Keep on Rollin...

On December 20th at 1am I was headed home from work up on the Mesa near Pinedale, WY. I just had hung up from calling Porfirio, a friend of mine in Hays, KS and I was going around a corner. Little did I know that corner would be a challenge, a surprise, and a first for me.
I rolled my '03 Nissan Xterra. It happened so fast. The ditch was steep and my undoing. There was no avoiding it after briefly taking my eyes off the road. I am so thankful God protected me because I know it could've been much worse. I tried to keep it from rolling but couldn't. I hit the far side of the ditch and it shot the nose of the Xterra back in the road. I went on two wheels on both sides then somehow did a 180 and flipped it on to its top. It was around -10 to -15 degrees so I was really glad I was able to crawl out because along with injuries after a while the cold would have started to work on me if I was there long. Praise God that wasn't the case.
The pics are hard to see much of the damage because of the snow and the fact its so bright and the white vehicle. I am really surprised the windshield was still in it when I got to the salvage yard. It was barely hanging on when I rolled it.
I still don't know if its totalled but my professional opinion would say yes its totalled.
Nothing extremely spiritual or deep just grateful for my health and safety and the fact I got to spend Christmas with my parents. Simple.

Anyway thats it for now...

Until Dukey Drops Again...Much Love...

In - n - Out

I was reading an article written by a guy who does some writing for a magazine called RELEVANT and I had somethings jump out that I wanted to share. The one that really jumped out at me was the statement I bolded at the start of the 3^rd italicized paragraph. I’ll share a few thoughts at the conclusion of the article.

You know its often that we go about our day with our mouths spouting about wrecklessly whatever spills out. It can be positive and encouraging, negative, rude, spontaneous, gossip or perhaps truth but words carry great power and influence. Everyone remembers sticks and stone may break my bones but words will never hurt me, right? Not sure I ever bought that one. It seems its more of a coping mechanisim than anything. Words still carry great power to change a moment, a day or perhaps a life. Consider the words “Guilty” or “I Do”. Even a coaches half-time speech, just words, can totally change a game and its outcome. Life changing in some cases and powerful direction altering ones at that words can carry great weight. Not only do they sometimes carry a “hammer” they also can be reflective.

And once they are expressed, words not only create—they also reveal. Words are windows for us to see deeper into the heart of the one who is speaking. To quote Matthew’s Gospel: “Out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks” (Matthew 12:34) In Jesus’ case, The Word made flesh gave us a better picture of who God is. We were finally able to plainly see the heart of God in the reality of creation and salvation. Through Jesus we are able to see the unifying theme that God is speaking and establishing the reality of life. The Word created life and sustains life. The Word provides salvation (which is even more life). The Word reveals that within God’s heart is life, life and more life. So, Jesus isn’t kidding when He tells His disciples, “The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the spirit and life” (John 6:63).

But where does that leave us? Since we’ve been created in God’s image with this strange ability to affect the world we live in with what we say, what do our own words reveal about who we are? What do the realities we’re creating disclose about our hearts and our character?

If we want to begin creating realities that bring truth to the world, we’d do well to begin filling ourselves with “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable” (Philippians 4:8). I’m not suggesting this means creating a legalistic set of parameters that ban rated-R movies or controversial music. But we should be aware of how things affect us. We must be cognizant of our words and the realities they create. Is what we say creating life or death for those who hear? After a quick personal assessment, we may need to make a few changes. If we’re going to speak words that create life for those who hear us, we must begin by surrounding ourselves with things that create life within ourselves.

To help you do that, here are a few questions you may want to ask yourself:

Is there anything inherently good or bad about it?
A great way fill your heart with goodness is by running toward what is good and away from what is bad. And while it’s true that the idea of “good” and “bad” may be a bit subjective, it’s an appropriate place to begin because there are some things that automatically scream good or bad. Not everything is a gray area. For instance: Scripture = Good. Porn Site = Bad. See? Not so hard!

How do I feel after experiencing it?
This particular question is a little tricky because our emotions are so fickle. But there is definitely value in assessing how we feel about what we do and whom we meet. I know from personal experience that I can’t watch the news during election years because political commentary makes me want to punch someone in the head. In the same way, if the movies you watch, music you listen to, books you read or people you surround yourself with make you feel angst-ridden or fearful, you may want to consider spending yourself somewhere else.

Am I gaining more clarity or more confusion?
It’s good to have your worldview shaken up every once in a while. But a good dose of truth should begin to peel away the layers of false reality, not add more. If the things you do and people you interact with are making you less and less confident of what you think and believe, look for people and experiences to that help you understand who you are (and whose you are).

