Two Guarantees

For each and every one of us there are two guarantees each day.

That the Sun is going to rise and the Sun is going to set.

What each of us do from the rising to the setting is what signifies our worth.

Its how we treat others, care for each other and be appreciative of what is done by others for us that matters and those are the things that I believe, the most important.

I am lucky usually when watching it slip away over the horizon and reflecting on my daily actions that  I am happy with what I tell myself. 

But there are times when the answers concern me. 

It's those times, when I close my eyes and ask for forgiveness and be given the strength needed when the sun returns,  to make what I do better. 

Lord... Show me your way...


Johnny

Ask a Silly Question....

Ask a Silly Question?

Several years ago I was at a store in downtown Austin standing at the cooler at the back of the store. After a long day on the road in the Texas summer heat I had a strong need for something to drink. Standing there trying to decide which of the many offerings, I heard some young(er) men approach from my right. It was obvious to me that they had already been enjoying some of the refreshments from the cooler and were returning for more.

I heard one of them speak out to his friends quiet loudly not realizing his voice level due to the amount of alcohol that coursed through his bloodstream. The remark was "Hey... Watch me mess with this Blind Dude."

Now let me explain why the young man would have reason for such a stupid statement. About a year before, I had a Retnal Detachment in my right eye eventually resulting in the loss of half of my sight in that eye. Over the year I would have to wear a eye patch over the eye especially late in the day after a day of the eye trying to make the compensations for the sight loss. Without the aide I would get headaches resulting sometimes into migraines. Instead of waiting for it to happen I would usually start wearing the patch just to avoid the pain.

This is what the young man and his friends saw standing in front of the cooler as they approached. An old guy with a patch over his right eye. Now understand that this was not the first time I had been approached and asked the question "Hey what happened to your eye?" This question, I had come to regard as a question that really was none of their business especially if they were a stranger.

I guess that day was the kind of day that was one question to many.   I tried to ignore the question as if I had not heard him. So, he "broke the camel's back" by walking up, tapping me on the shoulder while giggling and asked again "Say Mister.. What Happened To Your Eye?" 

I calmly turned to the young man and the two others who stood behind him, all waiting for my explanation, which I said straight faced as possible, I simply replied just one word...."Bear".

He stood for a couple of seconds trying to decipher my answer.

After a few more seconds I continued my explanation... "It was the summer of 82 on a mountain just north of Juneau Alaska along a creek while I was panning for gold. I had stood up and turned to find a 10 foot tall Grizzly Bear standing on his hind legs beside me. Before I could move, he grabbed my head.. leaned down and sucked my eye ball right out of my head."

As I told the story the young man's eyes got bigger and bigger as he listened... The two other young men I think, had figured out that I was in turn, messing with their friend and stood behind him with small smiles on their faces. To finish the effect.. I stepped closer to him and reached up as if I was going to raise the patches flap and said

"Want to See?"

All he could do was stutter... No. No... That's OK.... as he finally realized the predicament he had put himself in...
 
I stepped back and  a smile on my face... I made my final remark to young man who I hope to this day remembers how embarrassed he was by asking. All I said as I turned to look back at the cooler to make a final decision on what to buy was  "Ask a Stupid Question, Get a Stupid Answer."

I reached in and pulled out my choice then turned to find the isle where they had stood empty.
I don't have to wear the patch anymore, at least not very often but I still keep one available just in case.

And I've decided that if ever another walks up to me and asks me the "Silly Question". I've got my new answer ready...

I would turn to them with the same straight face and say "Aliens"......
.
Onward Thru The Fog...

Johnny..

My New Year Prayer

Lord....

The Next Sunrise will start a New Year for us here on Earth...

Please help us to understand that our lives are not a given...

That we are all here for a purpose...

Please remind us that if not for you...

There would not have been nor would there be any yesterdays, today or tomorrows...

Help us to learn that "others" are just important as "ourselves"...

Please give us the strength to rise each day to praise your name...

To enjoy life according to your words and your ways...

Help open our eyes to the troubles of this amazing world you gave us...

And give us the determination to help in making it better....

Lord please keep my family safe and happy...

Knowing that through you, all that is given will be rewarded....

Thank You Lord...

For allowing us to be a part of your plan...

Johnny

A Sailors Christmas

Twas just a month or so before Christmas
About the 150th day of our Westpac
On our way back from the Persian Gulf
Finally no worries just the long voyage back
So we settle down to read our letters from home
While lying in our racks

We closed our eyes and allowed our minds to drift.
To the wife all alone, wrapping the last of the kids gifts
Miles from home, but never out of our heads
Thinking of our little ones back home all snug in their bed

Each day our job to protect  never seemed done
Each of us telling ourselves, you won't be here long
You'll be home soon and be with the ones you love
Laughing and singing your favorite Christmas songs

We looked over the waves and sent a message to home
I'll soon be there, no more will I roam
No more will you be lonely because I'm away
And  this time I hope,  I'll be there to stay.

