While I am not a fan of Woodrow Wilson, he occasionally said things that made sense. For instance, regarding the Framers of the Constitution, he said they were “a strong and intelligent class possessed of unity and informed by a conscious solidarity of interests.”
I am convinced that our Founding Fathers would be proud of us today. We, the dedicated Constitutionalists, are strong, intelligent and informed. Furthermore, we possess unity and solidarity of interests. We who believe in full restoration of the Constitution are on the right track.
For a moment let’s back up so we can see the forest rather than just a few trees. While there are many answers to the question, “How did we get here?” there is one answer that appears to have been overlooked or at least not discussed regularly. That is our educational system.
I started my public education in 1969 as a first grader at Pershing Elementary in Muskogee, Oklahoma. By the time I had graduated high school in 1981 the sum total of my Constitutional education was memorizing the preamble. Not once did we ‘crack the books’ on the Federalist Papers or Thomas Paine’s Common Sense and the Rights of Man. Again, learning the preamble was the extent of my Constitutional education.
George Washington said, “A primary object…should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important: And what duty more pressing…than communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country?”
Notice there is no implication from General Washington that our government has the responsibility or authority to educate our children. Currently the Education Department has about 5,000 employees with a budget of roughly $70,000,000,000. Since its inception under the Carter Administration in 1979 we have spent roughly $2,030,000,000,000!
Allow me to ‘think out loud’ for a moment. Do we really need to spend $2 Trillion dollars to educate out children? Do we really need 5,000 employees to tell us how and what to teach our children? Are we so incredibly stupid that we need the likes of ‘homosexual activist’ Kevin Jennings to help us in educating our youth? Are we aware that there are proposals being tossed around to start our children’s education at the age of 2? Are we aware of the Protecting Children in the 21st Century Act of 2008 and its requirement that schools teach children about cell phone usage even outside of school? At what point do parents say enough is enough? At what point do we take responsibility for ourselves and our children and say “I’ll teach that to my kid.”?
Having been a school board member for some time now, I can tell you it is the school board that is supposed to set policy for the school. I can also tell you that the school board’s hands are tied. The policies are mandated by the state and federal governments. Oh sure, we can set a policy that says something like, “Students shall not participate in an out of state trip without approval by the school board.” But, we cannot set policy on what our kids are taught. If the state declares that we teach “My Two Dads” then that is what will be taught!
Now, let’s go back to restoring our Constitution. Those of us reading this today will not live long enough to see full restoration. Therefore, it is imperative that we teach our children, just as President Washington advised, in the science of government. Before you say, “but we do” take a look at what our current system has done for us.
If we are going to truly restore our Constitution and our Representative Republic we must educate and inspire our children to continue that mission after we are gone. The Constitution and our liberties were not lost overnight and they will not be regained overnight. Since our children and grandchildren will finish the job they must be trained so that once restored, the Constitution and its inherent liberty will be maintained.
These are exciting times. In our lifetimes we will see much life breathed back into the Constitution. We must inspire our children so that they choose to carry the torch of liberty rather than drift complacently into socialism. These are exciting times. In the years ahead we will see liberty flourish just as our Founding Fathers intended. We must get our children excited about the future…excited about carrying the torch of liberty. This is the way we win!
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit my website at www.thompson4ok.com.
Thursday, April 1, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
10 Questions – 10 Minutes
The Constitution, in Article 1, Section 2 (later amended by the 14th) is not necessarily chock full with directions for the census but it is not without enough clarity either. In short, the Constitution says that every 10 years we should have a headcount...nothing more, nothing less. It does not instruct us to determine anything other than how many people live in the land.
So, take a look at the 10 questions that will be asked on the census this year. Here is the link. http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php. Then ask yourself, “Is this in keeping with the Constitution and what our Founding Fathers had in mind?”
I will answer question 1 only. I hope you will join me.
As your Representative to Congress, I will stand firm against anything that is not consistent with the Constitution.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit my website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
So, take a look at the 10 questions that will be asked on the census this year. Here is the link. http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php. Then ask yourself, “Is this in keeping with the Constitution and what our Founding Fathers had in mind?”
I will answer question 1 only. I hope you will join me.
