Digital Cowboy

The temperature and pressure relief valve on my hot water heater is jammed up with the crap they pump through the water here. (Incidentally, I also have a PUR water filter on my faucet for drinking and cooking. Now I’m glad I do. I’d hate to get jammed up like that, myself. Especially considering what they charge me and their “Clean Water” reports that litter my mail. GIVE ME A WELL!)

The result of a bad T&P valve (as we experts call it) is that water pours out of the valve constantly. This not only floods the ground and wastes water, but wastes propane because the heater runs constantly to heat water that’s pouring out on the ground.

I’ve got the new valve to replace it and it’s just a few turns of a wrench, but I haven’t had time to do it because…. Ahhh, let’s just blame Dif and his faulty web host.

Anyway, I had to turn off the water main to the house a few days ago. When that happens… Among other things you can’t flush the toilet. I haven’t ever let it go that long. I turn the water on at least once a day for long enough to flush the toilets and fill pitchers with drinking water.

I just had to go and was repulsed by the smell in that bathroom when I lifted the toilet lid. It reminded me of a very bad experience I once had at a Jimmy Buffett concert.*

This isn’t fun. My youngest daughter asked me tonight, “Daddy, when are you gonna fix the water. I hate this.”

Tomorrow, dear. Tomorrow. I promise. I hate it, too. It’s top priority now.

*The other bathroom is flushed and clean.

Don’t wanna wait ’til tomorrow.
Why put it off another day?
One by one your problems,
Build up and stand in our way.

Why stop ahead?
Why stop behind it?
Now ya gotta run to get even.
Make future plans,
Or live without yesterday.

C’mon, turn.
Turn this thing around.

Right now.
Is your tomorrow.
Right now.
Come on, it’s everything.

Catch your magic moment.
Do it right here and now.

It means everything.

Miss a beat, lose the rhythm,
And nothin’ falls into place.
Only missed by a fraction,
Slipped a little off your pace.

The more things you get,
The more you want.
Just trading one for the other.
Why’s it so hard to make it easy?

Ya got to turn.
Turn this thing around.

Funny thing about that one is that it’s scriptural. I haven’t been actively working on that spiritual concept yet, but just do a search on the word “now” here and see how often I use it. Also, if you have the time to click that link, also take the time to read the comments. There’s some great stuff lurking.

I was teasing when I offered initially in the comments, but she loves the attention.

Janet just recently found out that I have a blog. I invited her and I’m glad to have her here, because it’s gonna take all of us to keep her toeing the line. At least here we can keep an eye on her.

She and I have a little bit of a history. I’m not proud of all of it, but she has no shame. (She also tends to lie, so don’t believe any evil thing she says about me. I’m a very good boy and I always have been.)

It makes no difference. I love her because I can’t help it.

She’s a sweet kid and I know that I can count on all of you to love her unconditionally, even when she doesn’t look lovable. (That will probably be most of the time.)

I’d post a picture of her if I wasn’t so lazy.

UPDATE: I also forgot to mention that she abuses punctuation like nothing you’ve ever seen!

There’s a link there in my sidebar to Clint Brown’s web site.

He may be the most anointed praise and worship artist on the planet. I was fortunate enough to know him, personally, a little bit for a little while. My sister knows him much better than I. She was friends with him and his wife for many years. I would be surprised if he even remembers me.

Click the link and buy a CD. Any of them. They’re all good. I run to his music when I lose sight of what matters and feel like I can’t find God.

No, I’m not promoting him, his music or his site because that link pays me. (It doesn’t.) But he knows God and God shows up when his music is playing.

It’s literally saved my life. I once pulled a loaded pistol out of my mouth because I realized that it would all be alright if I just put the gun down and got Clint’s music playing.

I was right. It was.

Just to be clear, I’m not crediting Clint with all that. That was God. But Clint is talented, anointed and obedient. The result is music that is a vehicle for the miraculous.

The whiskey bottle comforts me,
And tells me not to cry.
While a full moon says a prayer for me,
I try to close my eyes.

But the nights, they just remind me
Of the guns and the early grave.
Among the ghosts and fears,
I fall asleep singin’ ‘Outlaw’s Serenade.’

This darkness is a friend to me.
It covers me by night.
And a snakebite’s not my enemy.
But it taught me how to fight.

The strain don’t bring ya freedom,
Though it wears a thin disguise.
An outlaw’s just a man to me
And a man hates to die.