There is much to be gained or lost from a moment of regression. Among old friends or with family, innocent regression can often transport us to a time of wonderful memories. On the other hand…whether in spiritual, emotional, or financial terms, regression usually spells disaster.

The regression of which I write is centered upon the former – the good kind. And the moment of which I write takes me back to a moment that I never had the privilege of knowing. How’s this possible? I’m not really sure, to tell you the truth, but I know I witnessed it. Somehow, I was allowed to look into a window from the past. I was given the treat of peering into my wife’s childhood, when she transformed into an eight-year-old before my very eyes. And what a treat it was.

We were at Costco for our monthly shopping trip. We decided to look down the furniture aisle. And there it happened. She spotted a table that had eight chairs – the number that happens to correspond exactly to the number of people in our family.

I suppose it was just one of those moments when one is carried away with emotion, and one lets down one’s guard, and allows oneself to say whatever is on one’s mind. Are you with me? Anyway…there we were – IN THE MIDDLE OF COSTCO – and my lovely wife was carried away with emotion, and let down her guard, and said whatever happened to be on her mind.

So excited was she at the sight of the table and chairs, that she said, “Honey, do you suppose we could purchase this table and chairs?” Well, this is not really what she said at this moment. This is what most people would say. And those of you who are reading this most likely know that my wife has probably never fit into the “most people” category. I can’t ever think of a time. Onward.

So she said, “Mommy, Daddy, look, eight chairs!”

This is no lie. IN THE MIDDLE OF COSTCO, with the world looking on, and wondering where “Mommy and Daddy” are, she gave her whole family that sweet look into her past. However strange and awkward it was, I would not trade that moment for anything. And I would not trade her either. She’s my tender, little girl. And I love her.

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! It is like the precious ointment upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, even Aaron’s beard: that went down to the skirts of his garments; As the dew of Hermon, and as the dew that descended upon the mountains of Zion: for there the LORD commanded the blessing, even life for evermore.

Psalm 133:1-3

We are the recipients of a double blessing. We had the pleasure (this long weekend) of spending some time with two families from the chapel. On two different evenings this weekend we were invited to dine, and we were blessed immensely as a result of the offer.

We enjoyed, first of all, that someone had us as a family in mind. How nice it is to be noticed, and thought of. It reminds us of Christ and how he noticed us in our despair, and rushed to Earth to save.

We also were humbled by the effort expended on our behalf. The time that it must have taken, the resources used in the making of the food, and the warm hearts there to receive us, all encouraged us beyond our words.

As the scripture above states, it was a precious ointment to us. The fragrance of it all and the refreshment afforded to us cause us to blush in unworthiness. And I suppose this is the Gospel itself. We, as sinners before a Holy God, were deserving only of a fiery judgment. Yet our Judge became our Savior, and has invited us to dine.

We are thankful for this truth, and for the blessings of fellowship.

Technically, this is not post number 100, but that’s ok.

1) I was born in San Antonio, Texas.

2) I was born in March.

3) I was born at the Nix Hospital, near the famed Riverwalk.

4) I was not at all impressed with the Riverwalk at the time of my birth.

5) I am a little more impressed with the Riverwalk at this moment.

6) I was given a name that I rarely use (I use my middle name).

7) My dad used to put me in a pillow case and suspend me about 5 feet off the ground by closing the door on the pillow case. The more I think of it, the more I realize how precarious a position I was in.

My dad often enlisted my assistance for the purpose of frightening my mom.

9) As a youth, I dreamt of becoming a pro football player.

10) I played football and baseball for the YMCA.

11) My team was named the Seahawks.

12) We won many games. But we lost our last one.

13) I climbed a tree in my backyard when I was about 8. When I reached a certain branch, it broke. I fell to the ground on account of gravity, and my nose became close with a root. The root was harder than my nose, causing breakage, and much blood flow.

14) I immediately went inside my house with one query: how do I tell my mom about this, without causing a stir?

15) So I said upon seeing her in her room, “Mom, I feel out of a tree and hit my nose, but I’m alright.”

16) Perhaps it was the blood issuing from my nose, or perhaps it was the larger volume of blood taking up residence upon my shirt. Whatever it was, my mom was not convinced. We went to the hospital.

17) On many subsequent occasions, I have broken my nose.