Am I changing because of what I do and who I know?
Stagnation is one of the worst things possible. Try to engage the things that evoke positive change in you. We need to look at art that inspires us and watch movies that make us want to be better people. We need people in our lives who speak truth and encouragement. Neutral goes nowhere, so make sure that what you experience does something to you, drawing you closer and closer to faith, hope and love.

Author: Nathan Key I think its always good to receive times and opprotunites of personal reflection and evaluation toward the direction my life is headed and who and/or what I convey to others---To ask introspective questions of myself and try and seek the reality and truth of who I am ugly, dirty scarred or otherwise. It only brings to light reality versus the fantasy we all like to live in…I myself included. Thank God for forgiveness and his Son. What I put in comes out…hmm…not new…not a profound revolutionary statement. So why do I succumb to the compromised thinking, “aw its no big deal, I’ve been good…been strong”? Its our pride that tells us that. I don’t need to lean on my Savior, I’m solid. That for me often seems to be the first step to the settling to not paying attention to what I put in. Before long, if not in a few hours, days, months or years, if it continues, the ugly I put in will spew forth raring its ugly head and I’ll find myself in a bad spot, asking for forgiveness or caloused and hardened by the seeping of dirt I’ve allowed. There is a great verse in Song of Solomon that says, “Catch for us the foxes, the foxes that ruin the vineyard”. Watch the little things as they can destroy the “vineyard” or you before you know it. I think it parallels the idea of what you put in comes out. If you don’t care or watch what you put in then grab your helmets because whats coming out is gonna be a beast sooner or later. Be on your guard. Not only do our words reflect our heart but our King who many may not ever meet(aside from your witness) but possibly hear…hear in our words…hopefully words of grace, truth and love. Phil 4:8 “Finally brothers(and sisters) whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable, if anything is excellent or praiseworthy think about such things.” Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love.....

Caught up...

So recently I've come to the conclusion that when some one asks me what I do with my time off away from work, you know, free time, well my answer is now going to be I KILL MICE! I end their not so sweet little not so harmless rodent poop dropping, trap dodging, poison eating, t-shirt eating, disease carrying little lives. I know its a little violet sounding but fun time with Luke is over. This is war. Well at least around my place. They have officially crossed the line in the last few days as I went to grab one of my favorite t-shirts out of my drawer and there was a hole large enough for a large hamster to have waddled through. Not to mention the bits of D-Con poison and mouse tirds dropped next to the shirt. Obviously the mouse or perhaps mice, judging by the ample scattering of poo, had a good time wrestling in the poison tray and had their fill and decided to go on adventure and find some good material for a nice winter bed. It appears they found my softest shirt and got to gnawing.
I amazed at the entertainment value this mouse community has brought me. Seriously. The first night I put out traps it was as if they were blind to the traps. They were going off 10min after I reset them. I got up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom and found all the traps had been set off. I thought if there is such activity I should set them again. 10min later SNAP! Clank Clank Clank Clank...I thought someone was having
spasms but it continued. So I figured I'd get up and check. I walk in the the bathroom and the mouse trap was racing across the floor chasing a mouse...now thats a mouse trap! After looking closer the mouse had ALMOST dodged death and his tail was caught in the trap! The mouse followed by the trap bolted for the hole in which he entered. The mouse disappeared but the trap was not so cooperative. It was too heavy for the mouse to pull in the hole so it assuredly left the mouse dangling for his life on the other side of the sheet rock. I was laughing hard at the sight, what the mouse was likely thinking and at his misfortune. I grabbed the trap and ended his struggle for him. He must have been wearing a helmet like this mouse pictured but got lazy and got his tail.
The mice have gradually gotten smarter because in the beginning just the scent of peanut butter would have them running and hurling themselves onto the traps. Not anymore. Too many of their community have not returned from what ended up being a journey of peril. So now they can clean the peanut butter off the trap and go back to the hole with a full belly. There is now an array of potential mice "killer". Its like a buffet that includes teal colored D-con(should be called D-can't) mouse poison, some grain sticks that are supposed to kill the mice...they seem to be getting FATTER and the JIF peanut butter that laces the traps. A delicious menu if I don't say so myself.
So I had a few days off this last week and returned to my place expecting that I would find at least one mouse. I was correct. There was one but there were only 3 traps...there were 4 when I left.
I began scan the bathroom around the toilet where the hole is...1...2...3...where is the 4th? I must be hallucinating. Again 1...2...3...no 4th trap. I check one other place where I had once seen traces of mice. There it was laying upside down. I was sure it had a mouse in it if it was carried that far. I picked up the trap...and...no mouse. HOW!? I glanced again...wait...there's not a mouse but remnants. There was mouse leg. Apparently a front leg. It appeared he had fought so hard for his life he severed his leg from his body. So now tri-pod is free but left me a souvenir. I was shocked! I did laugh too...and almost took a picture because I couldn't believe it. If I didn't have lazy cats like the one pictured here I wouldn't have such a problem. Stinkin' cats. Too well fed. They need THE HUNGER. The hunger for survival.

