My talk with God

People fascinate me - especially the ones I don't like - which for the most part are most of them.  To paraphrase a quote ...Oh I love mankind, it's the people that give me the most pause.. I suppose the ones that cause me the most disdain are the preachers (not necessarily the ordained ones),  Perhaps you know some - the ones that tell you how you should live, what you should do, what you should say - yet have never spent 10 minutes of their life talking WITH you,  for no other reason than they have spent their entire life talking TO you.  For the most part, I have lived a life of passionate zeal - but have rarely expected others to live any different than they do.  Recently, several people have told me I should change my life.  Granted, they have not seen me in over 25 years, but they feel they have the answer - THE WAY - as they called it.  They will quote scripture after scripture - as if memorizing words will change the world - even change me.  What they don't know - and only a few people in the world do - is that I am a true believer in God.  Not a BETTER believer, not a HOLIER believer, but a believer nonetheless.  My belief is so deep that if today, I were provided empirical data that the Holy Bible was just a book, my faith in God would not diminish, it might actually grow.  You may find that odd.  The truth is -  people debate stuff in a circular pattern - they argue a point using the point as the premise.  If you argue that the Bible is the truth, while referencing only the Bible - only someone who believes your way will listen. 

Anyone reading this will most likely have a different relationship with God than I do.  I may have read somewhere a personal relationship with God is what is expected (Oops...I may be doing the same stuff others do - quoting).  The real answer lies within each of us and not amongst us.  So, if God and I had a conversation in human terms - I think it would go something like this:

God:  How's the knee?

Me:   Getting better.  Thanks for helping me find the duct tape this past summer.

God:  You think I did that? (Smiling)

Me:  Of course! Blood was pouring out of my knee and I needed to stop it fast.  We both know when I need something in my garage, it takes me a week to find it,  That day I found it right where it was supposed to be  .... in just a few seconds.  But then again, you are the miracle guy, so maybe you had my girls put something back from where they got it.  Lord only knows it would take a miracle. No pun intended, God.

God:  No offense taken.  Even I need a little humor.  So much misery in the world I created.

Me:  Yea, I have been meaning to ask you about that....why so much?

God:  You know the answer - people.  Free will presents quite a few challenges, yet it allows people to grow - to understand and to see a clear path.

Me:  It also allows for destruction and pain.  Not the kind of highlights you thought when you created us huh?

God:  Excuse me?  Of course I knew...careful little man.  My hope was that there would be more like you and a whole lot less like some others.

Me:  Please tell me you did not use hope as a strategy?

God:  No - but it is a human process, so my children will.

Me:  Not me

God:  Yes, even you....as a matter of fact - you more than most.

Me:  What?  You must have me mixed up with that NY singer Chip Prince - the one when I search for me on the NET, I get a picture of a short, bald guy.

God:  No - you Chip Prince of Springville, AL.  You - the one who wants to make a difference in others' lives.  You  - the one who can by doing - not by telling.  You like being anonymous - but I know....

Chip:  You think I am going to bring people to you?

God:  You already have. 

Me:  You know I only pray for my health.  For I know that with that I can do most anything - I will figure it out.  I don't ask for stuff.  I don't ask for help.

God:  I know, but many do and that is OK. 

Me:  I suppose it is.  As I was driving the other day, I was thinking  about my life.

God:  I know you were.

Me:  Of course you do.  Can I finish? God!

God:  Yes, but clean up the language, I am right here you know.

Me:   Ooops!  Anyway, as I was thinking about my life, I realized how many times you were there to help me in my one request for my health.  When I was 15 and you had the police stop the fight.  When I was 19 and allowed me to not get hit with a punch from my old man.  When I was in the Army and no real harm came to me.  When I have travelled so many miles on planes and cars - yet I arrived safe.  When I have helped people in situations that needed help when others simply would not.  I know that I was not smart enough to do it all on my own - and I just wanted to say thanks. 

God:  I know..

ME:  Of course you do...sometimes knowitalls are agitatng

God: (Smiling)  You have a mirror my son?  But the truth is,  I need more like you Chip.

ME:  I am no preacher.  I am not a hand raising fundamentalist.  I am not the guy to bring people to God with scripture.

God:  No you are not.  You are effective though in the what you do.  Be an example for those that do not know me.  People that know YOU -  would never expect it from you and will watch and listen.  Never let them see you coming.  Reach those not in the choir - the ones that need a different type of messenger.  Believe me - they will NEVER expect you.  Never let them see you coming - until you are there

Me:  You saw that movie too?  Never mind, of course you did....

God:  So, big day today?

Me:  Funny...tomorrow is the celebrated anniversary of your Son's birth and of course my girls with Santa and all.  Guess I should not put those together huh?

God:  Happiness and Good Will toward Man is my desire....I see nothing wrong with what you said.  Besides we know the truth...

Me:  Yep - Our Saviour's birth was most likely in June or July, the only reason we celebrate Christmas in December is ...

God:  ....People.  Got to love 'em.

