Just for fun, I thought I would fill you in on some of the places I have been kicked out of. Each one has a story of it's own, and maybe I will fill you in on them sometime. But for now, here they are:
- The grounds of the California State Capitol. Actually, it was from the very place depicted in the photo.
- The top of the tallest building in Tucson.
- The Stage coach at Old Tucson. That was more a kicked off of. Well, I guess we were kicked out of the inside. - The Hinky Dinky grocery store in McCook, Nebraska.
- The Freshman play, "You Can't Take it With You".
That's all I can think of right now. Surely there are more.
The only job I have have been fired from was a Church job. At the Church, I told my boss I was resigning the night before. He told me not to be hasty and to think about it. Then, the next day, he told me I was being let go from the job. But, they asked me to stick around and do the same things I was doing. It was a little weird.
Oh, I think I was fired from Walmart. But only after I told them I was going on a trip. They told me I needed to find a replacement or that I should not bother coming back. I didn't find a replacement, so I never went back.
I wonder if any of you have been kicked out of anywhere good.
Just wanted to let you in on a couple of recent reads that we enjoyed.
The first:
Everything I want to do is illegal
by Joel Salatin
If have seen the movie "Food, Inc", perhaps you will recall the organic farm, Polyface Farms, highlighted in the movie.
The owner/operator of the farm wrote this book to bring to light his struggles with the bureaucracy of the food establishment and some of the reasons why locally grown natural food can be so expensive and difficult to get.
Some of his stories are downright absurd examples that, if someone has not dealt with government bureaucracy, they would have a hard time believing these things go on. Included in the stories of his struggles is how, even though his methods have been consistently shown to be more sanitary, he has been repeatedly harangued for not having the "proper" facilities.
If you are at all interested in what you eat, check out some of his material. We are now diving into his latest book, Folks, this ain't normal.
Go big is the story of Dude Perfect and the steps to take your passions and dreams to the next level.
If you don't know about Dude Perfect, they are some college guys that shot some trick basketball shots in their yard, filmed it, put it on youtube and turned it into a dream job. The book talks about that journey and how you too can do some, well...BIG.
Take the time to find out more about them, put their game app on your iphone.....or just watch some of their shots. Here is their original video:
For those of you with sympathies towards the occupy movement, I understand your feelings. It is difficult to look at one group of people who hold the majority of the wealth and seem to be unwilling to help out those with obvious needs.
While one group suffers, the wealthier group has plenty of food, quality education, homes filled with modern conveniences and luxuries and enough free time to take trips and enough disposable income for life's little pleasures.
However, it is my contention that those of us with this kind of wealth (see below to find out which category you and most of the protestors in the occupy movement fit into) should not be complaining that we don't have as much as another guy or about how our spending choices have made things difficult for us. Those of us with the top 2% of income in the world should be considering, not how we can get more, but how we can help those with less than us.
To help you figure out if you are on the wealthy list, check out this link:
After spending Ten years as a Pastor and Church Planter, James became involved in Law Enforcement and currently serves as a detective and a Chaplain for First Responders in Tucson, Arizona. He is also a board member with the Tucson Refugee Ministry.
Known for connecting with all ages using humor, engaging stories and personal examples, James will inspire you to grow your faith and your family while connecting with your culture and community.
When he is not working, you can find him hanging out with family and friends and hiking some of the local trails.
Since a few have asked, "Why the name, 'Front Porch Fighter' ?", I will take a stab at answering it.
In times past, the predominant feature of most houses was the front porch. It was right out there in front and it used to be a gathering place for people from the neighborhood. Friends could come over and hang out, lovers could swing on the porch swing and moms would entertain with lemonade. The front porch was a place to get to know others and it signified a willingness and a desire to be in community.
The predominant feature on many homes built today is the garage. The garage is a place where you can pull your car in without anyone else having to talk to you or interrupt your schedule as you retreat into your private sanctuary. To me, the garage in front signifies a desire to live my own life and a kind of disconnect from the rest of the world.
While I appreciate some privacy and sanctuary, I feel that all too often, we are disconnected from the rest of the world and have lost a sense of community, which the home styles reflect. So, I am an advocate of the front porch....at least metaphorically speaking.
