Thursday Ride

Betty and I had a good ride this morning. We took Sugar and Morgunn down to the fire substation and then into the arroyo South of us. They both did well.

For those of you who text and also ride horses, take this warning seriously...

Watch it.

Where Did That Come From?

There are several expressions that have their origin in the US Navy. Since I was in the Navy many years ago, I found it interesting to research where certain phrases come from. Here are a few for your edification.

Son of a Gun -- During the Revolutionary War, wives were actually allowed on board ship. The berthing compartments for the crew were below the gun decks which were below the main decks. If a woman gave birth to a male child, he was born below the gun decks and was called a "son of a gun."

Shake a Leg -- During this same time, each ship would have a part of the crew assigned to each watch, usually 4 to 8 hours. When the watch was changed, other crew members who had been on watch would still be in their berths, usually a hammock, trying get some more sleep. If a wife was in her berth, the bosun would holler, "Shake a leg" and the wife would put her obviously feminine leg out to show it wasn't a crew man trying to get away with a little extra sack time by hiding out in a wife's berth.

Brass Monkey -- In the heyday of sailing ships, all war ships and many freighters carried iron cannons. Those cannon fired round iron cannon balls. It was necessary to keep a good supply near the cannon. But how do you prevent them from rolling about the deck when the ship rolls?

The best storage method devised was a square-based pyramid with 1 ball on top, resting on 4 balls resting on 9 balls that rested on 16 balls. Thus, a supply of 30 cannon balls could be stacked in a small area next to the cannon.

There was only one problem -- how to prevent the bottom layer of balls from sliding/rolling from under the others?

The solution was a metal plate called a "Monkey" with 16 round indentations to hold the lowest level of 16 balls. But if this plate was made of iron, the iron balls would quickly rust to it. The solution to the rusting problem was to make this metal plate out of brass and they were called "Brass Monkeys."

Few landlubbers realize that brass contracts much more and much faster than iron when chilled. Consequently, when the temperature dropped too far below freezing, the brass indentations would shrink so much that the iron cannon balls would come right off the Brass Monkey.

Thus, when it got that cold it was quite literally, "Cold enough to freeze the balls off a Brass Monkey!"

(And all this time, you thought that was an lewd expression, didn't you?)

Monday Video - The National Anthem

I have nothing against singers putting their own interpretations for the National Anthem (except for Rosanne Barr).

However, it's nice when you hear it sung like this -- the combined Military Academy choirs at the opening of a professional football game.

Enjoy.

Sunday Reflections - Psalm 23

Over the past few weeks, I have been reading the Psalms for my morning Bible reading. I have always loved the Psalms for they are written by plain folks for plain folks like me who struggle with life. Many were written by David when he was going through some of the most difficult times of his life.

The Hebrew word for Psalm means instrumental music; a poem set to music. In many if not most cases, the Psalms were written to be sung. Psalms 120 through 134 are called "Songs of Ascent."

There are some who think these Songs of Ascent psalms refer to the Jewish Nation returning to God -- ascending to their relationship with Him. Others believe these Psalms were written to be sung by the 12 tribes as they ascended to the Temple in Jerusalem for the three annual feasts.

I don't know which is correct, but I like the second as the image of millions of people singing these 15 psalms is, to me, an image of what it means to "make a joyful noise to the Lord."

One of the most basic psalms is Psalm 23 which a lot of children learn early in life. It's interesting to really look at this psalm that is so familiar to many.

The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.
(The word for 'shepherd' can also be translated as to associate with as a friend and he is the one who will meet my needs.)

He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.
(The word for 'lie down' is literally to crouch down on all four as a sheep would when resting. A shepherd will find still, quiet waters for his sheep because sheep will not normally drink from moving water. Soul in this case literally means life.)

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.
(The Hebrew for 'his name's' literally refers to the honor of the shepherd.)

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
(It's important to note here that we are meant to walk 'through' the valley -- not to stay in it. The shepherd's rod was a short, straight, very strong club that was used to ward off marauding animals such as wolves. The staff was a longer, more flexible piece of wood used to guide the sheep when they were off track. When protected and guided, the sheep would be more comforted.)

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.
(This strange image is meant to clearly indicate the peace of God. Our meal before our enemies is not one that is snatched quickly as a soldier might in the presence of his enemies. The shepherd takes the time to 'prepare a table.' It is unhurried because God is in control and we are not to worry.)

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.
(In the Old Testament anointing with oil was a sign of abundant blessing. Expensive oil was literally poured over the head and beard. This is further demonstrated in the overflowing cup that symbolizes God's overflowing life in us and blessings for us. God not only fills our cup, but fills it to overflowing so we might share his life and blessings with others.)

