Me: Why do you go with Glocks?
FE: I don't just go with Glocks. I have about 40 pistols but the Glock is the best pistol for the money.

So, I'm asking for your opinion. I feel the need for something concealable but with stopping power. I'm thinking the Glock 23 in .40 would serve the purpose and they retail for about $550. (Not that I would buy retail. I don't trust the gubmint to have my name on a piece of paper saying I have a gun.)

What do y'all recommend? I have a budget but also want a good gun when the end of the world as we know it comes.

A long time ago...

When I first heard this song I was still young and naive enough to think it was being sung by a young man wanting to do something nice for his mother.

stole off the interwebz

For my 700th post, let's play, "Who's that Stud?"

About the only thing that didn't happen at church yesterday.

Maybe next Sunday...

Dr. Dewgood said I should write this.

Two years later and I still miss her every day and wish I didn't. In a life with more than my share of regrets, my greatest regret is getting married. My second greatest regret is not trying harder to stay married. There ya go, Doc. Your check is in the mail.

Doggie Door

This is my little princess, Sara.

Normally she is perfect in every way. But lately she has decided she doesn't like to stay in the back yard with Bo and Dori.

She was pretty persistent in her digging out and so I finally had to put up an electric fence. I got it completely installed yesterday knowing i would be gone to a meeting all day today. I came home to find this:

The door has had a few scratches on it but Sara did 99% of this today including ripping out a panel so she could get in and wait for me to get home. I guess Dori is not big enough and Bo is too big because only Sara was inside. Just inside the door a kitchen chair was knocked over so when she went in she must have been going fast.