Category Archives: Family

What story do you want to tell?

Family, Life

We all will have a story to tell about our life, and we get to choose how simple or how complicated we want that story to be. When I think of this subject, I think of athletes, pastors, public figures, politicians, movie stars and even friends I have had in the past that have destroyed their own story. See, when you are holding your grandchildren and telling them about your life, you would like to tell the truth and not have to leave parts out of the story.

There are so many stories of people who had great lives, great wealth, great recognition and great reputations that just could not hold it together. I think of two well-known evangelists from the past that not only messed up their life, but also the lives of all those around them. They literally made what the Bible calls “fools” of themselves. They had the anointing and favor of God and squandered it. In addition, we all know stories about politicians, movie stars, and athletes that had it all and then lost it all.

I believe the big four caused most of their failures: jealousy, greed, lust and strife.

Many times when these desires and emotion are in you, it causes you to make large life-changing mistakes. When I think of how many people I have seen that destroyed their lives, I also think of great examples I know. There is this one prominent male actor in Hollywood who has been married to his high school sweetheart for 35 years. He has four grown daughters that still look up their daddy as their hero. That is the kind of people that inspire a generation and leave a legacy after they are gone. So many today leave a wake of destruction that affects the people in their life and all those associated with them; it is all because they could not hold their life together.

When you see people after the fall, the one thing they can never buy back is their reputation. I remember one athlete who was at the top of the top of his professional sport when he was caught in a life-altering embarrassment. I remember telling the guys I work with that he will never get it back together in his sport. See, he was respected and looked up to, and I believe it was the respect he had for himself that enabled him to accomplish such great things. Once he lost the public’s respect, he lost self-respect and his professional career never got back on track. He simply lost his way.

The problem with this situation is you don’t know what you have lost until you can never get it back. I have seen many people try late in life to get respect back that they have lost. It breaks your heart to see them longing for and striving for something as simple as what they used to have for free.

Be aware of the decisions you make because they have a much more broad effect than just you. Many times it is the difference of your children gladly telling people you are their mother or father or being ashamed of it. There are way too many good examples to follow than to follow a bad one. KT

Ballet class

Family, Life

This week I was on the road for three days and drove a 1000 miles and saw 5 hotels. I was beat. When I got back yesterday afternoon, my oldest granddaughter was spending the afternoon at our house with Elaine and our youngest granddaughter had ballet practice later that afternoon. When the time came we loaded up and went to watch ballet class and go out to eat afterwards. Fun time together.

It was the sweetest thing watching a room full of 3 year olds with their ballet outfits on learning what to do. There was joy, laughing, dancing, crying and bathroom breaks all rolled up in the one hour session. Ha. It was so very precious.

It was one of those times when I didn’t take any phone calls, look at emails or answer any texts. I was in that moment with my two granddaughters. I don’t suppose I will ever forget yesterday at ballet class as it was that precious to me.

I do not know this to be true but I suspect it is. When you get close to the end of life, if you were asked, what the most important things are, I would guess it doesn’t involve work. I would guess you would say, my family and my relationship with God. As a dad I think men want to know that their family is ready for life without them and to know that you did life right and were the example your children needed to see. Also for men, I think it is knowing you had the courage to do what was right and stand up for what you believe.

So often we don’t realize what a gift time is until we are out of it. The most valuable thing you own, is time. It is the one measurement that cannot be replaced. Once it is gone, there is not enough money in the world to buy more.

This week, when you see your family, be there in the moment and bank those memories. Tell them you love them and kiss them whether they want you to or not. Do not let the moments of life slip away over anger, pride, jealousy and strife. Look them in the eye, tell them you love them, squeeze them and put a big sloppy kiss on their cheek. Let there be no doubt of your love. KT

Cruise ship windows

Family

My youngest daughter and her husband are going on a cruise next week. I asked them if they had a balcony or a wall window.

It reminded of a cruise our family and 4 other families took back in 2002. It was our first cruise and as first time cruisers, there are always a few questions you didn’t know to ask about until after you are on the boat. One such question should have been does our room have a balcony with a sliding glass door? Had we asked that question the answer would have been, no, you get a wall with a little window in it.