You know this tri-pod incident made me think of how we as humans often get ourselves caught in little seemingly harmless things like gossip, sexual temptation, gossip, lust, greed, gossip, anger, dishonesty, gossip, wasteful spending, jealousy, pornography, not praying, lying and one last one...umm...gossip, etc and we find ourselves caught in a trap scrambling what appears to be for our lives. It ends up that we may escape with our "lives" but we've lost a "limb" as tri-pod did or a piece of our heart or maybe we lose the trust somone once had in us or vice a versa. I mean all we're doin' is nibblin on a little cheese or PB(gossip, lie, porn site, one bad movie, one beer too many, a super-sized meal at 1am, an extra $100 pair of jeans) and before we know SNAP...our little piece of the pie has got us trapped...trapped in debt, trapped with bad health, trapped with a dead spiritual life, trapped in a "little" lie thats not so little anymore, trapped with no one that will trust us anymore, trapped watching someone else get hurt because of our gossip, trapped in addiction to alcohol or porn, trapped with deep anger thats burning inside for years and now we're scarred...scarred in a way our life is impacted greatly. So please watch out for traps. Don't compromise. Listen to others especially those who have lived a few more years than you. Educate yourself of traps. Ask questions. Be aware so you don't fall victim. And finally if someone loves you enough to approach you and confront you about a trap they may see...have the grace and maturity to stop and honestly look around. Be objective. If its true and its not cost you something do whatever you can to stop. STOP! Its a funny picture but I know none of us would like to be like our friend tri-pod...well not my friend but maybe yours...and be scarred in a way that will remind us daily of a trap we should have looked for.
And if your friends, community and people you hang out with look like the last mouse picture here...everyone caught in a trap....Uh... TAKE NOTICE! Do you want to join them???
Don't get CAUGHT UP...

There's my thoughts for today...if you have any mouse wisdom I am all ears.

Until Dukey Drops Again.......Much Love......


***Oh yeah...Kill count...

3 rabbits(unintentional)

1 ground squirrel(unintentional)

18 mice & an arm(intentional)

20days and a cloud of dust...

20days ago I started work and 20days later I'm hurtin' but I've got some days off. I don't know if it will be enough but its better than nothing. We are now on a schedule of 10 days on and 5 off so maybe over the next few weeks I can recover a bit and get healed up. It won't be long enough but I'll take what I can get.
This week I will be back in Kansas for a few days the 28th-31st to see some family and play in a softball tournament. Its been a great time in the past and I'm looking forward to it. It'll be a nice change of pace. I'll get to visit some friends back in Hays and hang out a bit.
I don't know if anyone has watched the Olympics or enjoys them but I have the last few days I've been off and I DO enjoy the Olympics. There are so many stories of expected triumph and fantastic performance, crushing failure and perserverence resulting in glorious victory. There are amazing and inspiring performances from teams and individuals. They are great stories of preparation, commitment and focus all meeting at one place and tested. USA Decathalete Brian Clay redirecting his life and turning it around win Gold, Jamaican Sprinter Usain Bolt with 2 world records, USA Womens Soccer & Basketball, USA Mens Basketball celebrated with joy like little boys when they won, British hurdler Tasha Danvers overcame an unexpected pregnancy and much scrutiny for having the child to win bronze, South African Natalie du Toit leg amputee making her debut in the open water swim to finish 16th, Australian Diver Mathew Mitchum won Gold over the favored Chinese divers on his last dive, Swimmer Michael Phelps made olympic history with 8 Gold medals, German weightlifter Matthias Steiner wins Gold on his last lift after losing his wife in a car wreck in the last year, Equestrian Rider 61 yr old medalist Canadian Ian Millar rode for 35+ years without a medal but that changed in 2008 and many others that inspire greatness, perserverence, commitment, heart and spirit. I found a great story in the Calgary Herald that alludes to this spirit. You should check it out. The passion is enticing. The stories captivate.
The thing I wonder as I think of the Olympics come to a close is why does this spirit loved and adored in sports but we often are scared to exhibit the same commitment to our faith in Christ. Not belief but faith. Where is our commitment? Where is our preparation for those appointments that are divinely directed? We may not all be great athletes, scholars, speakers, or anything else but we are not asked to first be great and then commit we are simply asked to follow with what we have and who we are and our Creator will use us in ways and do things we could never ask or imagine(Eph. 3:20-21) He says "follow me and I will make you fishers of men". All through the gospels He says "Follow Me". Know me. Walk with Me. I know I am guilty as the next. Why do we not follow with out hesitation? Its almost like we have layers like an onion that have to be peeled away in order for us to act. Why are we not diligent? Is one persons eternity not worth it? These questions have simple answers that I think are often more difficult to back up with action.
I'll leave you with a quote that I love and is so true from the movie The Gladiator....
"What we do in this life will echo in eternity." -General Maximus Decimus Meridius
Lets make this one day we have count.
Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love.....

