Monday, December 21, 2015

You have a problem

Well we all do. In fact Jesus said, "You will have troubles."
So as my Pastor once said. "Let me give you a seven day forecast."
"Trouble, trouble, trouble, trouble trouble, trouble, trouble."

I have some good news for you.

I can also tell you what you do for a living,

That is because we are all problem solvers.

The human race has become what it is by overcoming and solving, Yes thats right, PROBLEMS.

Can't find a job,? Well no one whats to give you a job. What they do want is someone that can solve their problem, or even better problems.

I had an HR director call me into the office once and ask me what I did at their company. I told her I solved problems. She asked me which one's I told her to ask the President of the company. She said she had. "What was his response" I asked?
She said he had told her he was unsure what exactly I did but whenever I worked there no one else had to work as hard. I was freelance and would work on and off a few months a year for about 6 years.
It really bugged her because there was no place to categorize me. So to solve her problem I quit. I was told later they had hired 5 different people to replace me before they finally fired her. Lol

Now think about this. Our species has very little hair for the elements. We have small teeth, We are not the best climbers or even close to the fastest runners, or the strongest. So how did we survive? We solved problems.
Have a problem. Well that's great. Just think about 10 years ago. You had one then also. You solved that one and you will solve this one also.

My son Lance told me once his view on suicide. "Suicide." he said, "doesn't solve your problems it just guarantees that your problems won't be solved, while giving greater problems to the ones you think won't miss you."

Thats why people say its selfish.

So next time you are faced with a problem, smile and realize that you where created, evolved, trained, bred, or became self aware to solve it.

If your problems are really overwhelming I have 3 things to do.


  1. Pray. I know you know God already knows your life and problems but sometime our greatest problems are just not talking enough to Him. 
  2. Meditate. If prayer is us talking to God meditation is him talking back. So sometimes it is a good idea to just shut up and listen. What if God doesn't speak back?
    1. Read His word. For 4000 years people have been solving their problems by going to the Bible. It just may work for you
    2. Listen to others. God will speak through others and they might not even know it. Maybe even through this blog. One can only hope.
    3.  A still small voice, Pray for discernment. You will hear 3 voices in your head, Your, Gods, and Satans, A test I have always used is to go back to the Bible. If you get a scripture number look it up. Why do I believe it is God speaking? First I don't know the Bible well enough to quote it and Satan will never, ever, use it. So if you get a verse in your head and look it up and it seems to have been written for your specific situation. That's God and it was...
  3. Do something. You cannot steer a parked car, boat, or life. Do something. Fail forward. Fail often, but definitely do something. I have to admit I believe more in blessings than I do in luck but I have seen to many miracles to think that it is just coincidence. One thing they all have in common. They happened while someone was doing something else. Key word, Doing.


Well that takes care of the problem I had today. What to Blog about.

Merry Christmas.  -Art


Friday, December 18, 2015

Yeah, that's something I probably would still do.

A few years ago I was working as a stagehand at what is now Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. One of the shows coming through was the American Idol Tour. After a few hours they gave us a break or it may have been that I came back to run spot or backline for the show call, anyway we went into catering and fixed dinner. This year they had two lines one for vegetarians and a normal one. I think it was because Sanjaya Malakar, Jordan Sparks and Melinda Doolittle were all vegetarians.

I got into line and noticed I was standing behind Jordan and Melinda. They were chatting.

Melinda turns to me and say "Oh hey, How are you doing?"

I replied. "Great, Thank you."

She then asked If I was still working at Belmont.

Strange question. I told her that Yes I still worked out there occasionally, but I work everywhere.

Then I asked "Melinda, Do I know you?"

She laughed and said I must not have remembered her and it had been a few years. We had met at a Mercy Me concert held at the Belmont Gym. I had walked outside for some reason and found her and a friend of hers by the stage door. She had been the Mascot for the Belmont teams and didn't have tickets to get into the show. She was hoping to meet the band and maybe get a autograph on their way to their bus. She said I walked both of them in and introduced them to the singer, Bart Millard, and the lead guitar, Barry Graul, players in Mercy Me. Both of which I had known for a while. She said I had made such a great impression on her because of my "this is just a normal thing to do" attitude. She was totally blown away because it was her first real backstage experience. She was trying to be so cool and we were all so nice. Not what she had expected us to be.
Now I laughed. I told her I was sorry because I didn't remember doing that at all, but Bart and Berry were friends and after all, that is something I would have totally done.

I forget that mine is a world of wonder to those on the other side of the barricade.

It also always amazes me how a simple kindness is returned and remembered.

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Love your Neighbor

Jesus said to Love your Neighbor. 

Practical app: 

So if you go to your neighbors house because they have a 6 month old and offer to babysit so they can have a much needed date night and you see pipe bombs, dozens of assault riffles, and thousands of round of Ammo. You might want to alert the authorities. Not because you're "terrified" but because you love the neighbors on the other side too. BTW offering to babysit is just one of dozens of things you can do to love your neighbors. I have always made it a task to know people on all sides of my house. Like 4-6 neighbors wide. When I see them working I always make it a point to find a way to help.

Love is also a action.  

Thursday, December 3, 2015

Here's a little something, something all terrorist should know.

I know you hear a lot about the terrible great power of the USA. I know we have this huge Armed Force that you think you are circumventing by going into safe and gun free zones and shooting innocent people. But you should know something about one of these people of the USA.

I for one was raised on Rambo, Terminator and Bruce Willis movies, I have watched my 18 year old countrymen storm the beaches of Normandy, and throw themselves on grenades to protect others. Heck I have even seen a 9 year old girl defend her family from dinosaurs.  

So before you leave your dirt road, broke ass truck, country where you eat skinny ass goats and nasty ass figs. By the way I have seen your women I know why you make them wear covers on their faces. Have you ever realized that the reason you have 70 virgins even after 1000 years in heaven is because you ARE dickless. That some of us American Infidels will not be running for a safe zone. We will be looking for something to clock your ass with, stab you in the eyes with, or just run over your ass in our well maintained SUV’s.


Just in case you haven’t realized this either. YOU ALWAYS DIE… You have a 0 percent survival rate. Welcome to the home of Toby Keith were we have a boot for your dumb uneducated cowardly ass!!! 

Oh and don't worry about finding me. There are 350,000,000 of us that will find you. Please notice 0% survival rate above.