Me:  I guess YOU do....

God:  You try so hard to act like you don't - but your actions differ so much.

ME:  Sometimes you are tough to talk to.

God:  People say the same thing about you Chip.  The reason is we speak the Way and often that is not easy for people to understand.

Me:  What if I blogged about our conversation today?  What do you think people will say?

God:  Some will like it, most will hate it - call it sacreligous.  But not me...so go forth my good and faithful servant.  You have done well and you will continue for I do answer Prayers.  So how's that knee?

ME:  Better each day - just like life with you.. Most of all thanks for understanding..

God:  Anytime...

ME:  Merry Christmas Father...

God:  Save it for July!!!

Yes, Carlee and MattiLynn, there is a Santa Claus!

"Who is the real Santa?"  My girls ask.

 I could give them a philosophical, esoteric answer - and while  sounding both logical and important, would not truly answer the question.  I could give them a folksy answer - sounding like I was an old man on a rocking chair reliving my life.  I could have given a lot of answers about heart and feeling and such- nah! So I went with....... "Santa is really me and your mama"..(I know that is bad grammar) ..and it went something like this,,,,,

ME:  You see girls, parents do these things for their children because in this world children are often forgotten. Oh they are loved, but sometimes the pleasures of adulthood become first in parents' heads and little girls and boys are left out most of the year.  So at Christmas time, parents have to make up for the time they wasted on stupid stuff like work, cleaning, talking with friends, gossipping about people, arguing about the government, and other entertaining - but not really important things in life.

My girls:   They looked puzzled

ME:  Thinking I know that look - I continue..Let me give you an example.  Let's say it is July and you want to go to the park.  Parents say, can't today - have to do the yard.  Let's say you want a friend to come over to your house and the 'Rents say - sorry the house is too dirty or they say We just had it cleaned - can't mess it up.

My girls:  I could actually see a tear on their faces.

ME:  Oh girls don't cry - we did not intend to be mean, we just got busy with life.  We did not forget about you. It is just as adults - other things become important too.  You will understand later.  Besides that is why we as Santa give so much - we are trying to make up for what we did NOT do with you all year.

My little girl begins to suck her thumb.  My oldest just stares at me.  Both get up off of the couch and walk toward the stairs to their rooms.  I feel a bit of sadness come over me - not exactly my finest moment - but the truth just has that sense of "right" that needs to be said or so I think.

My youngest one:  Now I am sad, those little kids with bad daddys and mommys...why would they do that to their own children...Sure glad our Mommy and Daddy aren't like that....

My oldest one:  Yep!  Plus, Daddy thinks he is SO smart and he does not even know who Santa Claus really is....

I could not believe my ears....oh I heard the words, but the meaning is why I believe in Santa Claus, cannot think of two better reasons....

So that is my Christmas Story - at least that is the way I tell it...Merry Christmas and Keep First Things First!

Are you - your parents now?

If you are reading this,  most likely you are over 40 - closer to 50 even, you may say you are NOT - but most likely you are.  Our parents did not have this way of talking with folks.   It is kinda cool, but in a way a bit removed from the human interaction most of us want - perhaps even need.  I never wanted to be my parents.  Like most of you, when I was younger I made myself a promise "that when I get that age, I will be different."  Ok, maybe my parents were not the best examples of "how to be", so it was easier for me, but I bet you still said it anyway.  I look around now and I see so many people turning into their parents, sad really, at least I think so.  When we were young we were going to change the world, change the government (ok some of you still want to), make all those daring choices, stay in touch with our friends, live - not just exist.  Some of us have, but frankly, we do so at times the "gurus" call a "SEE" (significant emotional event) - you know the ones, births, deaths, marriages, divorces, job gains and losses - you get the picture.  Most days though we say things like - I will do that AFTER the kids grow up and move out, we will do it next year, we will do it after the rush of the holidays, just as soon as I make more money, or whatever we consider a "rational reason" not to do something.  Sounds just like my parents - does it sound like yours?  You may say that is just human nature, people grow up and mature - that is what adults do - it is not bad.  No,  it is not bad - but it goes against what we said we would do and to me that is sad.  I will never be a great songwriter - but I still try.  I will never be John Grisham - but I try.  I will never be President - but I still enjoy debating.  I am pretty good at business, but if that were all I did, I wonder how good I would be? 

Perhaps your passion changed from the time of your youth and that's cool. ---If it actually changed and you didn't just give up so you could be "your parents".  Without desire all important aspects of life fade - marriages, jobs, our lives in general.  I encourage you to live your life - not the life of your parents.  You may say "I am not my parents - I am nothing like them".  If you are over 40 and reading this you should have reached a level of reading that allows you to understand I am not talking truly about "parents", I am talking about getting old and wandering without the wonder we used to have.

One thing though that would be nice about going back and being my "parents" - I would have seen each of you and talked with you about this. Instead I just write it and put it out there in the hopes that maybe you understand and talk back or at least think about it.  Somedays I guess being my "parents" would be better........