Safety Over Significance?

I was reading "The Barbarian Way" by Erwin McManus(highly recommended) and some statements made in here really hit me. The first being the oft used cliche "The safest place to be is in the center of God's will." Read Corrie ten Boom's diary and you'll feel different about that statement.

"For Corrie and Besty(Corrie's sister), the promise of safety in the center of God's will was fleshed out in the concentration camps during the Nazi holocaust of the Jews. Betsie's statement was a declaration that to walk in the character of Christ is always the right choice, regardless of outcome or consequence. Was have some how perverted this more primal understanding to a more civilized one. Instead of finding confidence to live as we should regardless of our circumstances, we have used it as justification to choose the path of least resistance, least difficulty. Instead of concluding its best to be wherever God wants us to be, we have decided that wherever it is best for us to be is where God wants us. Actually, God's will for us is less about our comfort than it is about our contribution. God would never chose for us safety at the cost of significance. God created our so that your life would count, not so that you could count the days of your life.
Bam! Powerful words to soak in...to let marinate in your spirit. Convicting. Then McManus poses this question: "If the safest place to be is in the center of the will of God, then how do you explain the life and ministry of Stephen---one sermon and then stoned to death? Was he really that bad? If the safest place to be is in the center of the will of God, then why is it that the biblical work for witness is actually the word for martyr?
And what about Paul...I'm sure Paul didn't sign up for jail time because he was bored or needed a place to stay. Check 2Cor. 11:23-27
McManus goes on to say, "There may not be a more dangerous weapon for violence or oppression than religion. It seems counterintuitive, but when human being create religions, we use then to control others through their guilt and shame. True religion always moves us to serve others and give our lives to see those oppressed find freedom."
He goes on and asks, "Is it possible that the transforming power of the church has been lost because we keep inviting people to step into the comfort, safety, and security of Jesus Christ? We've created a religious culture in which---even though we're the most blessed society in the history of the planet---our best selling literature still focuses on how we can be more blessed. Maybe we need to step way back to the beginning of this movement. The original call of Jesus was so simple, so clean, so clear: "Follow Me." He wants us to surrender our lives to HIm and follow Him into the unknown. And if it means a life of suffereing, hardship, and disappointment, it will be worth it because following Jesus Christ is more powerful and more fulfilling than living with everything in the world minus Him. Have we forgotten this? Have we become so refined and so civilized that the benefits of our faith have become more precious and more valuable to us than the Benefactor of our faith?" I wonder how many of us are in that place of John the Baptist, at that crucible where God is asking, "Are you willing to lose everything on My behalf to gain everything I desire for you? Rather than living a long life, are you willing to live a life worth living?"

Words that sting my heart and challenge me. Words that are hard to type and not take them to heart.

Gotta get going...found out I have to be at the shop by 6am. Rumor is that I've got work to do tomorrow. How long? No idea. My bet is a week to 10 days but we'll see.
Anyways let those words stir in your heart and see what God has for you.

Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love.........

A Day Wasted?

Today(yesterday) was one of those days that you look back and ask “What did I do? Hours gone by and what?” My boss called this morning and said we’re not working today and maybe not tomorrow. I went to bed last night planning on working today. I mean when I’m working there’s little time for anything else so that’s all I do…W-O-R-K. No work and possibly a day or two before we do so. So I slept a little extra(been enjoying a nagging sinus infection/cold), got my laptop and drove 15min to use the internet for 45min, ate some lunch, and wondered what else I should be doing or needs done. Obviously I need to clean my place a bit, do some dishes, put up some clothes, vacuum, could read some, I’ve got time I could pray, journal, etc. Nothing grabs me so I go for a walk just to get some night fresh air hoping to avoid the mosquitoes but trust that’s not too likely. I risk it anyways. I’ve got cabin fever. I walk out on the dirt road trying to see where my feet are going with no other light than the glare of the well lit rigs off in the distance. I look to the sky and see half a trillion stars lighting up the sky. I see the dissection of the Milky Way galaxy splashed across the sky. A few shooting stars race through the sky burning up as they enter our atmosphere. I find a place to stop and just look up at the night sky. “What am I doing?”, I ask as to also imply the question where am I headed? “Are You there God? What did I miss today? Was my day, my existence here on earth today, simply wasted?” I peer into the night sky wondering. I think of how fast the earth rotates yet as I lay here on this concrete construction road block it looks completely motionless but I know otherwise. The cool crisp light breeze and occasional mosquito, aside from the hum of the rigs in the distance and the inevitable work being done there, seem to be all that’s moving. It’s peaceful and perplexing. So much stillness yet I know that the world is happening at an astounding rate and God is still moving with or without me. The question I ask then is did I join Him in some way? Did I walk with Him, pray for His people, miss opportunities to be love, light, grace, mercy, truth, peace, to someone? How does He care for me? Why does He despite our neglect?

