About three weeks ago, I was at work and it just so happened that I wore my Old Boots that day. I normally wear my tennis shoes because of having to be on my feet for 12 hours, it's just more comfortable; however, on this day, I wore my boots. A co-worker noticed them and said to me, "I think it's about time to retire those Old Boots." The statement resulted in a modest chuckle from both of us, and I replied, "I suppose they have seen their better days."
This morning I got up a little later than normal, around 6:30 AM. I went down stairs and it was pretty cool down there. We have tile floors and the ceramic, well.... it was more than just a little cool, it was freezing. I hurriedly grabbed my Old Boots and made my way over to "my chair" where I took my place and, one at a time, I placed a sock on each foot. As I picked up my first boot, I saw, for the first time, just how worn they really were. I realized that though my co-worker was the first to have said something about my boots, many before him must have noticed them. I am sure that he won't be the last to say something, if I don't replace them soon. I thought, man, I have several other pair of shoes and boots, I wonder why I don't wear one of those pair instead? I looked at them closely, I mean that literally. I picked them up and brought them close to my face and looked at the paint, the scuffs and scratches, the horse manure on the bottom and the sides and the oil soaked spots. My mind began to drift back to an earlier day.
I bought these boots when we lived in Austin before we bought our home here in the country. My boys were much younger then and because we lived in the city and in a house that we didn't own, they didn't get many opportunities to do a lot of the things that I believe every boy should know a little about. It wouldn't hurt the girls to pick up some basic knowledge and skills too. Just as it would serve the boys well to know how to peel a potato and soap up a pair of jeans and a shirt. Another topic entirely! Anyway, we soon moved out to where we now live and we began to do some things together that I have and will cherish until my dying day.
As I closely observed my boots and looked at the paint on them, I remembered the large building out back that my boys and I built. A building that came out pretty well and will stand sturdy for years to come. The oil on my Old Boots reminded me of the work that we have done together on our vehicles, changing the brakes and replacing hoses, belts and batteries, dropping the gas tank and replacing fuel lines, electric components and brake callipers. My youngest son changed out the alternator on our truck by himself, here about a year ago. He was proud, but not near as proud as I was of him for doing it. I looked at all of the scuffs and cuts on my Old Boots and reviewed in my mind the fences we've built, the water lines and electric lines we've laid and all of the trees that we have cut down, the shrubs we have pulled up and replanted, the ground that we have tilled up and then placed new seed into the broken earth. I thought of the barn we built and the sunburn I got while we did it. I considered all of the small things we have built together in our shop. I thought of how they have learned to use the various tools that we have and how they have learned to improvise when we didn't exactly have the "right" tool for the job. I looked at the manure on the bottom of my boots and pondered the first time I watched my young son ride this huge 1200 lbs. Christmas gift they had received from their Granny and Poppa. I have seen him ride through the years and I realize just how comfortable he now is in doing that. (Thanks Granny Helton for the gift. It was just what Seth needed while discovering himself.)
The old boots reminded me of a poem my oldest son recited in kindergarten, "I want to wear my father's shoes." I am proud of the fact that this is the one pair of shoes my sons and I wore together!
Yeah they are worn, but they are worn with love and wonderful memories! I suppose I will retire them soon, but it will be with great reluctance and somewhat of a sorrowful heart, when I set them aside.
I am excited though! I know with a new pair of boots there is an arena to be built and we are planning on fencing our entire property with wood rail fencing. I can't wait! The new memories we will build with a new pair of boots.
Thursday, December 14, 2006
Tuesday, December 12, 2006
Today. Hmmmmm What about it?
If only I set my mind on task, think of all the things in life I could accomplish. Continuing fervently in my efforts, I remain relentless while reaching for the goal until it is realized by the reward of my grasp.
I have read the stories of many great men, and the one thing they all have in common is determination! Their undying determination to do what they believe needs to be done. I am presently reading "Mighty Stonewall." By all accounts he was not a man apt to learning, but in spite of this, he was a graduate of West Point Academy and graduated number eleven overall.
Now you may think that being number eleven isn't all that great; but many times, success is not measured by the comparison of others to yourself, but rather the comparison of what you have done, in spite of the opposition and the obstacles that befall you. Stonewall Jackson. Stayed up past "lights out" EVERY NIGHT and burned the midnight oil going over and over the material of which he was given to study. Those, who were at West Point with him at the time, said he was the most determined man of his studies they had ever known. Jackson started way behind in his ranking of every subject he took; but by the end of his fourth year, he had moved to number eleven. His final ranking took into consideration his first years, of which he struggled tirelessly just to make the grade. Most people of that time were of the opinion if Jackson would have had two more years to attend West Point, he would have graduated with the number one ranking.