As your Representative to Congress, I will stand firm against anything that is not consistent with the Constitution.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit my website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Merry Christmas
Charles Thompson for Congress
www.ThompsonforOK2.com
December 23, 2009 Issue: 357/09
In the summer of 1776 our Founding Fathers had had enough. They signed the Declaration of Independence and the “fight was on.” Just as now, they could not foretell the future and therefore had no idea how long the fight would last.
In the days and weeks leading up to the Nation’s first Christmas, the Continental Army, under the command of General Washington was suffering greatly. The British had recently been successful in New York and New Jersey. The Continental Army, running short of food, ammunition, resupplies and reinforcements was also suffering from what can sometimes be the worst enemy…low morale.
General Washington and his subordinate Generals developed a plan to cross the Delaware River once again. But this time, rather than moving from the fight in order to regroup, they would be moving into the fight. Specifically, they would attack the German Hessians.
On Christmas Day 1776, the troops were assembled around the ferry landings and General Washington himself issued the password…Victory or Death! The rest is history. The Hessians were defeated, the Continental Army went on to defeat the greatest empire known to man and our infant Nation took its first steps into the vast expanse of Freedom.
No doubt, on that same day, those who were not directly involved in the fight tried in some way to celebrate the birth of Christ. But our ‘founding families’ did not have the option of forgetting the war. Daily they heard of farms being destroyed, homes being torched, fortunes being plundered.
Today we are in a similar situation. Our troops have been involved in the battle for some time and you can bet they will be crossing their own Delaware River on Christmas Day 2009. In contrast, those of us ‘back home’ do not see the suffering firsthand. We do not hear the ‘bombs bursting in air’. Therefore, we forget.
So, while I wish you a very merry Christmas, I also issue a challenge. A challenge to not forget. A challenge to remember what our Founding Fathers endured and why they endured it. A challenge to remember, even in the absence of the ‘bombs bursting in air’, what our troops are enduring today. I challenge you to remember Christ and pray His blessings upon our nation and our troops.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit the Charles Thompson for Congress website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
If you would like to be removed from this e-mail list simply reply with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
www.ThompsonforOK2.com
December 23, 2009 Issue: 357/09
In the summer of 1776 our Founding Fathers had had enough. They signed the Declaration of Independence and the “fight was on.” Just as now, they could not foretell the future and therefore had no idea how long the fight would last.
In the days and weeks leading up to the Nation’s first Christmas, the Continental Army, under the command of General Washington was suffering greatly. The British had recently been successful in New York and New Jersey. The Continental Army, running short of food, ammunition, resupplies and reinforcements was also suffering from what can sometimes be the worst enemy…low morale.
General Washington and his subordinate Generals developed a plan to cross the Delaware River once again. But this time, rather than moving from the fight in order to regroup, they would be moving into the fight. Specifically, they would attack the German Hessians.
On Christmas Day 1776, the troops were assembled around the ferry landings and General Washington himself issued the password…Victory or Death! The rest is history. The Hessians were defeated, the Continental Army went on to defeat the greatest empire known to man and our infant Nation took its first steps into the vast expanse of Freedom.
No doubt, on that same day, those who were not directly involved in the fight tried in some way to celebrate the birth of Christ. But our ‘founding families’ did not have the option of forgetting the war. Daily they heard of farms being destroyed, homes being torched, fortunes being plundered.
Today we are in a similar situation. Our troops have been involved in the battle for some time and you can bet they will be crossing their own Delaware River on Christmas Day 2009. In contrast, those of us ‘back home’ do not see the suffering firsthand. We do not hear the ‘bombs bursting in air’. Therefore, we forget.
So, while I wish you a very merry Christmas, I also issue a challenge. A challenge to not forget. A challenge to remember what our Founding Fathers endured and why they endured it. A challenge to remember, even in the absence of the ‘bombs bursting in air’, what our troops are enduring today. I challenge you to remember Christ and pray His blessings upon our nation and our troops.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit the Charles Thompson for Congress website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
If you would like to be removed from this e-mail list simply reply with "Unsubscribe" in the subject line.
Saturday, November 28, 2009
Three Pillars
For those who have not had the opportunity to hear me speak, I thought I would share my “Three Pillars Philosophy.” In my mind, I see the Constitution unfurled, standing on three pillars; the 1st, 2nd and 10th Amendments.
While all the amendments are important, I believe these are the most important. Consider the 3rd Amendment. Do we have problems with Soldiers quartering in our homes without our consent?