God is all powerful, all knowing, gracious, just, righteous, Yahweh, the Creator…I wonder if we in our finite minds just believe that we are the only ones God created? I mean there are galaxies upon galaxies that go beyond where we can see. Would it be beyond God or like God to have us think we are the only ones and yet there are others? Other solar systems that work like ours and people who think they are the only ones that exist and have yet to discover anyone else or would He just out of sheer greatness continue to push and expand the vastness of His creation and watch man try to put it in to an algebraic equation for life? He continues to say I can’t be measured. I have no end but keep seeking it and all you’ll continue to find is Me. Keep seeking you’ll find Me. The day wasted? I’m still here. Keep seeking and you’ll find Me. Wonder what to do? Keep seeking Me. Come join Me. I’m still here. Obedience is what I want not sacrifice. If sacrifice is required then ok but I want obedience no matter what.

James 4:8 “Come near to God and He will come near to you.”

Until Dukey Drops Again….Much Love….

Days off & Paintball

Whewwwwww...last time I posted I was getting ready to do some work and work we did. Twelve days later I'm so ready for a day off after doing 12-14hr shifts of some pretty physical work that should have me in pretty decent shape in a little while. My body hadn't really recovered from the daily work out of which I wasn't really used to and I picked up a sinus infection of some sort. Good times. I think a little rest and I'll be over it though. My body just has to adjust to the routine a bit. I think I go back to work Wednesday.
So mom is away in Texas for a Mary Kay seminar, of which she is being presented with keys to her new Pontiac G6, so I decided to come visit dad. Today after church we went and played some paintball with several of the guys from church. It was my first time to play. I've wanted to many many times and finally we did. So the pics included were after the battles. This nice jewel on my neck happened after my dad and I who were on opposite teams both got hit. We stood up and were talking to each other in the paintball arena and POP! POP! My dad gets hit in the back and I get hit in the neck. One of the guys on his team(John age: 10 or 11) shot him and shot me in the neck from about 15ft away. He claims he was trying to shoot me because he didn't know if I was out. I don't know but not very often do you have guys on opposing teams just havin' a chat in the middle of a paintball match. Sorry not buyin' it. He saw bodies and shot 'em. He was craving some action and I'll have to be honest it took a little self restraint to not give him some of that action he might have been craving. I just don't think he would have enjoyed it. So I have the wound to prove it. Some how I also got hit in the left thigh 3 times all within 1inch of each other...really how does that happen? It made a rather large welt.
It doesn't hurt enough I won't do it again... =)




Was readin' the other day...Daniel 7 & 8...actually heard someone on the radio reading it then I went and read it a few times. Wondered what it would be like to have a dream like that and what I would do with it? Prayer, don't know what else. Talk with some other wise believers. Thats all I've got...check it out if you get a minute.



Kill Count:

Mice - 12

11yr old kid named John - almost 1 =) haha!


Well thats all for now...Until Dukey Drops Again...Much Love...

Do Work Son

Well the Mesa is finally opening. For those you who don't have a clue what that means...I didn't before I moved up here...it just means we can go to work...serious like. Instead of a job here or a job there. Most of our work is in the area called the Mesa and its been closed for a while. Its only open until sometime in November and we have 25-30% more hole to do this year in a shorter "drilling season" should be fun. We have 86 holes to drill. So its time to "Do Work Son!"
I did get my CDL permit today to drive the trucks. A little practice and I go take the skills test and I will be official...and get paid better. So thats good too.
Well off to pack my lunch and get some sleep.
Until Duke Drops Again....Much Love....

