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I am only 50- Assign me the Hill Country

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Joshua 14:10   So now ,  look ,  the  Lord   has preserved   my life, just   as he promised , these   past forty-five   years   since   the  Lord   spoke   these   words   to   Moses ,  during which   Israel  traveled   through the wilderness .  Now   look ,  I am   today   eighty-five   years   old .   11   Today   I am still   as strong   as   when   Moses   sent   me out .  I can   fight   and go   about   my daily activities with the same energy   I had then.  Half a century ago my mom Sarah struggled through a really long labor in a hospital in West Allis, Wisconsin and my walk on this earth began. (Thanks Mom and Dad!) I must say it out loud, I am 50. There, that wasn't so bad. Its an odd thing to say. Its days like today where men sometimes reflect over their lives, take stock, remember, regret, laugh, smile, cry. Some men I talk to think that its the beginning of the end.  As I've approached this day I've thought much about being 50. In my mind I've comp

Markers along the way

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If you are a dad you have all kinds of hopes and dreams for your children. Some long for scholarships for athletic prowess, others want their offspring to succeed financially. No matter the dream we all want those little ones to grow up well. I made up my mind a long time ago that I wanted my kids to first be followers of Jesus and second be difference makers in this world. Both my children became followers of Christ at a young age and we continue to develop that walk even today. There are also markers along the way where you notice growth spurts in their lives. Maybe it's that first time away from home, or the first job. My son Jack had a growth spurt in his life Friday night. Next month we are doing a GORUCK event together and he has been training for this the past few months.  In case you don't know a GORUCK event is a team building endurance challenge put on by current/former special operations soldiers with the center piece being the whole event you are wearing at

Dangerous Assumptions

Back in the 80s as a teenager I worked summers driving a delivery truck for Tarheel Lumber company here in western central NC. It was a great job for burley teenager, carrying hundreds of pieces of Sheetrock, plywood and every other building product known to man. My family was steeped in the building business, both my dad and grandfather were general contractors. Taking raw materials and producing a home for someone to live in still intrigues me. It's very american! My delivery job took me all over our county and to numerous job sites. The most coveted delivery were the simple ones. A bundle of OSB sheathing was my favorite. 60 pieces of 4x8 plywood all wrapped in a bundle. Easy delivery for the driver. Wrap a chain around the bundle, secure with a "dog" come-along, raise the bed and watch drop off the back of the truck....then pull away and head back to the shop, too easy. However, sometimes things go awry. One day I delivered a bundle of this stuff to a contractor