In contrast the 1st Amendment deals with issues that are important to us on a daily basis. Imagine what our lives would be like if the government forced you to attend only a Presbyterian service. What if you couldn’t attend any service at all? Think of the nightmare if the government controlled every aspect of the press, dictating what and when something could be printed. And, what if we could not assemble to exchange ideas, worship, or just to gripe about the government.
The 2nd Amendment is so superbly clear that it boggles the mind that anyone could argue with it. But, argue they do. In order to defend the 2nd Amendment let’s look at the history of some countries that have taken away the right for citizens to have firearms. In 1911 Turkey made gun ownership illegal. By 1917 over one and a half million Armenians were exterminated. In 1929 the Soviet Union established gun control. By 1953 approximately 20 million were cut off from their food supplies only to starve or be rounded up and exterminated. In total, since 1911, a conservative 53 million have been killed by governments.
When I read the 10th Amendment, I visualize the Constitution speaking. It is speaking very clearly and very loudly…”The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” So, if the Constitution does not clearly outline a power for the federal government and if it doesn’t forbid that power from going to the States or the people, then the States or the people get that power rather than the federal government.
Personally, everything is (and will be when I’m in Congress) judged based upon how it stacks up to the Constitution and the Three Pillars. Does a bill infringe on your right to own a gun? Does a bill intrude on how you choose to teach your children? Does a bill authorize the federal government to do something that is not specifically designated for the federal government? These are just a few examples of bills that would receive determined opposition rather than simply a ‘No’ vote.
Our Founding Fathers knew from recent, first-hand, experience that with government comes power and power, without a strong moral compass, brings corruption. The Founders placed restrictions on the federal government, in the form of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, to ensure liberty and freedom for the people.
In a focused effort to ensure your freedom, I will measure each bill against the standard our Founding Fathers established through the Constitution.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit my website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
While all the amendments are important, I believe these are the most important. Consider the 3rd Amendment. Do we have problems with Soldiers quartering in our homes without our consent?
In contrast the 1st Amendment deals with issues that are important to us on a daily basis. Imagine what our lives would be like if the government forced you to attend only a Presbyterian service. What if you couldn’t attend any service at all? Think of the nightmare if the government controlled every aspect of the press, dictating what and when something could be printed. And, what if we could not assemble to exchange ideas, worship, or just to gripe about the government.
The 2nd Amendment is so superbly clear that it boggles the mind that anyone could argue with it. But, argue they do. In order to defend the 2nd Amendment let’s look at the history of some countries that have taken away the right for citizens to have firearms. In 1911 Turkey made gun ownership illegal. By 1917 over one and a half million Armenians were exterminated. In 1929 the Soviet Union established gun control. By 1953 approximately 20 million were cut off from their food supplies only to starve or be rounded up and exterminated. In total, since 1911, a conservative 53 million have been killed by governments.
When I read the 10th Amendment, I visualize the Constitution speaking. It is speaking very clearly and very loudly…”The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” So, if the Constitution does not clearly outline a power for the federal government and if it doesn’t forbid that power from going to the States or the people, then the States or the people get that power rather than the federal government.
Personally, everything is (and will be when I’m in Congress) judged based upon how it stacks up to the Constitution and the Three Pillars. Does a bill infringe on your right to own a gun? Does a bill intrude on how you choose to teach your children? Does a bill authorize the federal government to do something that is not specifically designated for the federal government? These are just a few examples of bills that would receive determined opposition rather than simply a ‘No’ vote.
Our Founding Fathers knew from recent, first-hand, experience that with government comes power and power, without a strong moral compass, brings corruption. The Founders placed restrictions on the federal government, in the form of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights, to ensure liberty and freedom for the people.
In a focused effort to ensure your freedom, I will measure each bill against the standard our Founding Fathers established through the Constitution.
To learn more, volunteer or make an investment visit my website at www.ThompsonforOK2.com.
Media Inquiries should be addressed to Director of Public Relations at charles4congress@yahoo.com or P.O. Box 532, Hulbert, OK 74441
Saturday, November 21, 2009
Politically Incorrect
I really hate redundancy but something happened this week that has compelled me to write about ‘political correctness.’ Allow me to tell the story.
My boss is a great guy…one of those guys that you just can’t help but like. One of the things he likes to do is give away prizes during meetings. In this meeting we got a movie. He asks that everyone write down their name, favorite color, favorite movie, favorite book and the name of their most memorable pet. When he draws a name, he will read the attributes of the person without reading their name thus giving everyone a chance to guess who it might be.