Wind River Mountians: Cirque of the Towers

On Saturday I went out for a day hike...my goal was Jackass Pass to get a look at Cirque of the Towers. It was 10mi in and 10 mi out obviously for those of you mathematically adept making it a 20mi hike from the trail head. =) 20miles in Kansas in less than 9 hours...please. NEWSFLASH this ain't Kansas. So I was gonna give it a shot and see how far I could make it before dark. I didn't know which would get me first the dark or the pain. I was up for the challenge to see what would happen. I arrived at the trail head at 11:45am and was cruisin' out at 8:15pm(gets dark around 9:30-10 here). Granted I was glad to be at the trail head because make no mistake I was in a little pain as you can see from the pics it was worth it. I wish I had more time to spend there than just a day but I'll be back. I'll try to put more of the pics on here when I get a chance but here are a few. Also I will have as many as I can on facebook in the next few days if you visit there. Anyway enjoy the beauty....I know they're small...not sure if I like 'em that way...if you click on them they'll enlarge....again enjoy.....

(#1)Temple and Haystack mountains (#2)Sundance and Warbonnet peaks
(#3) Arrowhead lake in the foreground, LtoR Temple, East Temple, Steeple & ???


(#1) Cirque of the Towers (#2) Cirque of the Towers & me (#3) Big Sandy River & peaks in the back


(#2) Big Sandy Lake & Temple mtn

(#1) Haystack mtn (#2) Big Sandy Lake






Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love........

Living Dangerously..."Halal"

I was in Pinedale yesterday and I saw some little league baseball games going on so I stopped to watch. I quickly flashed back to when I played as a little guy. The object of the game was simple hit the ball and run or if you’re on defense catch it if the ball is hit and get the batter/baserunner out. To hit a home run was the ultimate glorious moment all of us dreamed about and when it happened life was as good as it could get. We ran the bases like there was no tomorrow. We’d swing the bat like we were going to hit the ball into tomorrow. Giving our all to win. To be victorious.

I remember the freedom and fun I had playing T-ball with my cousin Tyler. Our team was called the Tigers. We had orange shirts with black lettering and numbers. We’d play our hearts out and celebrate with victory like we won the world series or sob with the agony of defeat like we had just lost it…and then we would go to Dairy Queen or The Cardinal Drive-In and get some delicious ice cream and all would be right with the universe because that’s what you did after a baseball game. Then next week would do it all over again. Of course we would make sure we didn’t go to the pool on game days because as our parents and grandparents told us we would be tired and wouldn’t play well. It was simple. It was fun.

As I read the devotional (sitting on the log to the left in the pic with my feet in the river...a spot I may visit again if the log is still there)I was doing today these thoughts and memories were revisited as it talked about living dangerously. It said, In Dangerous Wonder, Michael Yaconelli writes, “Remember the thrill of thinking you could fly, the adventure of going places in your imagination, the joy and abandon of running and jumping and playing hard-without worrying about what might happen?”

Some of us remember what its like to be a child. Fearless wonder-some call it innocence. It’s the discovery of something new, the abandonment of our whole selves to living life. Somewhere along the path to adulthood, things change. We’re taught to “grow up.” Some behaviors just aren’t acceptable when you get older.

Stop crying. Quit goofing off. You’re laughing too loud. Sit still. Emotions are considered foolishness, and before you know it, we become the adult who doesn’t display passion about anything. We are lost.

I think we sell out with this dignified behavior. I think we miss the God-intended joy of living life.

One of the Hebrew words for praise is halal. It means to celebrate, to rave, and to act foolishly. Foolish actions are acceptable to God. He loves them; they’re heartfelt.

Life is meant to be enjoyed.

Read 2 Sam 6:12-15 This week lose a little dignity. Get lost in the moment without worry what other people think.

I loved it. I caught myself this week actually doing this. I was up in the Wind River Mountains running around taking pictures…literally running around. A guy on a motorcycle came over the hill and I stopped and acted like I was just hangin’ out. And as I’m doing now I laughed and thought what was I doing.

Why did I stop? Who cares. For a moment I was that little kid getting the picture of the lake, the eagle, the butterfly, the mountains and then for a moment that motorcycle made me think…I may look foolish. So I stopped. So what. I want people to know that I love my life and live it with passion. How boring is life if you don't enjoy it? I want to live life and enjoy every moment of it...even if I look foolish.

Kill count:

Mice-9(in my cabin)

Ground Squirell-1( death by vehicle)

Fish-0

Pronghorn Antelope-0 (1close call by vehicle with a mama and 2 little ones…not the way I want to do it)

This guy(Pronghorn Antelope) was in my "front yard" and stopped to pose for a pic(rarely do they stop) not 70yds from my house.















RANDOM WEBSITE: The Orion Project...if you haven't heard of it you should check it out. Its quite interesting. It deals with our energy sources and poses intriguing questions about our current ones.
http://www.theorionproject.org/en/


Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love.....

28hrs in a Day?

