After dinner was done and the kitchen was cleaned up, Ian finished the reading homework he had left, and then hurried down to the basement where Grandpa Bear was sure to be watching the World Series. Ian didn’t care too much for baseball, but Grandpa did, so he watched it too. That night the Cincinnati Reds won....they both looked at each other in disappointment. The Reds, in Grandpa’s stories, were always the bad guys—Grandpa was from Cleveland.
That night as Ian jumped in bed, Grandpa Bear decided he’d start a new story. This was big news because for the past year, his stories began sounding strangely familiar: There was a good guy, usually an Indian, and the bad guys, always the Reds; and after some intense battle, the Reds would all be killed and the good guy would win. Good story, but old. So Grandpa Bear got settled next to Ian and began weaving a tale that would have captivated Ian for hours....and it did, because he dreamed about it that night.
“Once upon a time,” began Grandpa, “in a land far, far away called Teague, there was a king. He was a good king, a powerful king, and a kind king. His name was King Byron. He ruled all the Land of Teague from its shore on Caspian Sea across the frosted mountains and beyond to the beautiful plains of Shiloh. He built a beautiful and breath-taking castle right on the edge of a cliff that overlooked some of the most fruitful and plenteous land ever created. His castle he named Haven, because he wanted it to be a restful and safe place away from the burdens and uncertainty of life. He built Haven Castle for his wife, Lady Tirsah. She was the most beautiful and most happy woman he’d ever seen. Her deep green eyes reminded him of the sea, the place he loved; and the tumbling locks of her rich brown hair reminded him of the wild beauty of a young colt. Her face was a portrait, each detail noticed and on purpose, yet added to the overall sense beauty. Her smile was a thousand blossoms of spring, and she was always smiling, so it was always springtime in the Land of Teague.
Monday, November 16, 2009
Friday, November 13, 2009
The Tales of Teague/Chapter 1
The Tales of Teague
Chapter 1
He didn’t have a choice. It was either now or never, and he didn’t see “never” working out so well. So the commander gave the order to his generals and the battle began. Snipers tucked away began to pick off the enemy Reds one by one while ground troops moved in to flank their army, unnoticed by their sleeping guards. The Reds outnumbered the Knights three to one, so a secretive, night attack held their only advantage. The Reds awoke to the violent thunderous roar of dozens of tanks battering their outer walls. The ground troops had by now successfully flanked them to the right and began the demolition mission: to kill everything that moved. The slumbering army of the Reds shook off their grogginess, rushed to grab their weapons, and head for the front lines. They’d left only a few dozen troops in the foxholes throughout the night, who, by now, were just trying to buy some time.
Commander Hampton, the commanding general of the Knights, thought to himself as he swiftly and stealthily moved his brigade behind enemy lines, “The Reds could have handily beaten the outnumbered Knights, but hadn’t anticipated an offensive attack. This was an epic battle. Whoever came out with the victory by morning would determine the fate of history. Would his Knights be able to pull it off? They had the advantage now, but could they stomp out the Reds before their full forces emerged from all corners of camp?” Only time knew...something they didn’t have much of.
“Ian! It’s time for dinner. Come inside and wash your filthy hands!”
His mom was leaning out of the back door on the porch, spoon in hand that was dripping with the chili she had just been stirring. Ian reluctantly got up, fixed one toy soldier, threw two more acorns into the sand box knocking over four or five more Reds, then brushed the sand off his corduroy pants. He’d worked hard on his set up this time. Every detail was perfect—the dug out sand bunkers, pennies used for the mine fields, acorns of course for bombs, and little twigs for barbed wire fencing around each commander’s headquarters.
Chapter 1
He didn’t have a choice. It was either now or never, and he didn’t see “never” working out so well. So the commander gave the order to his generals and the battle began. Snipers tucked away began to pick off the enemy Reds one by one while ground troops moved in to flank their army, unnoticed by their sleeping guards. The Reds outnumbered the Knights three to one, so a secretive, night attack held their only advantage. The Reds awoke to the violent thunderous roar of dozens of tanks battering their outer walls. The ground troops had by now successfully flanked them to the right and began the demolition mission: to kill everything that moved. The slumbering army of the Reds shook off their grogginess, rushed to grab their weapons, and head for the front lines. They’d left only a few dozen troops in the foxholes throughout the night, who, by now, were just trying to buy some time.