This past week he drew my name. Now, I’m not one to watch a lot of movies but I’ve read a lot of books. Both extremes make it difficult to come up with a ‘favorite’ in either category. However, this past week I thought first about “The Patriot” as my favorite movie and “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam” as my favorite book. (I don’t do much pleasure reading.)
So, the drum roll began….”This person’s favorite color is red, his favorite movie is The Patriot and his favorite book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to……..uh……ok, here’s your movie Charles.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. The idea that we are so afraid that we can’t even say the word ‘Islam’ is simply astounding. Did my boss think he would get in trouble for simply reading what I wrote? How did we get to this point?
There is an old saying, “The hypocritical are usually hypercritical.” This applies to people that are guilty. The easiest example that I can come up with is a person who goes to church every Sunday but still engages in something that is clearly against the teachings of mainstream Christianity. We typically see the hypercritical side of this person when they ‘roast’ the pastor or deacons. So the person that is doing something wrong tries to point a finger of condemnation at someone else. Usually that someone else will not be living a hypocritical life.
Let’s now apply this to Islam. Certainly, Muslims are hypercritical of anything that is said about Islam. For instance, if you state a truth such as the Quran says to, “slay the idolaters wherever ye find them” (9:5) then Muslims get offended. Or at least they pretend to be offended, all for the purpose of showing your callousness and insensitivity. That’s the hypercritical part and the person who is on the outside looking in suddenly sees you as being intolerant.
In order to save our nation from Islamic infiltration we must be able to speak freely and without political correctness. I am not the first to say, that while political correctness did not cause the attack at Ft. Hood, political correctness did prohibit anyone from speaking freely about it (which may have prevented it), other than of course, Hasan himself.
It seems there are only two options. On the one hand, you can speak the truth without hesitation and be labeled as intolerant. On the other hand, you can speak with half truths and euphemisms, in other words you can be politically correct, and continue to propagate the problem. If you speak the truth about Islam you run the risk of being an outcast and not being taken seriously. If you don’t speak the truth about Islam then you are doing nothing to preserve the American way of life.
So, what do we do? I say, continue to learn and speak the truth. Period. Our nation is under attack and if we continue to allow Islam to infiltrate us, we will lose our freedoms in our old age and our children will lose their freedoms in what should be the prime of their lives. Our grandchildren will never know freedom. So speak the truth in boldness. Our survival depends on our combined efforts. Let’s continue to speak up with a united, conservative, American voice.
My boss is a great guy…one of those guys that you just can’t help but like. One of the things he likes to do is give away prizes during meetings. In this meeting we got a movie. He asks that everyone write down their name, favorite color, favorite movie, favorite book and the name of their most memorable pet. When he draws a name, he will read the attributes of the person without reading their name thus giving everyone a chance to guess who it might be.
This past week he drew my name. Now, I’m not one to watch a lot of movies but I’ve read a lot of books. Both extremes make it difficult to come up with a ‘favorite’ in either category. However, this past week I thought first about “The Patriot” as my favorite movie and “The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam” as my favorite book. (I don’t do much pleasure reading.)
So, the drum roll began….”This person’s favorite color is red, his favorite movie is The Patriot and his favorite book is The Politically Incorrect Guide to……..uh……ok, here’s your movie Charles.”
You could have knocked me over with a feather. The idea that we are so afraid that we can’t even say the word ‘Islam’ is simply astounding. Did my boss think he would get in trouble for simply reading what I wrote? How did we get to this point?
There is an old saying, “The hypocritical are usually hypercritical.” This applies to people that are guilty. The easiest example that I can come up with is a person who goes to church every Sunday but still engages in something that is clearly against the teachings of mainstream Christianity. We typically see the hypercritical side of this person when they ‘roast’ the pastor or deacons. So the person that is doing something wrong tries to point a finger of condemnation at someone else. Usually that someone else will not be living a hypocritical life.
Let’s now apply this to Islam. Certainly, Muslims are hypercritical of anything that is said about Islam. For instance, if you state a truth such as the Quran says to, “slay the idolaters wherever ye find them” (9:5) then Muslims get offended. Or at least they pretend to be offended, all for the purpose of showing your callousness and insensitivity. That’s the hypercritical part and the person who is on the outside looking in suddenly sees you as being intolerant.