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
(We can expect God's goodness and love/mercy to be with us in all - both the good and bad -- days of our life. As followers of Christ we know that eternity with God -- initially in his kingdom on earth and ultimately in his kingdom in heaven -- is our gift through Christ's sacrifice on the cross.)

If Jesus is my shepherd, then I don't mind being a noisy, smelly, dumb sheep.

Saturday Voice - Race

You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. (Galatians 3:26-29)

I was born in Nashville, Tennessee in 1945 and lived there until 1953 when I was eight. My father's work transferred him to Birmingham, Alabama and we lived there for eight years. We moved back to Nashville in 1961 when I was sixteen.

Both of my parents were born and raised in Tennessee so they were products of their culture. When it came to blacks they were prejudiced against them as a whole. However, I watched them many times work with, converse with and treat individual blacks with respect.

Looking back it almost seems as if they responded out of their cultural conditioning when blacks as a race were mentioned. But, when it came to dealing with real, live human beings their goodness naturally came out. If a man, black or white, deserved respect they gave it.

I don't think they were unusual as I noticed that was fairly common among their friends as well. There were plenty of die-hard racists -- people who would not only treat all blacks with prejudice including individuals -- however the majority I knew seemed to be like my parents. Blacks as a race were considered inferior, but if an individual black person was deserving of respect they usually received it.

I didn't have any black friends until the Navy when I became good friends with several of the enlisted men. Since then we've had many friends of different races and cultures and our lives have been enriched because of those friendships.

I want to be respected because of who I am and what I do. I want to be judged on my integrity and character. I value those people who will disagree with me because I learn from them. I want my friends and acquaintances to know that they have that freedom to disagree. That freedom comes not from me, but from the Constitution we all live under.

I am so sick of anyone who disagrees with the President's policies being called a racist. This is absurd. President Carter, who I voted for back in the 70's, is totally wrong when he says the people who oppose President Obama's policies do so because of his race. To President Obama's credit, his public statements disagree with Carter's statements.

In 1963 churches were bombed in Birmingham, Alabama killing young children. Blacks were still fearful of lynching and unlawful imprisonment. The ugly, dangerous head of racism was clearly in evidence. This was the same year that Dr. Martin Luther King had a dream...

Let us not wallow in the valley of despair, I say to you today, my friends.

And so even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream.

I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: "We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal."

I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia, the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave owners will be able to sit down together at the table of brotherhood.

I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a state sweltering with the heat of injustice, sweltering with the heat of oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day, down in Alabama, with its vicious racists, with its governor having his lips dripping with the words of "interposition" and "nullification" -- one day right there in Alabama little black boys and black girls will be able to join hands with little white boys and white girls as sisters and brothers.

I have a dream today!

I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, and every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight; "and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed and all flesh shall see it together."

The days of racial bombings, lynchings and unlawful imprisonments are over. For the first time we elected a black man as President of the United States. We have the right to judge our President by the content of his character. It is not racist to do so.

We are still far from a perfect country -- the last paragraph of Dr. King's statement has yet to be fulfilled. But his dream where a black man can be judged on the content of his character has come true. This is a good thing.

Sayings from My Dad

My father, whose name I bear, was born in 1915 on a farm in Lebanon, Tennessee. He never talked about it, but I don't think he liked the farm life as he got away from the farm into non-farm jobs as soon as he could.

But, he had that farm common sense and it would show in what he said and the way he said them.

I may share some of his other sayings, at least those I can recall, at a later date, but I want to share one now.

It came to mind as Betty and I went to bed last night after the dinner at our house for a church group. It turned out really well and everyone seemed to have a great time and, as usual, Betty's dinner was delicious -- marinated flank steak, cheese hash browns, baked beans, corn light bread, salad, and pecan pie with vanilla ice cream for dessert. She's a great cook. I'm blessed.

However, when everyone left and we got all the dishes cleaned up, we were beat. We had spent most of the last two days cleaning up and getting ready for the dinner. I slept all through the night which was unusual for me given the size of my bladder. And, after feeding the horses this morning at 6, I came back to bed for another hour's sleep.

We're spending the day just taking it easy today.

So, what was my father's saying that relates?

"As I get older, I realize that I can still do everything I used to do. It just takes me twice as long to do it and twice as long to recover."

A Quick Hi

It's been raining all day which is great. We needed it. It slacked up a little in the early afternoon and I checked our rain gauge in the courtyard. It read exactly one inch. It's still raining now at 3:25 PM.

We've been cleaning the house all afternoon for our dinner tonight. This deep cleaning will also help when our kids and granddaughter come down for the Balloon Fiesta in October.

Gotta run.