How many hours in a day are there? 24 you say. Most everyone would agree. This last week while I was in New Mexico there was someone who disagreed. We were drilling a water well for Shell this last 10 or 12 days and one of those days we crammed 28hours into 24. It was crazy. In the last 3 weeks I've been working there I've put in about 225hrs. Many nights I go to bed and sleep well. I'm tired but wow it is a very different tired than when I worked at TMP as the Dorm Coordinator for the boys dorm this last year. I feel really different. Its a good tired...maybe exhausted physically so I sleep well but I get up and go again. I'm not tired and draggin' like I found myself working at TMP. Some of it too is just adjusting to the work so its still fresh. I'm sure as the winter approaches and temperatures fall into the teens life on the drilling rig will be a little different...less sunshine. =p For now its been beautiful.
To work though has been a blessing. There have been some guys sitting at home waiting for work...kind of like I'm doing now but I'm sure I'll be back at it soon enough. I need to work on getting my CDL while I'm not out on the rig or somewhere else. We are supposed to be turned out to go crazy around July 15th as the big gas field that we will do a lot of drilling in is closed by the EPA and BLM. So now a little rest...pay bills...fun stuff like that. May have to run up to the Wind Rivers and mess around. I'll take my camera so I'll share a little of them on here.

RANDOM QUESTION: If you could open up a restaurant what would it be called and what kind of food would you serve?

Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love.......

Burdening questions...

You ever wonder why? Wonder why it is that somethings are the way they are? Wonder why it is that God has given you what you have or placed you where you are in the company of the people you are with or allows you to see or experience the things you have? I think about these things sometimes.
These questions or similar ones I danced with once again a week or two ago. I was watching a movie documentary called "The Devil on Horseback". It is a violent story that saddens me for several reasons. Watch it and you will see why. I see the injustices and ask myself why suffering people have to suffer more. Its not right. Its not fair. Then to see people don't care. People who have the power to change things. The power to give the voiceless a voice and to draw attention to things that are not right and unethical.
Why does my heart break for single mothers who struggle to survive and meet her needs and the needs of her child with a food stamps as she tries to go to college? Why do the things of this world that seem impossible become the ones that burden my heart? The war on people groups based on ethnicity to cleanse the "lesser" people. And because these people or places don't have untapped raw capital of limited natural resources, fossil fuels or a growing economic base we look the other way and say that is too bad and we move on with our lives like we don't care.
Why do the weak or poor get kicked by the healthy and rich? Our selfishness and our pride will not let us say we are wrong and go against what we see. That then would make us look weak and we don't want to be like those that are perceived to be below us.
Does someone have to be a Christian if I am a Christian to help them? What if the person is Muslim or Hindu believing? Does that change my actions? It shouldn't. Is my effort to help someone or pray for someone less because they they haven't showered/bathed and stink? How about if they are Mexican, Iraqi, Black or Indian? Often times we feel comfortable taking care of our own, those we know and are comfortable with but is that the love we are taught by Christ to show? I don't think so.
Psalms 11:7 For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.
Matthew 22:36-38"Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?" Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment."

So why is my heart burdened with these things and thoughts? To remind me? To help open my eyes? To help others eyes to be opened to their actions? I don't know but injustice is heavy. A burden the whole world, the wealthy world with opportunity needs to quit ignoring. My question is what will it take for the world to not just notice but to act? How many people have to be burned, shot, raped, murdered, starved or eliminated for senseless reasons? How many...

Until Dukey Drops Again.....Much Love........

Dirt and Dust

Its hot here or has been in the Santa Rosa area, about 2 hrs east of Albaquerque. Of course today we're not doing much. I'm not sure whats going on currently, like there is a code of secrecy but I know whats happened the last few days. We got out to the site north of Cuervo(means "crow"), NM in the red dirt, cactus and warm wind and started drilling. The first 30 feet we drilled was so messy. Dirt flying everywhere. Everything on me had a red dirt tint. We dug the first 30 feet to put the casing pipe in then we could begin to use pressure to blow out the dirt deeper in the ground with water and 350 pounds per sq inch of air pressure. We got to about 500 feet and the bit got plugged so we pulled all the drill pipe and cleaned the bit. The ground is hard here so its moving a bit slowly...even more slowly when I'm sitting at the computer updating this and not working. Overall I've found the first drilling interesting. You have to watch yourself and others at all times but it is interesting work.
Today...umm...well I guess we might not be working. I really don't know. Thats the code of secrecy I was talking about. Don't know why or when or if. Ask my boss you say...well I would but I don't know where he is/was. So for now I guess we may not be working today and I don't think we will work on Sunday. According to the little bit of nothing that I know I could very well be completely wrong. HA! So for now I'm not getting dirty but am collecting dust sitting around. I'm sure we'll find something just not sure what. Maybe we can run to Albaquerque?
I have really enjoyed working with Alberto and Tavo. They are fun guys. Both in their mid-upper thirties and are from Mexico. Tavo is single with a daughter(lives with mother) ad Alberto is married and has a couple kids. Tavo doesn't speak much english but still manages to make me laugh no less than Alberto. They're characters. They're good guys. Fun to work with.
We talk about languages...I'm currently teaching Alberto a little swahili and he teaches me spanish. Tavo is always saying "Don Chakaron"...ALWAYS! He sometimes is like a parrot...Don Chakaron...Don Chakaron...It never fails to make me laugh. I wish I could explain the story behind Don Chakaron.
We talk about imigration, Africa, where they are from in Mexico, food, what we don't know about work, our plans for the near future(2 or 3yrs), family, some about beliefs, weather, sports with Tavo, and you know a little this and that. Good times. I really hope to continue to get to know them better. Tavo is a good cook I guess and maybe soemtime next week he offered to cook when we get back to Pinedale. Sounds like a good time.
Well gotta run...boss just showed up.
Until Dukey Drops Again......Much Love........