In order to save our nation from Islamic infiltration we must be able to speak freely and without political correctness. I am not the first to say, that while political correctness did not cause the attack at Ft. Hood, political correctness did prohibit anyone from speaking freely about it (which may have prevented it), other than of course, Hasan himself.
It seems there are only two options. On the one hand, you can speak the truth without hesitation and be labeled as intolerant. On the other hand, you can speak with half truths and euphemisms, in other words you can be politically correct, and continue to propagate the problem. If you speak the truth about Islam you run the risk of being an outcast and not being taken seriously. If you don’t speak the truth about Islam then you are doing nothing to preserve the American way of life.
So, what do we do? I say, continue to learn and speak the truth. Period. Our nation is under attack and if we continue to allow Islam to infiltrate us, we will lose our freedoms in our old age and our children will lose their freedoms in what should be the prime of their lives. Our grandchildren will never know freedom. So speak the truth in boldness. Our survival depends on our combined efforts. Let’s continue to speak up with a united, conservative, American voice.
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
My First Hay Hook
When I was nine, we moved to a piece of property northeast of Fort Gibson, OK. From the blacktop road it was 3 and 3/10th miles north. It was all dirt road and it was rough. Many times the transmission would pop out of gear due to the excessive vibration. Our hay truck was a 2-ton Dodge. Although I don't remember what year it was I do remember that it was old. The transmission was a '4-in-the-floor'. As Dad would drive up this road it was my job to hold the stickshift in gear. As if my Dad couldn't have. :)
Springtime came along, I turned 10 and shortly afterward we started hauling hay. Back in those days there weren't any round bales so everyone hauled square bales. When we started hauling hay as a family we were so poor we couldn't have bought a low cut dress for a humming bird, but somehow my Dad bought two hay hooks. One for me and one for my adopted brother who was 9 months older. When your that age and you get a gift like a hay hook, you look it over for every detail. My brother and I could tell the difference between those two hay hooks at 20 paces.
We started hauling that summer without a loader, so my Mom would drive, my Dad would take the first row of hay on either side of the truck and my brother and I would drag the second and third rows to the side of the truck so Dad could throw them on the bed. After a few bales were thrown onto the bed, Mom would stop the truck and Dad would climb up and start stacking. My brother and I would keep dragging.
The dragging is the part I remember most. When we first started that summer I would sling that hay hook at the bale with all my might. If you have ever used a hay hook you know that this part doesn't require that much strength...it's finesse that counts. Just the same I would sling it with everything I had only to have it bounce off. It didn't take too many bales to get it figured out. With the hay hook buried firmly into the end of the bale, I would turn around backward, grab the hook with both hands and start dragging. As a 10 year old there were plenty of times I would have to stop about half way to the truck to catch my breath.
It must have been the third year we were hauling hay that my brother and I were strong enough to throw the hay onto the bed of the truck. That's when Mom would stay home and Dad would drive the truck. Each load, my brother and I would switch off. He would stack a load while I dragged the hay, the next load I would stack and he would drag. The next year we were doing the same thing only this time I had a hay hook in each hand and I could drag two bales to the side of the truck and throw them up to my brother...one at a time of course.
The next year we got a pop-up loader. It was heaven on earth. It actually made hauling hay fun.
The next year my father's health was declining rapidly. We had to sell the truck just to make ends meet. I knew how to do one thing well. Haul hay. I contacted Ed, a local that hauled hay for a living. I hired on with him and we got busy. We would haul several thousand bales each summer. I did this until I graduated high school. Between that and hunting and fishing I contributed significantly to the family's dinner table.
So, what about that hay hook? I never lost it. I never broke it. I can't say I know where it is today but for several years after leaving home, when I would visit, I would see it in the barn.
The day my Dad handed it to me he said, "Now, Son, take care of this and don't lose it."
So, in my retrospective manner, what can I learn from this? First, my father. He was a wise man. He didn't give me all sorts of directions on how not to lose it. He simply told me to 'don't lose it.' I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "The best leader will pick the right man for the job then leave him along long enough for him to get it done." My Dad must have understood the principle of not micromanaging even though he probably never read anything about Roosevelt. Or, maybe my Dad just knew me.
I also recognize that a quality tool doesn't necessarily have to be fancy. (Of course, how fancy can you get with a hay hook.) The point is, just because the tool has some fancy gadgetry attached to it doesn't make it a good tool. To this day, I shoot a single-shot rifle with iron sights and I've taken my share of deer with it.
