When the goin' gets tough, the tough get goin'

Hold me back...I'm running the risk of losing all my readers...writing time is hard to come by these days! Its been teachers seminars, camping trips, work, and just down right worrying myself sick over this "Chick fil A" controversy. I count sheep every night these days...

Actually I don't give a "dingle berry" about Chick fil A...it all seems like an absolutely brilliant marketing strategy to me.
 
There IS something I did think about before I fell asleep the other night (It must have been before I counted sheep). Actually this "thinkingbeforeyoufallasleep" thing has been my nemesis. I've come to the conclusion that I just might be able to stop it by pulling a tight plastic bag down over my head for 20 minutes. Since I'm not interested in doing that, "thinkingbeforeyoufallasleep" is still running rampant.

I was thinking about the things that frustrate me as a teacher. Admittedly, one of the most frustrating things is when students drop out of school. It makes me feel like quitting. That's when I asked myself, "Who is leading who?"

Now, those of you not in the Mennonite tradition may not be familiar with "teacher turnover," but believe me, its in every Mennonite dictionary...our board chairmen have an intimate relationship with it.

I've heard many a teacher preach the little "don't drop out of school" sermon. Interestingly enough, many of these same teachers become little drop outs themselves within a year or two. The next time you launch into your little "don't drop out of school" sermon for your sixth graders, just remember that unless you're planning to teach for 6 years, they have every right to just turn your channel off.

This doesn't mean that what you're preaching isn't true. It just means you should get someone else to preach that sermon for you if you plan to drop out of teaching in the next year. Christian educators simply need to get off this hobby horse until we get our own act together...there's a reason our students aren't believing us(actions speak louder than words).

On of the biggest things our schools are thirsty for these days are gritty people that can run like camels, kick up their heels like mules, and never give up.

In opportune moments my dad used to tell my brothers and I, "When the goin' gets tough, the tough get goin"

Log Homes and other Baloney

You know...as much as I enjoy cutting my dad's grass with our new mower...there's something in a guy that hopes for some of his own grass to cut sometime, even if he has to do it with a pair of rusty scissors. Hence, knucklepuck or not, I purchased a log home.

My favorite room...

To be fair...this ole baby needs some work. The next month and a half smells like a lot of evening remodeling work. Right now I'm trying to convince the local wild game community that this place IS meant for humans. Just today, a sizable coon crawled up on the deck and promptly gave up the ghost.

But the real reason I'm even blogging about this is because I need your help. By this fall (mid sept) I would like to start renting this place out on weekends etc.. I really, really, REALLY want you, your friends, AND your enemies to come stay here. When you come into your kingdom don't forget me...just send me an e-mail.

If it makes any difference, this cabin has three bathrooms and will initially sleep 6-8. I hope to increase the sleeping capacity to about 12. There is also a stream behind the cabin and 40 acres of forrest.

On another note, here is another "project" we have going right now. Fortunately we get paid for this baloney....:)

He's a young thing and cannot leave his mother

I never realized how helpless I must look...apparently I have that incompetent, 25 year old, single guy look that screams, "I need to be mothered!"

My brothers and I are building a lake house for a doctor right now. The other day three of my brothers and I decided to hook Ryan's boat up and go fishing before work. Any real fisherman/fisherwoman knows that all early morning fishing needs to be kick started with coffee, so we made a quick Sheetz stop just before putting into the lake.

I was groggily making a cup of coffee and preparing to buy it when one of the ladies that works at Sheetz came up to me and asked if I would be offended if she did something for me. She said she had been watching me and my collar was bothering her, so she kindly fixed my collar and stuck my sweat shirt tag back down inside where it belongs. She even offered to go get a pair of scissors and cut the tag off.

I'm telling you ladies and gentlemen, that's real service. I even have the Sheetz ladies looking out for me....