Barber Shop Theology – The Big & Small of it

The Big and Little of the Gospel

 I’ve heard it said that the gospel is simple enough for a child to understand and still so complex that theologians can discuss it at great length. This makes the gospel all the more beautiful.

Just how wonderful is the gospel? Even angels long to look into these things. I Peter 1:12

Precisely what is this gospel? It is ‘good news’. But what is the content of this good news?  Well, for this Barber Shop Theological foray, let’s see the big and the small of the Gospel.

My dad, Oscar, first stepped behind the barber’s chair of his shop in Apache, Oklahoma in January of 1963. I was in the first grade. There is no telling how many thousands of haircuts he has given over the past 48 years.

My dad tried to retire once and sold his shop in town, but a stream of guys from around town found their way to the house and the chair he had put into the garage, and soon he was only semi-retired.  To this day, he still greets customers by their first names as they show up a mile north of town to get a haircut. On my recent visit home Continue reading Barber Shop Theology – The Big & Small of it

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You Can’t Put A Price On Dreams

by Rob Loeber

What would you do for a dream?  How far would you go to achieve a lifelong goal?

Those are the questions thousands of athletes ask themselves every single day.  From Alaska to Maine and all points in between, minor league and semi-pro players are making enormous sacrifices to stay on the field, rink, or court.

It must be love for $400 a week. (courtesy urbantulsa.com)

This recession has hit America hard over the last few years, but economic struggles are nothing new for the players who toil in obscurity and put their bodies on the line for very little reward.

The Tulsa Talons play in the Arena Football League and the average Talons’ player takes home $400 per week.  That adds up to $7200 for a complete 18-game season.  These are men with college degrees.  Most of them have families but most of them don’t have second jobs because of the time required for practice, travel, and games.

What would you do for a dream?  Would you walk away from the cushy desk job and the 401k package to throw yourself full-speed at another human being for 400 bucks?

I asked one Talons player why he does it.  “I love football,” he told me.  “I can’t imagine giving this up.”

The Talons players have almost no chance of ever making an NFL roster, but out there on the practice field they were smiling and laughing throughout every drill and after every play.  They looked joyful.  They looked like kids.  How many of us can say our jobs make us feel like kids again?

Continue reading You Can’t Put A Price On Dreams

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Wanted, Alive & Kicking: RDC Intern

We knew we were going to need you sooner or later.  And SOONER, as in…NOW, is the operative word at the Red Dirt Chronicles (RDC).  We would like to hire one bachelors or master’s level business, marketing, creative design, art promotion, event management or a combination of something-like-those-three areas for the Fall 2011 semester.  We would prefer this student have access and time within one of our two major metropolitan areas (OKC or Tulsa) at least two days per week.  There is much going on at the RDC and we need help; we’re willing to provide a great experience, excellent mentorship, goals construction and support reaching those goals, and potentially a stipend or share of revenue generated by your efforts. Businesses looking to expand their outreach teams can also benefit from the expertise of door to door sales recruiters to find motivated candidates.

Please e-mail your resume to:  reddirtchronicles@gmail.com by August 5th, 2011.  We will respond to every inquiry, and will schedule interviews after that deadline.  We will confirm the position with our selected candidate well before the Fall semester begins.  We look forward to meeting you, and think this position will provide you with a set of newly developed skills to prepare for your first post-graduate professional position.  So…do it now – send your resume in.  We want to meet YOU…because you’re cool. And we need you.  And you’re cool.

Sincerely,
[kelly]

Editor – Red Dirt Chronicles

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On the Horizon: Below the Surface

This job is amazing. It takes me so many places I never thought I would go. When I first came to Oklahoma, I was excited to see the competitive livestock and be a part of the progressive agricultural industry. What I didn’t expect was to be engulfed in the Oklahoma lifestyle.

A few months ago, I met a young man who gave a whole new meaning to the phrase “grab life by the horns.” He has wrestled steers, fought men in cages and hunted and fished for every kind of animal known in Oklahoma. I knew if I wanted to experience a different side to Oklahoma I needed to hang out with Kaleb Summers. When he told me there was a way to fish with your hands and pull out huge catfish, there was no hesitation…I had to get in the water.

Like any fishing trip, things didn’t go exactly as planned and unfortunately for us, they seemed to take a turn for the worse. Not only were water levels low and drying out the holes, but the wind kept picking up and beating us against the rocks. When the wind got to the point of being dangerous (as if getting slammed into rocks wasn’t bad enough) we decided to leave and get the boat out of the water.

While en route back to the ramp we encountered huge swells of water coming over the sides of the boat. It was a very rough ride to say the least. All of a sudden we heard a loud pop and saw mud fill the water. Our motor sputtered, choked, and then died. At that point it was all hands on deck, or more like all hands in the water. With the boat in tow, I swam to shore with the guys pushing. After getting the vessel out of the water we realized we cracked the hydraulic cylinder and tore up the prop. Since it was the beginning of the weekend this meant we were on foot for the rest of the trip.

After we got our bearings and were back out on the water, Kaleb found out how I act under pressure when I am face to face with a lifelong fear – snakes. Kaleb found a water moccasin in a rock and told me to come look at it. I freaked out and jumped out of the water. That wasn’t good enough for Kaleb and he killed it…or so he thought. All of the sudden the snake shot out of the rock and made a bee-line for Kaleb. He jumped out of the way and the snake swam to shore.
Continue reading On the Horizon: Below the Surface

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The 2011 Imaginary Family Project – Week 28

#28 of 52 : GRACE AND SAM
Imaginary Family Project - Week 28

External Photo Clues:
None

Imagine:
It wasn’t like her to be sentimental. Aching memories of joy seemed like such a waste of time, like blooming flowers at a funeral. Out of place and unwanted amidst so much sorrow. I mean really, would it ever bring your loved ones back? Did they really ever ease the heartache?

Indulging in these fleeting moments had lasting repercussions, but every once in a while, a memory blindsided her – every sight , every sound, every inch of her being was assaulted with that horrible stench of nostalgia.

“Hmmm… I thought I had gotten rid of him,” she said casually to the photograph on the floor. “We were a handsome couple. No denying that. Shame we couldn’t make a go of it.”

Even though she was alone, she felt compelled to keep her outward appearance strong and unaffected. But inside, inside she began the mourning process all over again, as if it had happened yesterday and not eight years ago. Her heart began to palpitate, engaging in that battle she had all too often when he entered her life. The storyline was always the same, smiles and laughter co-mingled with crashing cameos of betrayal and pain. Continue reading The 2011 Imaginary Family Project – Week 28

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Showcasing Red Dirt culture ~ authored and managed by contributors with connections to the great state of Oklahoma.