A Very Merry Christmas…
By Mrs. BlackSheep | December 28, 2009
It’s the Monday after Christmas. Mr. BlackSheep is back to work and Baby BlackSheep is working herself to sleep in the other room. I’ve enjoyed a morning of getting back into routine and now it’s time to reflect on a wonderful Christmas before too much slips my mind.
It all started back on December 19th with the arrival of Grannie and Poppa Tom. We were the first stop on what was an extended Christmas vacation for them. They spent 3 days with us which proved to be a great start to our Christmas. No doubt Baby BlackSheep was in the spotlight of their visit! We all had a tremendous time. We cherished dinners around the dining room table and breakfast that always seemed to end in a few Christmas treats. One night we loaded up in the car, coffee in hand, and gazed at the beautiful lights that adorned the mansions in Brentwood. Another evening we took in the nativity and amazing light display at Opryland. Grannie and Poppa got a taste of life in Franklin, TN as our doorbell rang a couple times a day with home-made goods being delivered by our generous neighbors. We rode the Natchez Trace and of course had BBQ. Grannie & Poppa took in sights downtown and I drove them past a couple homes of the stars. We played games, opened presents, watched football and even enjoyed a movie together (Walk the Line – about Johnny Cash – Recommended!). Then Tuesday morning we sent them east bound, through our teary eyes we said good-bye and reassured each other that it wouldn’t be too long before we would see them again.
Christmas Eve was soon here and I found myself greatly missing old friends and our old church. At one point in the day I checked the clock to see if we could still make it to Wisconsin on time for church. No chance. We went to Christmas Eve service at a church we had visited a few times and afterward went across the street to our neighbors. We had a great time, met new people, and enjoyed a dirty Santa gift exchange. Steve went home with a high-tech coffee mug for his car and I left with a set of Christmas towels and hot pads. I almost had a Star Wars Light Saber – Whew! We stayed out late, played guitar and sang silly songs. It was the perfect night spent with other families that were away from home.
Christmas morning we opened presents from family. Somehow there were gifts that surrounded the tree despite the desire for a low key Christmas. Our families were once again incredibly generous and I am humbled that they would take on the extra work so as to not have us feel left out. When the presents were opened I made breakfast, we ate, played and then talked to family on the phone. Baby BlackSheep got a charge out of talking to Grandpa via web cam, and after reservations I learned to embrace the technology. It was cool. We did our rounds with Grannie & Poppa, and Chad & Alisha, wishing everyone Merry Christmas across the miles.
It snowed for about 15 minutes. I think it was a gift from God just for me. I was giddy and decided it was time to call my folks. I knew they would be by my sister’s house so I called Dad’s cell so Mom wouldn’t have to get up. “Hello”, as my Dad always says…”I’ll have to call you back “, he said with a crack in his voice, I knew he was crying. “Ok”, I replied. Steve immediately said, “Don’t think its something bad right away”, but what else could I think? Soon, I learned Great Grandma had a heart attack Christmas Eve. She’s a young 90. I wanted to drive home so bad, but let’s face it – you don’t jump in the car and drive 12 hours just like that. It turns out she’ll make a full recovery. I hope I’m in her condition at 90. The rest of the day we chilled, made a list of how we wanted to spend our Christmas money the next day and took in a movie.
We ventured out the day after Christmas with the goal of buying a Christmas tree and a few other items, ready to brave the traffic and crazy shoppers. They must have all been home in a sugar coma, because it was rather peaceful out there. We found what we wanted and headed home to enjoy another relaxing day.
Sunday proved to be fun day and I think life changing for me. We went to The People’s Church. Steve had been there once, but this was my first time. To sum up the message, it was about living life to the full. Nothing new to Steve and I as our old pastor, Pastor Guy, had had spoke this sermon before. I knew the scripture, I recently even taught on the scripture to a group of women. But God spoke loud and clear about some areas of my life that I just wasn’t living to the full. Oh my, How could I be so lost? Thank you Lord, because this is the best Christmas gift that I could have ever received this Christmas.
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Christmas Videos
By Mr. BlackSheep | December 27, 2009
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The Moment Between Hero and Failure
By Mr. BlackSheep | December 14, 2009
OK, I’m tired of apologizing for not writing more often, so I’m just not going to apologize anymore. That said, I’m finally writing. Or, I finally have a reason to write.
Today was Monday. Still is, I guess, for another 4 hours or so. But today I learned something about how the world works, and maybe something about myself.
So the story goes something like this: Today I drove from Franklin, TN to Evansville, IN for some work stuff. Unremarkable, other than the fact that I noticed a BBQ place on the way up there that I figured I’d stop at on the way back. I got my work done about 11:30 and started heading back towards Nashville. I stopped in at the “Old South Bar-B-Q” in Oak Grove, KY about 1:30. I ordered a large pulled pork sandwich, inquired about how they prepare their sandwiches, and went to the restroom to wash my hands. Uneventful, to say the least.