We walked into that room and there two twin beds and two fold down twin beds hanging on the walls. All four of us in that itty bitty room. I could stand still in the bathroom and touch all four walls. When you did have to use the bathroom the toilet was so high your feet would swing. It made you feel like a little kid in a porta potty at the playground.

The main thing that concerned me as a dad was how I get my family out of here if there is a problem. We were one floor down from the entrance door of the ship and halfway down a long hallway. I thought ok, what if the ship loses power and it is dark, what do I do? Well, within 30 minutes I had counted the steps from our door to the staircase, counted the steps on the staircase and knew how far it was to the outside decks where the lifeboats were.

Some might say I am a little too persnickety about certain things but when it comes to my family’s safety, there is not such a thing as being too prepared. After I had that all that worked out in my mind, I went up to the buffet area and ate for the 1st of 14 times that day. KT

Christmas 100 years ago

Family, Life

Back in 1915 life was much simpler than now. It wasn’t better, it was just simpler. The following are a few facts of economic life in 1915

Average annual income $687.00 per year – same as $16,100 today

Average cost of a home $3,200 – same as $177,000 today

Average cost of a car $2,005 –same as $48,579 today

Cost of a gallon of gas $23 cents – same today as $5.50 a gallon

Loaf of bread 7 cents, dozen eggs 34 cents, quart of milk 9 cents.

Average pair of men’s shoes $3-$5-same as $70-$116 today (about right)

Average pair of women’s shoes $7-$10 – same today as $163-$233 (some things never change. Ha)

Other facts:

17 million people died in the First World War. It was the bloodiest conflict in human history.

Harry Houdini performed his straight jacket escape

First coast to coast phone call was made between Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Watson

Rocky Mountain National Park is established by Congress

United sates Coast Guard was formed

Babe Ruth hits his first home run

Hurricanes hits Galveston and New Orleans and kills 275 people

Cornell University wins the college football championship. Ha

Ford Motor Company sells its 1 millionth car

American was embattled in the Great War that cost the lives of millions of young men and women and to live financially in 1915 was much worse than today and in America. Also, racial hatred was everywhere.

So yes, it was simpler but yet much more difficult. When you hear people talk about the good ole times, well, we are in the good ole times right now. As I was writing this blog post I thought about 100 years from now when someone is writing about 2015 and how our time will be viewed against history.

The inescapable fact of life is that all we have, is today. We can waste it or make it. History will judge us all on how we lived, loved and what memories we left for our families. Make it count. KT

Max Dugan

Family

Max Dugan is the kind of man you do not want to mess with. He stands 6’4” and weighs 260 lbs. and he is the head of the Georgia Criminal Apprehension Unit. His neck is a 19” and his wrists are like a 2×4. When he was in the Navy he was the Seal Team leader and the most fair and capable man the navy has ever had. In a street fight, he is simply not the one you want to go against. He has been known to completely whip 6 men at a time.

He was working on a very difficult case in Indian Springs Georgia when a group of 5 guys decided he was getting too close to the truth. It was dark and they confronted Max and spread out in front of him. He has always known that you take the leader out first. The leader was the middle guy in the in front of him. He also knows that you put the threat down hard so they can’t get up again.

Max acted like he was limping so he could move a little closer to the leader. Faked a right so the leader would lift his head and then he hit him in the throat with his left. He went down like a horse and then Max swiveled and kicked the left guy in temple with and brought his momentum back around and caught the second guy from left in face with his elbow. The two right guys moved in for a take down when Max head budded the closest one. Blood flew everywhere and the guy went down hard on his knees. The last guy could not run away any faster.

He surveyed the four guys on the ground and looked at his watch. It took 8 seconds and he was a little miffed because he thought he should have been able to do in 6.

 

Ever heard of Max Dugan? Well he is the fictional character that I plan use in my first book. The first book will be about a civil war weapons stockpile that was buried in 1864 beneath the Wigwam Hotel in Indian Springs Georgia. A handwritten note was found in the old church’s wall that talked about the treasure. The guy that found the note knew there was only one person to call. Max Dugan.

Happy reading. KT