WWJD

Someone asked Mike Huckabee what he thought Jesus would do about some political issue - I don't remember what the issue was. Anyway, Huckabee's response was that Jesus was too smart to ever run for public office.

This got me thinking about the whole WWJD (What Would Jesus Do?) thing, and how I would answer that type of question.

Since biblically and theologically Jesus is God, then the question is really, "What would God do when confronted with this situation?" , or "How would God react to this set of circumstances?"

So, for me, I guess that's the problem. We are looking for God's reaction to our scenario.

I believe that God is very actively involved in and with His creation, I just don't think He is reactively involved. There are an abundance of biblical references to God initiating action toward us. At Christmas we are reminded of the ultimate initiative of God into His creation.

God orchestrates all of history. He doesn't react to it. Even though Jesus suffered the execution of crucifixion by the Romans, He said that no one takes His life from Him. He has the power to lay it down and take it back up again.

I appreciate the original intent of the WWJD concept - pulling Christ's perspective into our contemporary culture and finding a method to bring biblical relevance into our everyday lives.

But let's not put God at the disposal of our imagination. He is the author and source of everything.

We need to respond to Him , rather than speculate how He would respond to us.

A mechanic comes in to work one day and decides he needs a vehicle. Maybe for his wife, girlfriend (or both), son, daughter, banker or paperboy. He patiently waits for some poor buffoon to come along towing his vehicle into the shop (preferably from out of state). At this point, our friendly mechanic, lets call him, "Alfredo", seizes the opportunity. He will tell the buffoon (from out of state), "Your car is fatally wounded and will not recover". Following the appropriate nanosecond of mourning, Alfredo adds, "There is someone interested in buying it".

Wow. What a coincidence.

So ...yes, I am selling my Jimmy to Alfredo for roughly the price I paid for the radiator I put in on the side of the road the other night. At least I don't have to pay someone to junk it.

And honestly, I hope Alfredo has good luck with it. He wants the transmission, I guess.

So long, Jimmy.

Happy Thanksgiving

This is reportedly "The World's Largest Turkey". Excluding the country, I guess.

Apparently it can be found in Frazee, Minnesota.

A few years ago, it burned up (or down, I'm not sure)

Supposedly, it has been replaced by a newer, browner one.

If I'm not mistaken, Minnesota is also home to the biggest ball of twine.

Minnesota - vacation destination!

From The Albuquerque News

Back To Normal

So far, my road trip from Wisconsin to Arizona was going way too smooth. No car problems, no trailer problems, no lodging problems... this was not normal.

Leaving Flagstaff and heading south on I17 toward Phoenix yesterday, normalcy erupted at mile marker 283.

Going up the mountain, the Jimmy kept losing power and started overheating. Finally, I had to pull off the side of the road to check it. The car killed when I stopped. I got out to pop the hood and saw steam exiting the engine at various locations. Just as I was pulling up the prop rod for the hood, a hole blew in the top of the radiator sending an explosion of steam and vapor all over the car and me. (I'm OK, and thanks for asking). This was not something I could fix with the stuff in my car.

I decided to call my brother in Phoenix (about 90 miles away). My phone battery was almost dead, I had no car charger, and being in the mountains, I had no signal.

I walked a little way down the road where I got some signal strength (one bar). I called my brother, it rang, he answered. My phone died, but I was pretty sure he heard me say where I was, and that I was broke down.

This is the part of the story where the police and the fire trucks came screaming in. Apparently, someone had called them with the report of a car fire.

Fast forward a couple of hours. It's dark now, my brother has arrived, and to kill time while I was waiting, I took the front of the engine apart and removed the radiator.

We hook my trailer to his truck, since I couldn't leave my Harley unattended by the roadside.

In order to get the lights to work, I had to crawl under his truck and tap a new pigtail into his truck wiring.

It is now 8:30 p.m. My brother has located an auto parts store about 20 miles away with his magical Internet cell phone. They have a radiator. They close at 9 p.m.

An hour and a half later, we are back to mile marker 283 with the new radiator. A couple of hours later, the new radiator is in (everyone should carry a headlamp at all times), we even flushed out the overflow tank.

I jump in the Jimmy to start it... nothing. Dead battery. No, I don't have jumper cables. No, my brother doesn't have jumper cables.

Time to think.