18) If you look at me from a crouching position, you can tell that my nose has been broken. I think it turns a bit to the left. My left.

19) I forgot to mention that at about age 4, I ate a melted Starburst that I found on a sidewalk. It was a strawberry-flavored one.

20) Before #19, everything about me was pretty much in chronological order.

21) I was in a talent show in the first grade.

22) I starred in a short musical with two other friends. The song was called “I Love Trash”.  It was originally sung by Oscar the Grouch.

23) I am not that fond of trash.

24) My first pet that I can remember being attached to was a mix between a Weimaraner and something else. Her name was Missy.

25) I was lieutenant of the safety patrols in fifth grade.

26) I had to use spell-check to spell lieutenant.

27) As a safety patrol, I once ran down the hallway after school with a few other patrols. There was no need to do so. It was just done because we always wanted to do that. The others got caught by Mrs. Marsh, the safety patrol leader. I stopped just before the others were caught. They were not happy with me for not being caught. I sometimes wonder if other law enforcement agents do the same thing we did that day.

28) I often have a recurring dream that I am once again in school, and that I am unable to open my locker.

29) I played football and basketball while in middle school.

30) I enjoyed basketball more than football.

31) I was not nice to my 7th grade drafting teacher.

32) He was not nice to me consequently.

33) I recently tried to defend my behaviors in class by stating that the teacher had a habit of throwing things at students. My brother-in-law, who was present in the class, said that the teacher threw things because of our behaviors. He might be right.

34) I had an Atari game console when I was in middle school.

35) Asteroids was my favorite game.

36) I burned my tongue really badly while drinking hot chocolate one day.

37) I bought the hot chocolate at 7-11.

38) I did not sue the 7-11 attendants for their negligent behavior.

39) I recall that I could not taste anything for a few days.

40) It was scary.

41) While playing football in middle school, I scored a defensive touchdown by running in between the quarterback and the running back just as the quarterback pitched the ball. I caught the ball on my shoulder, and kept running.

42) During a basketball game, our team was in the lead, and the time was running out. Our team was instructed by the coach to not shoot the ball unless we had an easy shot, like a lay-up.

43) I heard the instructions, but decided to shoot a very long shot for some reason.

44) As I began to shoot, I heard my coach say, “No!”

45) When I made the shot, I heard my coach say, “Yes!”

46) After the game, my coach asked me what had gotten into my head. My response was that I had been inspired. He said that if I felt inspired like that again I would find myself on the bench. My smile faded.

47) I remember thinking about the concept of eternity as a youth. Whenever I would think about it, it seemed like my mind was doing flips inside my head.

48) I got my first job as a ball-boy at Batter Up of Texas on Recoleta.

49) I was in charge of making sure that baseballs were loaded in the automatic pitching machines.

50) When people whistled at me to tell me that the machines were empty, it angered me, but I did not retaliate.

51) I would ease my frustrations by putting on a baseball helmet after hours, and standing in the path of the pitching machine as it threw baseballs.

52) One of my duties was to use a blower to clean off the miniature golf greens across the street. The blower leaked oil. The oil often landed on the back of my leg as I worked, and it did not feel nice.

53) There was a man who would frequent Batter Up to retrieve aluminum cans. We called him the Can Man. He would use some sort of a gadget with a claw on the end of it to pick up the cans, so he did not have to bend over to pick them up. One day, we nailed a can on a bench to see what he would do. He struggled to get the can for a few moments, and then left without his reward. I know – that was not nice.

54) Bertha was the name of the machine that sat so lonely in the back of Batter Up, behind the nets.

55) She was brick-red, and we used her to repair nets. She was a cherry-picker, which means that there is a bucket on the end of an arm that extends so higher places might be reached. The bucket can be controlled by the person in the bucket.

56) To my surprise, I was once given the chance to operate the bucket with the simple instructions, “Don’t extend the bucket all the way.” I thought, ” That sounds easy enough.”

57) However – I extended it all the way accidentally, and found that when that happened, I could no longer control the bucket. I was trapped in the bucket about 25 feet off the ground. This normally would not be a problem. Just holler and someone will notice, and come to your rescue, right? True, if Bertha had not been such a loud machine. I think I waited 20 minutes until someone noticed that I was stuck.

58) I also held a job at Foley’s selling table linens. I don’t have any exciting stories nor do I have recollections of this job.