So we traveled the world and displayed a strong force of One
Each Sailor and Shipmates working together to get the job done
Then we'll be back home with our families and friends
Hoping and wishing that all the fighting will end.
Asking them to be patient and understanding
that we do it for them

Now we're back home
Where we really belong
But thinking also of those who helped
In keeping each other strong

So... Here's a Toast to those times
When we were "Over There"
Raise a glass to the Albert David
and to those who were aboard,  give out a Cheer
Merry Christmas to all my Shipmates
and to all a Happy New Year..

Merry Christmas

John Glass, PN2 USS Albert David








 

This Isn't Christmas

The True Meaning of Christmas...

What do you want for Christmas this year?  It's the question you hear so much.  Unfortunately, the answer is usually something that only WE personally want.

I fear that the power of the mighty dollar has stolen the True Meaning and Spirit of Christmas.

We have taken what should be a Day of Celebration of a Amazing Birth.

The dollar amount of giving should not be the basis of what the day means to us.  Instead, the amount of giving can be measured by sharing, caring and expressing our joy of knowing that we are here due to what God gave to us... Jesus.

Thank You Lord.... For Showing Us Your Way....
 

Bluejean Knee Patches

What was being raised on a ranch in Central Texas like?  Well when your the 5th son of 6 boys it meant sharing.  Some of the adventures were fun, some sad, some risky but more then anything they were all learning experiences for me.  Some of the things....

China Berry Fights///Calf Riding///Rat Catching///Blanket Tents///Working Cattle///Picking Corn///Trips in a Station Wagon///Family Reunions on the River//Climbing Trees///Playing "War"//Weather Balloon Tents////School Carnivals//Hay Rides///Old Tire Riding///Metal Drum Swimming Pools///Coon Hunting//Lambs in the House///Gravy and Bread for Breakfast///Kick The Can//Milking the Cows//{Pop Guns///The Big House///Haybarn Tunnels///Chopping Cotton///Camping out on the river///Irrigation Pipe Sitting//Baby Rabbits///The School Bus///Telephone Party Line Sharing///Bees,Wasps, and Scorpions Stings///Hot Dog Cookers///Split Lips, Poison Ivy, and Broken Bones/// A Big Worm Bit Me///Hanging the Wash///The Fig Tree///Water Trough Cleaning///The Front Porch Couch///Easter Egg Hunts at Pease Park///Riding on the Tailgate///Puddle Jumping///Baseball Games against Manchaca/// Sand Tunnels at Hornsby///Swimming at Barton Springs....

And Blue Jean Knee Patches....

Each a story in themselves... Each something that needs to be shared... Tell the young ones..

Do You Remember?

It's funny how we remember events in our lives... Happy, sad, funny, embarrassing, or regretful things that have occurred along our path of life that are held in a special place deep in our minds.  There for us to pull up or sometimes they jump up to remind us...  In most cases the experiences have taught us something about ourselves, others or society. With age I have found it harder to sometime "remember' things and even more recently I "re-found" a tactic that was taught to me at a very young age that still works.

In school I had a hard time remembering things but In the 3rd grade my teacher, Ms. Damerau came to me one day when seeing me mentally searching for the answer to a test question, so she taught me a trick to help me remember.  She would say... "It's easy... Close your eyes...Get a good hold on the edge of your desk and shake your head back and force sharply. It will knock it loose and bring it back to the top."

I tried and lo and behold it worked. I'm not sure if it pushed all the other things out of the way or just gave me a chance to 're-think' the question after "clearing my head'.  But no matter how, the tactic seem to work at least for me.  I used the tactic through-out the remaining years of my education but somewhere along the way in the hustle and bustle of growing up I forgot all about it..

 But the other day, while I was in the Grocery Store, I came upon a man who was standing looking perplexed and trying to remember something... He was not as fortunate as myself, my wife takes pity on me and usually has a list of things for me.  Anyway,  I passed by the man but something told me to look back and I watched as the man looked around to check to see if anyone was watching, took hold of the edge of a shelf, closed his eyes and shook his head back and forth several times, stopped for a few seconds then did it again this time a little harder... Then with a smile he got his balance back and turned and walked away definitely now remembering where he could find the item he needed. 

And I  wanted to so badly to catch up with him and ask him... Hey did you have Ms. Damerau as a teacher in school?"

But I didn't.... I was afraid he would say "Why yes I did" and then I would have to explain how I knew..

So if by chance you know me and one day I suddenly close my eyes and shake my head back and forth... Well.... I'm OK, just trying to remember something that I'm having a hard time finding.


Thanks Ms. Damerau....