Here I Go Again….

Once more… with feeling!

I have tried several times over several years to develop the habit of posting to this blog. Never with much success. The daily pressures of my job and the incredible responsibilities and pleasures of being a husband and father always win the war for my time.

But I know this, writing is good for me. And it gives you an opportunity to not only know me better (so you can pray for me better) but – if I do this right – it can be a great teaching and information tool.

I’ve redesigned the blog, and intend to redesign a bit more, until I’m temporarily happy with the look.

One thing I want to do with this is mix in all of my interests, including comics, art, and tech, along with the Theology and Bible Study. I hope those that read for one, will stay for the others.

So here I go again. I do have plans to preview my graphic novel (which can be more completely previewed at www.redeemedcomics.blogspot.com), Comment on social trends, offer some quick glimpses into the life of a pastor, and much more.

Hope you bookmark this site and stay on for the ride.

pastordave

catching up…

Haven’t posted in, well, a long time. Its tough keeping up with one more activity, especially one that is personal, as writing is. All the other activities of life, those that especially involve being with other people, crowd out the importance of this activity.

Wow. That sentence sucked. But I hope you got the idea.

Part of my problem in staying regular on this blog is that its electronic. Meaning there are no hard copies. At least the original is not a hard copy. Soooo, in my mind, its not nearly as important as other areas of my life.

I have a real sense of rebellion going on in my heart/mind/soul regarding computers, the internet, etc. I keep remembering what life was like before all the technology, and, old man that I am, I wax nostalgic. I remember as a kid watching Star Trek, entering the Communications program in college and working at the local radio and television stations just as the new “digital” technology of Compact Disks came out, and even getting a beeper when my wife was pregnant with our first child. I dreamed about tech and desired more at every stage of my life. Now, at 43 years old, dealing with high blood pressure, a dangerous waistline, the impending threat of being an empty nester (both of my boys will be in college by the time I am 48) and the demands of full time ministry in the information age…. I long for the ability to be truly alone.

I’ve had a phone call and three texts just while typing the previous paragraphs!

And I know that a failure to post regularly totally destroys any “following” this blog may one day have. So pray for me that I do better. Writing is cathartic, and I need a more open heart.

I have another post that I am mulling around, will hopefully post it later today or tomorrow. It’s about anger, whining, and laziness. Its the feel-good post of the year!

Hope someone read this. If you did, please comment (even anonymously), even if your comment is just “I read this.”

THAT (having someone I know is reading) would be a great spark to getting me in front of the typewri… computer keyboard more often.

davemason

Marriage Question…. finally answered.

Been a long time since I posted. Have several written, but have yet to hit the publish button on Live Writer.

So to start, I thought my first post should be a response to the ONE question I received from my last post, asking for any questions regarding marriage.  The question was posted Anonymously on March 14…. so I’m a bit late answering it!

Here is the Question:

“What do you suggest to couples who share similar ideals and morals, and over all have a good relationship but lack many similarities when it comes to recreational activities?”

Well, The quick, short answer is the hardest one to take:

Work at it.

The fact is, EVERY marriage has this problem to an extent. You see, Men and Women are very, very different. Even when we enjoy the same things, we usually enjoy them for different reasons.

So each person in the marriage has to make concerted efforts to become interested in the others interests.

In my marriage this has proven to be tough, but possible. And its even resulted in some pleasant surprises. Though my wife Patty has never acquired an appreciation for comic books, action movies or sci-fi/fantasy stories, she has bravely tried, and on occasion found some of the stories I love to be to her liking.

In the first year of our marriage she came to me and said she would like to read one of the books I had read. At the time I was reading approximately 10-15 detective novels per month. Dashiel Hammett, Raymond Chandler, Ross MacDonald, and the modern master, Robert B. Parker. I gave her my copy of Parker’s “The Godwulf Manuscript” his first published novel, and the beginning of the Spenser series (I ended up reading the first 25 novels in the series). She read it in a week and actually liked it. We  had something to talk about and had a period of time where we watched detective shows and movies together.

On other occasions I have “learned” to like the movies Patty likes and try to regularly go to the movies with her to see “chick flicks”.

And guys, I make no apologies for learning to like my wife’s movies, even the musicals. Does wonders for the “you don’t understand me” issues in a marriage.

Just two examples from my personal life…. hope they help illustrate the principle. You have to try to find common ground. It might mean giving up something you enjoy to have the time to do something you both enjoy. Its not easy, but Marriage is never easy… but it is worth it.

Snow Closings and Couples Class

I’m actually sitting at my drawing table writing this, working on a project that is coming up on a year overdue!

Looking out the window in my office, all I see is white! we have had about 28” of snow so far, and the weather services are calling for anywhere from 4 to 8” more before the evening is over.

We currently have a snow drift of about 6’ between our house and garage. The boys and their cousin Jamie have been out several times today. My sister and her son are staying with us through the blizzard, her husband drives a snow plow for the county. I have not been outside. Don’t plan on it until tomorrow when the wind dies down.

Snow drifting off my roof, 1:00 Saturday Afternoon 

Sooo…. I made the call to cancel services tomorrow. Hate to do it, but I don’t see Creswell Rd. being cleared in time.

If you are one of those who were looking forward to our couples class, don’t fear. Patty and I have decided to push the whole series back one week, so no one will miss anything.

Gentlemen, Remember that next Sunday is Valentines Day. That means Saturday you should have already gotten the flowers, candy or…other presents… ready so you can treat your wife like the lady she is. Don’t fail on this one! Especially if you are fighting! NO better way to patch things up than to swallow your pride, give her a gift and declare yourself wrong (even if your not… go read First Corinthians 6:7b… if that's how we treat those hurting us, why don’t we do it for the ones we love?) Besides, making up is a lot more fun than fighting… and its better for your health.

So here is the tricky part….

Patty and I want to take part of our last class (which will now be held the first Sunday in March) and answer questions you may have about marriage. There will be a box in the back of the auditorium, but since we are missing a week, I thought I would open up the questioning on the blog.

Leave a comment to this post, and ask your question for our couples class. If its an embarrassing question, leave it anyway and mark it “anonymous” when you leave your signature. Even I cannot tell who its from if you leave it in this way. I want you to feel like you can be totally honest, so please leave your questions here. I will do my best to copy and delete them as soon as they are posted, and answer all the questions during the last couples class.

In the meantime, have a happy snow day. Make some soup. Read your Bible. Stay warm.

-pastordave