I have an extension cord in the car with my tools. I start cutting it up and braiding wires. There are no clamps, but we come up with a method of connecting things from his truck to my Jimmy. (Don't try this at home, kids). Surprisingly, it works. The Jimmy starts. The engine is running, but it sounds bad. It is knocking and clunking.

I only make it 2 miles up the road before the engine seizes up and stalls.

I finally arrive at my brother's house about 2 a.m. My Harley and trailer are here, safe and sound, but the Jimmy is still sitting at mile marker 281, unable to run, but sporting a shiny new radiator.

There are plenty of things for me learn from this experience. The feeling I have right now is that you can win a lot of battles and still lose the war.

Can I get the radiator out? - Won

Can I get the lights working with the truck? - Won

Does the auto parts store have my radiator? - Won

Can we make it there in time? - Won

Can we get the new radiator in? - Won

Can I make a set of jumper cables from an extension cord? - Won

Is the car still busted after I spent $260. on a new radiator? - Yes

Don't get me wrong. This story is not yet over. The war is not really lost, I just have to keep fighting. But its nice that things are back to normal.

When Worlds Collide

This morning, I left Denver pretty early - 5 a.m.

I pulled off in Castle Rock CO to get some gas.

I looked across the street and saw something I had never seen before.

There...directly in front of me was a Waffle House right next door to a Harley dealership.

It was a beautiful sight. I nearly jerked a tear on the spot.

If this were a movie, at this moment the long sustained note of the angelic choir would be sounding.

Like two old friends standing side by side ...there they stood. Of course, the dealership was closed at that time of the morning, but the Waffle House maintained its faithful all-night vigil.

I really enjoyed that waffle.

Sunset Day 2

This was the sunset I was driving into as I approached Denver last night.

I stayed with Tom in Denver. Tom is my sister-in-law's brother, ...or my brother's brother-in-law, ...or my brother's wife's brother. Anyway, you get it.

Tom is retired now, but he worked for the FAA and supervised all the construction of the Federal areas of the Denver Airport, including the control tower and air traffic control centers.

Thanks, Tom.

Clean Restrooms

Yes, they do.

While driving across Iowa, I felt the urge of nature's call. I needed gas anyway, so I patiently pumped first then went inside to discover the men's room was closed for cleaning. OK, I thought. I will go further up the road and stop at a different station to get some coffee and use their facilities. As I went inside, I discovered that the restroom at this second station was also closed for cleaning. They did, however, post a sign directing me to another men's room in another section of the store. I proceeded to that restroom to be greeted by another sign reading, "out of order".

Needless to say, (I'll say it anyway) I found Iowa not to be a bladder friendly state.

This is a photo of me standing somewhere in the middle of Iowa. Because the heater core went out in the Jimmy, this is the way I was dressed while driving all day.

AZ Road Trip Day 1

I finally acknowledged to myself the fact that I would never be able to get everything done back home before taking off for Arizona, so I randomly and somewhat recklessly threw all the belongings I could think of needing (i.e. tools) into the back of my Jimmy - also a few clothes, as an afterthought.

All that stuff can get sorted out later, I guess.

Oh, I also brought some guns and my motorcycle.

Trailer Update

Today I was able to get the rest of the trailer assembled and here I am running the wiring.

I also picked up the plywood and a piece of carpet for the deck.

Nothing but fun here.

Some Assembly Required

I love reading these words on a package when I buy something new.

People other than my wife think I'm kidding, but I really enjoy putting things together.

Today I bought a trailer to haul my motorcycle to Arizona. I picked it up in 2 cardboard boxes that I threw in the back of my Jimmy. When I realized this trailer was sold unassembled, my first reaction was, "awesome!"

So I enjoyed bolting the kit together most of the afternoon in my garage. Tomorrow I'll put the axle and wheels on, wire the lights, and hopefully, get the floor on.

It's getting cold here. I'm ready for someplace warm.

Bunne Hutch

I just finished building a new mudroom and entry addition this week for Jon and Lisa Bunne (yes, it's pronounced bunny).

This was my final project before returning to Arizona.

The project took me about an extra week because I built all the storage cabinets also. She has compartments for everything - the kid's backpacks, shoes, briefcase, purse, school papers, dog food, broom, cell phones and chargers, etc.

So, now that it's done, I am in high gear to get all my stuff organized and packed because I will be driving to Phoenix this time and trailering my cycle.

I'll try to keep my blog updated during the road trip.