But, the most important lesson to be learned with that hay hook was simply, "don't lose it." In other words, accountability. Don't lose it and keep it in good working order. My personal vehicle is a 1991 Chevy pickup that I bought while in college. I have been accountable regarding that pickup. I've kept it in good working order. "Old Blue" has over 200,000 miles now and still runs great. My wife drives a mini-van that is nearly 10 years old. Why? Because it's still in good working order.
Accountability can be applied to any number of areas in our lives. We can allow a friend to hold us accountable for some 'weakness'. We can be accountable to the company we work for, promising to take good care of the equipment that our boss entrusts to us. The list could go on and on. In the end, accountability is a good thing. It helps to keep us in check. It helps keep us in good working order. We all need that.
Ya' know what....I'm still proud of that hay hook.
Springtime came along, I turned 10 and shortly afterward we started hauling hay. Back in those days there weren't any round bales so everyone hauled square bales. When we started hauling hay as a family we were so poor we couldn't have bought a low cut dress for a humming bird, but somehow my Dad bought two hay hooks. One for me and one for my adopted brother who was 9 months older. When your that age and you get a gift like a hay hook, you look it over for every detail. My brother and I could tell the difference between those two hay hooks at 20 paces.
We started hauling that summer without a loader, so my Mom would drive, my Dad would take the first row of hay on either side of the truck and my brother and I would drag the second and third rows to the side of the truck so Dad could throw them on the bed. After a few bales were thrown onto the bed, Mom would stop the truck and Dad would climb up and start stacking. My brother and I would keep dragging.
The dragging is the part I remember most. When we first started that summer I would sling that hay hook at the bale with all my might. If you have ever used a hay hook you know that this part doesn't require that much strength...it's finesse that counts. Just the same I would sling it with everything I had only to have it bounce off. It didn't take too many bales to get it figured out. With the hay hook buried firmly into the end of the bale, I would turn around backward, grab the hook with both hands and start dragging. As a 10 year old there were plenty of times I would have to stop about half way to the truck to catch my breath.
It must have been the third year we were hauling hay that my brother and I were strong enough to throw the hay onto the bed of the truck. That's when Mom would stay home and Dad would drive the truck. Each load, my brother and I would switch off. He would stack a load while I dragged the hay, the next load I would stack and he would drag. The next year we were doing the same thing only this time I had a hay hook in each hand and I could drag two bales to the side of the truck and throw them up to my brother...one at a time of course.
The next year we got a pop-up loader. It was heaven on earth. It actually made hauling hay fun.
The next year my father's health was declining rapidly. We had to sell the truck just to make ends meet. I knew how to do one thing well. Haul hay. I contacted Ed, a local that hauled hay for a living. I hired on with him and we got busy. We would haul several thousand bales each summer. I did this until I graduated high school. Between that and hunting and fishing I contributed significantly to the family's dinner table.
So, what about that hay hook? I never lost it. I never broke it. I can't say I know where it is today but for several years after leaving home, when I would visit, I would see it in the barn.
The day my Dad handed it to me he said, "Now, Son, take care of this and don't lose it."
So, in my retrospective manner, what can I learn from this? First, my father. He was a wise man. He didn't give me all sorts of directions on how not to lose it. He simply told me to 'don't lose it.' I believe it was Teddy Roosevelt who said, "The best leader will pick the right man for the job then leave him along long enough for him to get it done." My Dad must have understood the principle of not micromanaging even though he probably never read anything about Roosevelt. Or, maybe my Dad just knew me.
I also recognize that a quality tool doesn't necessarily have to be fancy. (Of course, how fancy can you get with a hay hook.) The point is, just because the tool has some fancy gadgetry attached to it doesn't make it a good tool. To this day, I shoot a single-shot rifle with iron sights and I've taken my share of deer with it.
But, the most important lesson to be learned with that hay hook was simply, "don't lose it." In other words, accountability. Don't lose it and keep it in good working order. My personal vehicle is a 1991 Chevy pickup that I bought while in college. I have been accountable regarding that pickup. I've kept it in good working order. "Old Blue" has over 200,000 miles now and still runs great. My wife drives a mini-van that is nearly 10 years old. Why? Because it's still in good working order.