When I returned from the restroom, there was a lady at the lunch counter yelling that the grill was on fire in the kitchen. She wasn’t yelling loud, just with elevated voice. I peaked in through the kitchen doors and saw some flames on the grill… nothing extreme, but some good flames.
Now, for those of you who may not know, I’m in the fire protection business. I’m the Operations Manager for Vulcan Fire Systems in Nashville, TN. I’m no fire fighter, for sure, but I do know a thing or two about fires and putting them out. Back to the story…
So I noticed the kitchen fire. I saw the young cook grab a portable extinguisher. The restaurant owner shouted “No!”, as she knew a regular extinguisher would only splatter the burning grease. THe young, inexperienced kitchen help didn’t listen. He sprayed the fire with a regular old A-B-C extinguisher, which the fire didn’t like. It didn’t like that so much that it decided to spray itself onto the floor, and the young cook got some burning grease on his arm as well – nothing major though.
At this point I’m recognizing that I need to step in. I noticed a range-hood system installed and firmly told the cook to pull the pin on it. He shouted back that it doesn’t work. Right then I knew we were in a world of hurt. I ran behind the lunch counter, into the kitchen, and pulled the pin myself – nothing to lose, right? Well, it did work, and the fire was out. The place was rather smoky, but the fire was out.
Well, turns out the story isn’t quite over yet. Those hood systems are supposed to cut power and gas to the fryers, griddles, whatever else is in a kitchen. This one wasn’t wired up to do so, apparently. The fire re-flashed, and I had absolutely nothing to fight a grease fire with anymore. The kitchen was VERY smoke-filled by now. I saw the cute little waitress with the phone book in hand looking up the fire department’s number. I yelled “9-1-1 – Just dial 9-1-11″. I didn’t know I had to tell people that these days, but I guess some people haven’t heard about that nifty little feature. Well, by the time the call actually got made, the kitchen fire was rather large. I grabbed an apron I saw hanging, covered my mouth, crept low, and was in search of some baking soda for the fire, and also the electrical breaker panel. I found neither, at which time I got back out of the kitchen. I saw that this was going badly, and I wasn’t about to become more of the problem. I shooed everyone out of the building (do you believe there were still people sitting, eating their lunch, in the smoke and all?!), called 9-1-1 myself to make sure it was done, which it had been.
Within 5 minutes the whole place was piping out thick black/gray smoke. A couple minutes later the dining room was ablaze. The owner (a lady perhaps late 40’s) was screaming about the cash register and ran to get her garden hose to fight her way into the place. I called her back, ready to restrain her if I would have had to. She turned around, and watched her livelihood burn down in front of her.
The fire department showed up, perhaps 10 minutes after the call. They drove up, and I could tell they were in no particular hurry to put out the fire. They knew what I had known – a total loss. They weren’t about to risk life to fight a fire when there’s already nothing left to save. I understood that – the owner didn’t. Lots of emotions (and words) poured out of her – I can’t even begin to understand.
That nice young waitress came up to me and gave me my money back for the sandwich I never got. I told her it was a tip to her now. $4 seemed so inconsequential, considering those folks would be out of jobs for a while.
It saddened my heart to watch the place burn. It saddened me to see the tears of the owner, knowing everything she had was burning up in front of her. The place wasn’t much, as most good BBQ joints are little more than shacks, but it’s gone now.
I drove away wondering if it might have been different had I not hesitated. Wondering if I’d have stepped in earlier, would the fire be out? Wondering if I’d have stepped up the the plate, took charge, and ensured someone called 9-1-1 earlier, that perhaps it would have only been a kitchen fire, not a building fire. Wondering if God had me at that place and time for a reason and I dropped the ball.
It’s not the kind of wondering that’s gonna keep me up all night. It’s the kind that, rather than sulking about the past, made me realize that sometimes there’s only a minute’s difference between hero and failure. Or maybe that should be the difference between hero and inconsequential. Regardless of what I call it, I walked away more resolute than ever about one thing: there would be no wondering about “what if” had I immediately stepped up. No more waiting for others to do. No relying on those who should know. Or those who should do. No, the only right answer from this day forward is to immediately step up.
Waiting has it’s place. Most of life’s decisions are better decided on a good night’s sleep. And the same is true for prayer – it brings clarity to out decision making. But in emergency circumstances hesitation has consequences, of which I saw today. I hope and pray I never have to write again about the time I hesitated.
If it’s to your liking, would you consider a prayer for the BBQ crew in Oak Grove KY. I’m praying that the Lord would mightily make Himself known throughout these circumstances. I don’t know exactly what that means, but no doubt He’ll figure it out.
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Baby Needs Her Caffeine Fix!
By Mr. BlackSheep | November 10, 2009
Ellen and her Coffee!
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