Jackson's motivating force????? Not to be number one, but rather personal achievement and to get the most from this educational opportunity; Jackson, not allowing himself to be detoured by his lack of natural ability, concluded West Point with extraordinary accomplishments. His ranking was just a side benefit of which his determination merited.
General Patton once said to a graduating class, of a school in which I cannot remember the name, "Never, never, never, never give up!"
If we could speak with these great men today, I am sure they would tell us, having goals are a necessity, but achieving those goals are accomplished on a day-to-day basis. Never quiting or never giving up isn't done over a period of a year or two, but rather, doing all you can today and starting tomorrow with the determination of doing what you can today in order to accomplish your life's goals.
Today......what about it? What will you do? Will you stay the course in spite of the narrow road ahead that may lead to the destination of your ambitions or will you quit and hope that tomorrow will reveal an interstate of luxurious travel to the same destination. If you choose the latter, I am afraid that you will find yourself unable to move out of the state of which you are in, for the road ahead is the road you must travel to find your way.
I have read the stories of many great men, and the one thing they all have in common is determination! Their undying determination to do what they believe needs to be done. I am presently reading "Mighty Stonewall." By all accounts he was not a man apt to learning, but in spite of this, he was a graduate of West Point Academy and graduated number eleven overall.
Now you may think that being number eleven isn't all that great; but many times, success is not measured by the comparison of others to yourself, but rather the comparison of what you have done, in spite of the opposition and the obstacles that befall you. Stonewall Jackson. Stayed up past "lights out" EVERY NIGHT and burned the midnight oil going over and over the material of which he was given to study. Those, who were at West Point with him at the time, said he was the most determined man of his studies they had ever known. Jackson started way behind in his ranking of every subject he took; but by the end of his fourth year, he had moved to number eleven. His final ranking took into consideration his first years, of which he struggled tirelessly just to make the grade. Most people of that time were of the opinion if Jackson would have had two more years to attend West Point, he would have graduated with the number one ranking.
Jackson's motivating force????? Not to be number one, but rather personal achievement and to get the most from this educational opportunity; Jackson, not allowing himself to be detoured by his lack of natural ability, concluded West Point with extraordinary accomplishments. His ranking was just a side benefit of which his determination merited.
General Patton once said to a graduating class, of a school in which I cannot remember the name, "Never, never, never, never give up!"
If we could speak with these great men today, I am sure they would tell us, having goals are a necessity, but achieving those goals are accomplished on a day-to-day basis. Never quiting or never giving up isn't done over a period of a year or two, but rather, doing all you can today and starting tomorrow with the determination of doing what you can today in order to accomplish your life's goals.
Today......what about it? What will you do? Will you stay the course in spite of the narrow road ahead that may lead to the destination of your ambitions or will you quit and hope that tomorrow will reveal an interstate of luxurious travel to the same destination. If you choose the latter, I am afraid that you will find yourself unable to move out of the state of which you are in, for the road ahead is the road you must travel to find your way.
Monday, December 11, 2006
My big announcement!!!
Tina and I have been talking about this for awhile and I have now decided. Starting in the fall of 2007, I will be cutting the hours back at my job to only Saturday and Sunday; so, I can attend Texas A&M University to get my degree in Engineering. It makes me a little nervous but I believe it will be a good direction for my life, even at my age. Actually, I will be going to Blinn Jr. College in Bryan for as long as I can and then transfer to A&M. I want to do this in 4 years on schedule. There are many concerns that we have in undertaking this but we will have to work them out as they come. I would appreciate your prayers in this matter. I will continue to learn the machinist trade and then hopefully find a job in which both skills can be utilized after graduation. Tina is very glad I am doing doing this. She has wanted me to go back to school for some time now. She believes it is a waste for me not to use such magnificent intelligence. :) I guess I will do my best. I am really looking forward to it, that you can absolutely believe!!!! I love you all very much and appreciate each and every one of you as a unique and vital part of my family! Thanks for reading this. This is the only place I have made this announcement; so, if your reading it, you are getting it from the horses mouth.
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