Commander Hampton, the commanding general of the Knights, thought to himself as he swiftly and stealthily moved his brigade behind enemy lines, “The Reds could have handily beaten the outnumbered Knights, but hadn’t anticipated an offensive attack. This was an epic battle. Whoever came out with the victory by morning would determine the fate of history. Would his Knights be able to pull it off? They had the advantage now, but could they stomp out the Reds before their full forces emerged from all corners of camp?” Only time knew...something they didn’t have much of.
“Ian! It’s time for dinner. Come inside and wash your filthy hands!”
His mom was leaning out of the back door on the porch, spoon in hand that was dripping with the chili she had just been stirring. Ian reluctantly got up, fixed one toy soldier, threw two more acorns into the sand box knocking over four or five more Reds, then brushed the sand off his corduroy pants. He’d worked hard on his set up this time. Every detail was perfect—the dug out sand bunkers, pennies used for the mine fields, acorns of course for bombs, and little twigs for barbed wire fencing around each commander’s headquarters.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Hang On
I'm working on something...don't worry...I haven't forgot about blogging. I'm having some technical difficulties. There will be a new post soon.
Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Take Time
Do you ever take the time to sit outside and enjoy nature? I'm talking about leaving everything aside but you and your Bible or a good book, and just go outside and be quiet? Do some reflecting, some worshipping, some praying, some dreaming, some observing....am I on another planet here? Because I'm sensing that none of you do--not on a regular basis anyway. Well I'm asking you to do that for yourself--daily. You have no idea how it revitalizes you, clears all the fogginess and cloudiness out of your head, and refreshens the soul. You never know how God might speak to you in that moment about Himself, about you, or about His creation. As one of my friends puts it: find a sanctuary where you get away and alone. For me, it's definitely outside. Whether you go on a walk, or just sit still--it really doesn't matter, just make the time for this. It will make all the difference in your day because your attitude about life is so much better. I think Americans get all too busy with things and stuff and schedules....life. Where's your down time? Where's your refocusing time? Believe me, you won't find a scheduled slot for it...you'll have to make some room for. No wonder people run around half crazy, so confused and unsatisfied with their lives. Their not taking any time to hear from God! No time to be still and know that He IS God. I challenge you to take your life back and make the time to find your sanctuary.
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Why November is the Greatest Month
November is the greatest month of all in my opinion, and here are the reasons why:
1. The fall colors are brilliant. Leaves are everwhere. The air is fresh and crisp. The weather is gorgeous. November just puts you in that "warm and fuzzy" mood where you feel happy inside.
2. FOOTBALL! November is when things get interesting in football. Teams are in their final stretch of the schedule where it's usually "make it or break it" time. It's also time for three or four teams to emerge from the rest...other teams that are ranked too high usually get found out. Lots of points are scored, records are set, and upsets and underdogs shine.
3. Holidays are around the corner! November is usually full of anticipation and excitement for seeing family, vacations, good food, and lots of laughter. Energy is just kind of buzzing around, and everybody's catching this contagious bug for fun and light-hearted spirits. There's usually a tag football game in the park or around the corner in the street. The younger kids will be jumping into huge piles of leaves their dad just raked into a pile; then others will be cozied up to the fire, book in hand, lost in another world.
4. Thanksgiving! Ham, turkey, and all the trimmings just make my mouth water. All the aromas of pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, brocolli salad, and warm bread escape the busy kitchen and wander throughout the home. It's just time to forget about the rules and indulge a little bit. Appreciate the bountiful blessings of living in America!
Happy November to everyone!
1. The fall colors are brilliant. Leaves are everwhere. The air is fresh and crisp. The weather is gorgeous. November just puts you in that "warm and fuzzy" mood where you feel happy inside.
2. FOOTBALL! November is when things get interesting in football. Teams are in their final stretch of the schedule where it's usually "make it or break it" time. It's also time for three or four teams to emerge from the rest...other teams that are ranked too high usually get found out. Lots of points are scored, records are set, and upsets and underdogs shine.
3. Holidays are around the corner! November is usually full of anticipation and excitement for seeing family, vacations, good food, and lots of laughter. Energy is just kind of buzzing around, and everybody's catching this contagious bug for fun and light-hearted spirits. There's usually a tag football game in the park or around the corner in the street. The younger kids will be jumping into huge piles of leaves their dad just raked into a pile; then others will be cozied up to the fire, book in hand, lost in another world.
4. Thanksgiving! Ham, turkey, and all the trimmings just make my mouth water. All the aromas of pumpkin pie, cranberry sauce, homemade mashed potatoes and gravy, macaroni and cheese, brocolli salad, and warm bread escape the busy kitchen and wander throughout the home. It's just time to forget about the rules and indulge a little bit. Appreciate the bountiful blessings of living in America!
Happy November to everyone!
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