“Dad, are we in Neutral?” Reaching the Green Mesa with Fuel to Spare.

Photo curteousy of the Science Photo Library; 2000 UK fuel shortage crisis entry.

Editor’s note: Julie at the Ranch is on vacation for the month of July.  We’ll be filling in her regular Monday morning spot with other contributors’ work.  Today, we hear a vacation tale from Jeff Bingham about running out of gas. Or not. ~ RDK

“Dad, are we in neutral?”    The voice of my teenage son emanated from the back seat of the van.”    More on that shortly.

You ever run out of gas?    Physically (in your car, or in your body), financially, emotionally, spiritually?

I have only “run out” twice in a car.   More on the others in a minute.

The first time in my car was on vacation; the kids were very young, the weather was hot, things were hectic, and it just happened.   Thankfully, a kind gentlemen, a complete stranger, was adjacent to us and quickly assessed the situation and gave me a ride to the closest station.

The second time was mechanical failure in the car; a bad gas gauge. Same story, a kind gentleman, this time a friend, was close by and accessible. Whether by distraction or otherwise, it’s never a fun place to be. Same goes for the physiological, the emotional, and the spiritual. You always want to have plenty “in your tank”.

I said I’ve only “run out” twice. If we consider “almost running out” occassions, I must admit to a close call another time or two. Ironically enough, both were on vacation trips; a time when the tank should be full and the experience rich. Continue reading “Dad, are we in Neutral?” Reaching the Green Mesa with Fuel to Spare.

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Barber Shop Theology … continued (Hurry & Wait)

“Hurry up and Wait”

 What shall it profit a man if he should gain the whole world (even if he hurries) and lose his soul. Mark 8:36

Speed. There is definitely a need for speed in our society. Wait, did I say need? Okay, there is a want for speed. You might think that with all the time-saving devices, gizmos, and machines at our disposal, we would have plenty of time to sit and ponder. Nope, we are busier than ever.

I’m not a terribly impatient person, but I chuckle at my ability to choose the slowest check-out person at the grocery store. In an age of fast foods, express lanes, Jiffy Lubes, quick printing, speed dialing (and dating), instant messages, well, you get the picture — the fact is, we can do more, faster than at any time in history, and yet we regularly hear, “I just don’t have enough time!”

 

Barber Shop Theology

Last week I referenced the beauty of waiting, particularly, waiting for a haircut. When life puts you in a holding pattern, what do you do with it? Scripture says, “They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength.” This suggests value in waiting.

Waiting is like most other activities of life, it can serve a wonderful purpose when we choose by faith, to embrace joy because that activity belongs to God. “In everything give thanks for this is the will of God.” (I Thessalonians 5:18).

Waiting and Action

I remember many, many great waiters in my dad’s barber shop.  But one young man particularly stand out from the others. He was out of work and was spending more and more of his time reading the newspaper and listening to the barber shop banter.  He was developing a routine, complete with a standard answer for those who wanted to know what he was up to.

The question would eventually come. “So, what you been up to? I heard you was out of a job.” Continue reading Barber Shop Theology … continued (Hurry & Wait)

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Where’s The Journalism???

Local sports coverage is slipping in Oklahoma.  As a former member of the Tulsa media, it saddens me to make that statement.  Covering local sports was my passion and my livelihood.  Back then I sensed it, and even more so now, I see the profession slowly dying.

There is no longer an investment being made in real, substantial journalism.  When I tune into local news these days, I cringe because each station’s sportscast is predictable and dull.  Each channel airs a slightly altered version of the same show.

It’s fine to show highlights from the Drillers, Shock, Talons, Barons, OU, OSU, and of course the Thunder.  However, I have a feeling no one is flipping on their TV to see a couple of lousy highlights.  Nobody is sitting at home anxiously awaiting 20 seconds of Redhawks footage.

So why do stations fall into this cookie cutter pattern?  Is it because the anchors and producers are afraid to miss something or is it because they’ve been in the same routine for so long that they’re just too comfy and complacent to think outside the box?  Frankly, I know it’s the latter because I was guilty of it when I sat at the anchor desk.

Continue reading Where’s The Journalism???

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On the Horizon: The Man Behind the Voice

For many, author Michael Wallis is the voice of the heartland. A transplanted Tulsan, Wallis made his literary mark with books on the famous and infamous. In addition, Wallis is well known for his passion for the open road, penning multiple books on route 66.

He also garnered fame as the voice of the sheriff in the Pixar movie, Cars. In this week’s video blog, I visit with the author about what he believes writing is all about.
~ Rob McClendon

On the Horizon: The Man Behind the Voice from Alisa Hines on Vimeo.

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Casey Anthony: The Real-Life Keyser Soze

In the 1995 film The Usual Suspects, small-time con man Verbal Kint spins an elaborate tale about a Turkish criminal mastermind and murderer named Keyser Soze, whom few have ever seen and whose very existence is doubted.  At the end of the film, the investigators discover too late that Kint’s story was largely a highly-detailed fabrication, made up almost entirely and on the spot from cues he spotted around the office in which he had been interrogated.  He was released and, in one of the all-time most fascinating cinematic shockers, we see him walking away and transforming sinisterly into his Keyser Soze persona.

I love getting duped in movies.  Getting duped in real life is a different story.  Does the above sound eerily familiar to the fantastical tales we heard throughout the highly publicized Casey Anthony trial?  The difference is that the movie is fiction meant for our enjoyment, while the murder of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony is very, very real.  By now, you’ve undoubtedly heard the “Not Guilty” verdict and, like me, have expressed thoughts and emotions about the jury’s decision and the performance of the legal teams.  One camp celebrated jubilantly while the other walked away in sadness and disgust.

I am not a lawyer and I don’t pretend to be one on t.v.  I tried my darnedest to avoid being the judge presiding over the Court of Public Opinion.  However, I longed for answers – for Caylee, the Anthony family, and society – and I was utterly disappointed.  The truth did not prevail because the truth was so completely mangled from the beginning that no one could determine right from wrong or up from down.  From the moment the world became enraptured by the images of that little girl, I’ve watched tragedy turn to train wreck.  I’ve seen a trial become a three-ring circus.  And Casey was the ringmaster as she spat out lie after lie after lie.  Continue reading Casey Anthony: The Real-Life Keyser Soze

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