Rough landing

We arrived in Santa Rosa, NM tonight around 8pm(MDT). It was a interesting trip. We took the company plane from Pinedale, WY on a stormy cloudy day and flew to Hanksville, UT to pick up one of our guys. The Hanksville airport is something out of a crazy murder movie. Its desert. Hot. Desolate. There is one plane off to the side of the long wide scorching hot black top runway. No buildings but an old adobe outhouse and some antennas for air traffic. I was told half the lights on the runway don't work at night. I don't know just sounded like a murder plot where no one would hear you scream or find the body. Ha!
I rode co-pilot on the 10 passenger plane to Hanksville but gave up my seat after the turbulence and activity of the small plane had me using the barf bag. Just for good measure I had to do it again a few minutes after we got off the ground from Hanksville. Not my idea of a good trip but thank God we made safely.
After a quick stop in Farmington, NM for fuel we landed in Santa Rosa. Tomorrow we go out to the drill site and get to work.
Until Dukey Drops Again....Much Love......

Vamanos...to NM

Well about 11am this morning(not long ago) I got a call and I'm to meet at the Pinedale airport at 2pm. It looks like that quick I'm headed to New Mexico for work. Where? I have no clue. New Mexico I guess. =) I've been working here for about a 10 or 12 days and minimal information seems to be the norm. Its nuts. How long? Maybe a week...but honestly don't know. I hear its hot down there. Its been warm here but not hot. Maybe 85ish...betting 100 is more like it down there.
Last night I got to my place at 12:30am...after midnight. We put in 17hrs I think. I went with some guys and we drilled a hole not too far from where I live...on an area called Warbonnet. Anyway that was interesting. A virgin drilling experience. I still don't have a clue REALLY of whats going on but I'll catch on. I spent the majority of the time moving dirt with the Backhoe/Forklift/Tractor away from the drilling rig we were using called the Rat-hole.
I'd better go pack....I'll update my War, Solitude, Pink post later...I obviously didn't finish it.

Until Dukey Drops Again...........Much Love.....

War, Solitude and Pink

I'll deal with the first topic...War. I've officially declared war on my own household and the mice that are attempting to occupy it. I noticed there was a problem...well knew there was but noticed the degree of the problem one evening when I got out of the shower and there was a mouse running across the floor toward the small hole in the wall behind the toilet. I bought some mouse traps and in 36 hours I have now caught 6 mice in the traps designed just for them. I caught 4 the first night alone. Sorry I have no pics of the slain and fallen mice. I'm not fond of the diseased little critters that the deaf cat who supposedly knows sign language is failing to catch and consume.
Pink: For those who enjoy the color pink there have been several pink sunsets lately. One of them pictured here where the mountains were turned pink due to the sunset being reflected off the snow and the storm hanging over. Made a really pretty sunset even for a non-pink fan. =) Here is also another sunset pic that I took recent that was rather colorful. The water from the river running high because of melting snow make for a nice mirror. Just enjoying and sharing the beautiful creation.
Solitude: Something I have much of right now and I find it can be peaceful, relaxing, refreshing, lonely at times, beautiful and reflective. I've enjoyed some very nice bike rides out here. Out here with the Pronghorn Antelope and cattle. Well lets not for get the mice. But their not really in that refreshing and tranquil category. The thing I like about solitude is often times you can find yourself looking around and the bigness of God and creation. It can be stunning and overwhelming yet energizing and brilliant. I drove northwest of Pinedale the other day and got to see the Wind River Mountains up close. Majestic solitude. I wish I had my camera. Silver and blue mountain lakes and snow covered peaks mixed with fresh greens of spring busting out of the ground and covering the aspens with color.
Well I must go...
Until Dukey Drops Again........Much Love......