59) I graduated high school with an 89 average.

60) I began to enjoy reading and writing during my senior year in high school after taking a British Literature class.

61) I learned to block out the pain inflicted upon me by my mathematics instructors.

62) I still have a dream that I have enrolled in a math course, but forgot to ever attend it. In the dream, I am perspiring, sitting in the math class taking a final exam.

63) I attended college at UNT, in Denton, Texas. Eppie the Eagle was there.

64) My mom sent a Bible with me to college, and one night, while alone in my dorm, I began reading it. It was that night that I met my saviour, Jesus Christ. My life has never been the same.

65) I am not British, but I like adding the -our ending to words, because I think it is beautifulour.

66) I met the woman who is now my wife while in college. Within two months of knowing her, we knew we wanted to marry one another. We were married two years later.

67) I worked at a peanut butter factory while in college.

68) I worked at Wolfe Nursery for a few months as a result of my interest in Botany.

69) I also worked at UPS for about 3 days during college. It was the most physically demanding job I have ever held.

70) Another job I held was with Upright Installations. I helped to install lockers in schools.

71) I also worked at Blockbuster Video.

72) For a short time, I sold Canadian Lottery tickets for a telemarketing company.

73) I finished college with a GPA of 3.71.

74) I was invited to join a group called the Meadows Scholars to study Education.

75) I earned a Master’s degree in Education.

76) I began teaching at Creekside Elementary in Lewisville, Texas, in 1993.

77) I taught fourth grade that year. I remember a lot about that year, but what is most notable is that there was a girl in my class who, when angered, would pick up her desk and throw it. We tried not to anger her.

78) My first child was born in December of 1993.

79) We moved to San Antonio in the summer of 1994.

80) I grew a beard for the first time. I was not impressed, nor was my wife.

81) I taught a summer program called JumpStart at West Avenue Elementary.

82) I taught fourth grade and second grade at West Avenue for about 7 years.

83) We purchased the home in which I had grown up, and lived there about 5 years.

84) On some occasions, I would walk to work.

85) I built a tree house for my children in the back yard of the house where I grew up.

86) I held a side job as a furniture mover for a company called Too Good to Be Threw.

87) I transferred to Olmos Elementary and taught second and fifth grades for three years there. This is the elementary where I went to school. Go Owls!

88) In 2002, my daughter was diagnosed with cancer, and a few years later, my wife had open-heart surgery. That was a wild ride.

89) We moved to a larger home to accommodate a growing family.

90) I began a lawn and tree trimming business that I still maintain.

91) I have cut down several trees.

92) A friend taught me how to fairly accurately fell a tree by using a notch system of cutting.

93) On one occasion, my dad and I agreed to remove a tree that had fallen on a fence.

94) While in route to dispose of the wood on my trailer, I lost control of my vehicle and knocked down a telephone pole.

95) I walked away from that accident unharmed.

96) My second child was born in 1995.

97) My third child was born in 1997.

98) My fourth child was born in 1999.

99) My fifth child was born in 2000.

100) My sixth child was born in 2002.

So today is the day. Nineteen years ago today we made the commitment before God and our friends and family to love each other unconditionally. And I am thankful beyond description that I took that step. And I am thankful you took the step too.

What a wonderful day that was. It began as a 70 degree day in Lewisville, and there was snow filling the sky by the end of the wedding. How much like a dream it was. I still need to pinch myself sometimes to make sure it isn’t a dream.

In my soon-coming post of 100 things about me, I comment about how we both knew we wanted to be married soon after we knew one another. I marvel at this, because not every one is blessed in this way. I am so glad to have found you. I bless God for leading me to you.

Thank you for these nineteen years.

It’s a strange time of year to set the lawn mower to its lowest setting, but it really does make life easier.

I remember that day, 16 years ago. It was a day of snow. A day when God opened the skies and delivered blessings. And you were the greatest one of all that day.

I remember holding you and watching you breathe. You stared at me silently, and I at you. God gave the first portion of your life to me. And I devoured those minutes like a starving man would a feast.

I remember the nurse calling you a baby pterodactyl because of your little noises.

And I remember our first Christmas together. We brought you home from the hospital that day and we must have stopped the car three times to make sure you were breathing.