Accountability can be applied to any number of areas in our lives. We can allow a friend to hold us accountable for some 'weakness'. We can be accountable to the company we work for, promising to take good care of the equipment that our boss entrusts to us. The list could go on and on. In the end, accountability is a good thing. It helps to keep us in check. It helps keep us in good working order. We all need that.
Ya' know what....I'm still proud of that hay hook.
Monday, November 16, 2009
The Waterboy
As a kid, we didn't have running water in our house. Technically we did but it was just enough for mom & dad to make coffee in the morning and the kids to brush our teeth. Much more than that and the well would run dry. For anyone who's had to prime a well, you know you don't want your well running dry.
To overcome this problem we (my sisters, brother and I) would carry water from the spring which was about 1/3 mile from the house. We used 5 gallon buckets. As a ten-year-old kid I would carry my two buckets...a weight that was roughly the same as my own. You can bet in the beginning I made many stops along the way. As I grew and got a little stronger the number of stops along the way became fewer and fewer.
Before bed, each kid would poor a little water in the bathroom sink then take a washcloth and clean those....uh....necessary parts. Once a week we would poor a full bucket in the bathtub then follow that with a pot of water that had been sitting on the stove. That would make the water warm enough to take a bath. My sisters would put water in a pitcher and slowly poor it on each others head so they could wash their hair.
In the summer we would make a weekly trip to Ranger Creek. After swimming for a couple of hours we would be clean.....well, cleaner than before.
Now that I'm a middle aged man, what can I glean from this? Lots. First, if you do anything you're going to get dirty. As a kid, I was always doing something and I stayed dirty. That's ok. Dirt never hurt anyone. Second, I didn't have the luxury of having a shower every night like my classmates. That's ok. Even now, my life isn't the same as theirs. We all have a different set of circumstances to deal with. The circumstances don't make the person. It's what the person does with those circumstances that matters. Third, if you want or need something done, just do it. Don't sit around waiting for someone to do it for you. Don't whine, don't moan, don't cry like a baby. None of that stuff gets it done. All the whining in the world won't carry a single bucket of water. Fourth, we didn't stay clean. We got dirty time after time and guess what? We had to carry water time after time. So, if you want to quit carrying water, quit getting dirty. In other words, if you want a different outcome from what you've been experiencing, try doing something different than what you're doing now. One last thing. I never saw Mom or Dad carry water. We kids carried it all. That's ok. It doesn't matter who gets the credit. Let's just do what needs to be done.
Looking back I'm kinda glad our well wasn't so good.
To overcome this problem we (my sisters, brother and I) would carry water from the spring which was about 1/3 mile from the house. We used 5 gallon buckets. As a ten-year-old kid I would carry my two buckets...a weight that was roughly the same as my own. You can bet in the beginning I made many stops along the way. As I grew and got a little stronger the number of stops along the way became fewer and fewer.
Before bed, each kid would poor a little water in the bathroom sink then take a washcloth and clean those....uh....necessary parts. Once a week we would poor a full bucket in the bathtub then follow that with a pot of water that had been sitting on the stove. That would make the water warm enough to take a bath. My sisters would put water in a pitcher and slowly poor it on each others head so they could wash their hair.
In the summer we would make a weekly trip to Ranger Creek. After swimming for a couple of hours we would be clean.....well, cleaner than before.
Now that I'm a middle aged man, what can I glean from this? Lots. First, if you do anything you're going to get dirty. As a kid, I was always doing something and I stayed dirty. That's ok. Dirt never hurt anyone. Second, I didn't have the luxury of having a shower every night like my classmates. That's ok. Even now, my life isn't the same as theirs. We all have a different set of circumstances to deal with. The circumstances don't make the person. It's what the person does with those circumstances that matters. Third, if you want or need something done, just do it. Don't sit around waiting for someone to do it for you. Don't whine, don't moan, don't cry like a baby. None of that stuff gets it done. All the whining in the world won't carry a single bucket of water. Fourth, we didn't stay clean. We got dirty time after time and guess what? We had to carry water time after time. So, if you want to quit carrying water, quit getting dirty. In other words, if you want a different outcome from what you've been experiencing, try doing something different than what you're doing now. One last thing. I never saw Mom or Dad carry water. We kids carried it all. That's ok. It doesn't matter who gets the credit. Let's just do what needs to be done.
Looking back I'm kinda glad our well wasn't so good.
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