I remember how terrified you were when Big Bird paid you a surprise visit. I am still apologizing to Momma for that.

And I remember how foolish I was to think I could safely transport you across a slick floor on a bath towel like a magic carpet ride. Sorry for that too, Momma.

I remember how you “offered” your fist to Michelle, and how you grew to love her.

I remember how you diagnosed yourself with “stwep thwoat”, and how you ran into an open file cabinet and required a staple in your head to close the gap.

How can I use the word “remember” to describe the day Dr. Patel called our home? It would be like having fathomed the depths of the sea and saying, “I got a little wet.”

I remember embracing you that day like it would be my last day to embrace you. And I remember that God had bigger plans.

I remember the shots you had to take, and the pain on your face.

I remember the radiation treatments, and the chemotherapy, and the nausea, and the leg cramps. And I remember your smile as you endured.

I remember the “all clear” phone calls that held us in the prayer mode as we waited.

I remember the last scans.

I remember the relays we’ve attended, and the way you have given hope to others still in the midst of the fight.

I remember the spelling bees and how hard you worked.

I remember you – my precious daughter.

No, I am not referring to an additional gray hair. Nor am I commenting on the back pain that sometimes plagues me. It has been a delightful day for me to consider a recognized rite of passage in the life of the oldest of my offspring. In less than a week, Paige will celebrate her 16th birthday.

Throughout the day, my mind travelled back in time to many memorable moments in her life. I found myself chuckling at funny things she said and did as a young child, and I found myself trying to hold back tears as I considered some hard things she has had to face. At the end of my journey through her life, I resolve to thank God for the blessing she was, is, and (LORD-willing) will continue to be to CC and me.

And I echo the same thoughts for all of my children. I am undisputably blessed. In their own way, each child is like a diamond. As you turn a jewel, the light catches it and displays something new. So it is with our children. I praise God for his mercy and grace.

It was one of those interesting moments well-known to parents of young children. We were sitting at Chili’s tonight, waiting for our food to be brought out. We were there in celebration of my bride’s 38th birthday. She received a gift certificate, so we decided to go and enjoy a dinner with the whole family. So as were waiting, my son spotted a sign in the distance that displayed in large letters, “Happy Hour!”. This brought great excitement to him, but not for the same reason that those words bring delight to those who indulge in that kind of drink. His frame of reference comes from Sonic’s happy hour. And all of us at the table knew what he meant. But I’m not sure if the people at the table adjacent to us quite understood why an eight-year-old would get so excited about Happy Hour. I’m thankful that Grace was quick to point out the difference between the two types of happy hours.

The amusing mix-up of terms took my mind to eternity future, when God’s children would revel in arguably the happiest hour of all. This world has nothing on God’s Happy Hour. You think dollar drinks do the trick? Just wait until you drink deeply from the well of salvation; when you realize that eternal life is “on the house”; that our great salvation has been paid for in blood not our own.

Yes, saints, there is a day coming that will cause us to fall at the feet of the One who is worthy. The One whose final gasps of air were not consumed for the purpose of spewing out hatred at His murderers. Nor were they utilized as a request for help. In fact, those last painful moments contained the sweetest words for a sinner’s ear. They were, “Father, forgive them…”.

So the Happy Hour we hope for is coming. It may even happen before you finish reading this post. As a brother once said, it may be that you “put your right foot onto Main Street, and your left foot into glory”. In the twinkling of an eye, brothers and sisters, God’s happy hour is coming.

One bright hour, He will come for me

One bright hour, He’ll set the captive free

And one bright hour, He will wipe the tears away

From eyes that now can see

One bright hour

Bebo Norman

Happy, happy birthday to my lovely bride. I hope your day is wonderful! I’m sorry I asked if you were ready to be “39″. Didn’t mean to rush you. Lord bless your day!

What you are seeing in the picture above is three blades of St. Augustine grass which I plucked from a yard I mowed today. I retrieved it for proof. Proof that the grass I mowed was, in fact, 18 inches long! A foot and a half! This was probably not the most enjoyable yard to mow. Probably goes without saying, but I said it anyway.

One little note…accolades for my precious wife – when I brought the blade home and asked my family to guess how long it was, my bride said, “Probably about a foot and a half”. She’s a great estimator!

Another little note…one should charge a little bit extra when mowing a yard like the one I mowed today.