Digital Cowboy

I foolishly taught my girls the stupid, redneck saying, “See ya! Wouldn’t wanna be ya!”

A few days ago, on a beautiful day, they were running out the door to play and Emily said, as she was closing the door, “See ya!” The door slammed and then opened again. She stuck (just) her head back in and said, “Wouldn’t wanna be ya!” Door slammed again. Opened again and she stuck just her head in again and, with a very different tone, said, “I really wouldn’t wanna be you, Daddy. Know why?”

“Why, Honey?” (I said in a patronizing tone. I was busy. I just wanted them to go play.)

“‘Cause you work too much. (pause) I’m going to play now. You should play more, Daddy. I hope I don’t have to work as much as you when I grow up.”

And then the door slammed again. And she was gone?

I wept when the door slammed and I can’t write this post without weeping.

“And the cat’s in the cradle and the silver spoon….”

That child is precocious. Memories flooded back. I have vivid memories of often laying in my bed at night when I was supposed to have been asleep hours before. Watching my Dad in the kitchen when the Johnny Carson monologue was over. (My bedroom door was always open and my doorway faced the hall.) He was getting ready to go to bed and had to be up early. He worked as hard as any man I’ve ever known.

Even then, as a very small child, I saw how hard he worked for us. At least once I prayed, “God, please don’t make me grow up. I can’t do that.”

Then he died young. That’s another story.

As I got older, I swore I would never do it. I was going to be rich! I didn’t care what it took or how much it cost or what I had to do. But I eventually realized that the people that get rich the world’s way neglect their families worse than those who, like my Dad, just work so hard to provide that they don’t have time.

Now I’ve found a third way. The right way.

“The Blessing of the Lord makes me rich and He adds no sorrow with it.” – Prov. 10:22
“Seek ye first the Kingdom and His righteousness…” Matt. 6:33

I am working hard but it’s a short-term commitment. I’ve found a better way. My daughters will never have to work. They’ll always have a good reason to. So they will only work in freedom, when, where, how and at what they choose.

If you wonder where this came from…. I turned 37 yesterday. My Dad was dead at 37 (anniversary… a couple days, too close to my birthday). I’m not the slightest superstitious. If he knew then what I know now, he would still be here and I have no fear at all. It’s not about that.

But a kid that lost his Dad at 12 can’t possibly avoid remembering the greatest man he ever knew on this birthday, especially when the anniversary of his going home is coming up soon, too.

I can’t wait to see him again.

“… When ya coming home son?”

“I don’t know when, Dad. We’ll get together then.

“Ya know we’ll have a good time then.”

And I’ve got two beautiful little ladies that are looking forward to meeting their grandfather, too.

Here’s something I just wanna throw out as food for thought.

Moral relativists often like to claim that “Life is not black and white. It’s just various shades of gray.”

It’s an interesting argument that I’ve sometimes espoused in the past and it’s almost singularly used to denigrate the idea that there are absolutes in this world – absolute right and wrong, mainly.

What I find interesting is that now that we’re in a “digital world,” we seem to be finding out that our best attempts to mimic the natural world can only be done with binary math.

The music you listen to on your iPod, the digital cable broadcast or HD satellite image you watch on your widescreen TV, the operation of every digital medical device, the video you watch on YouTube, the very words you’re reading right now… ALL digital representations of sight and sound.

Modern computer monitors, graphics cards and HD TVs are capable of representing BILLIONS of colors – more than the human eye can differentiate. Modern audio codecs can encode compressed audio that still has a frequency range greater than the human ear can hear.

Mankind’s science, with all of it’s learning and all of it’s arrogance has managed to re-create and reproduce (just) two of our five natural senses with near perfection. I’m not a skeptic that they can figure out how to do a couple of the remaining three soon. There have been promising efforts.

But it’s all digital. It likely will all be digital. “Digital” has come to be used in this age as a marketing term that is intended to imply “superior.” With good reason – it is almost always true that digital is superior. In many ways, it is the height of mankind’s discovery of how to recreate the world around him.

For those of you who aren’t geeks, let me clarify what “digital” means. It means that it is done with binary math. That is, bits and bytes. That is, ones and zeroes. Each bit is either on or it’s off. That’s how the computer that you’re using to read this, works. It all comes down to ones and zeroes. The chip in your computer – and every other microchip (currently) – only “understands” binary math.

On or off.

Black or white.

In all of our learning, we’ve managed to synthesize sound and sight (with motion) well only with microchips and binary math.

Black and white.

Now, the truly ambitious are speculating about the power we could harness with “DNA-based computing” – computers that use DNA as their base instead of binary. Many are excited about the possibilities. I’m not ruling out anything, but I’m not holding my breath either. I doubt they’ll pull it off any time soon. But even if they do, they’re still only discovering and imitating.

We live in a black and white world. Despite what anyone stretches their faith in science to believe, we are created in God’s image. That’s very different from being God. I find it fascinating that many of the same people that spout the “shades of gray” argument for many things, only have expertise in a binary world and don’t even see how ridiculous that makes the argument.

In the digital world, even shades of gray come down to whether the bit is set or not.

I recently posted about boots and said, in part:

What’s even funnier – to me at least – is that I had a tough choice, when I bought them, between these and another pair. When I made the decision for these, I did it with the thought in mind that I would get the others soon anyway. Now I’m thinking about getting those too.

To be clear, I was using boots as an example of a Kingdom principle in operation. Apparently, Daddy decided it was a good example, too.

The second pair of boots I mentioned – that I was thinking about ordering – were delivered by UPS last Thursday. I didn’t order them and the person that bought them for me as a gift – my sister – didn’t know anything about my blog post, nor had we discussed those boots at any time recently. She knew about them only because I asked her opinion when I was trying to decide which pair to get before.

When I got them, I called her and asked if she had been reading my blog. She replied, “No. I don’t read your stupid blog. I just knew you wanted those boots and I got an email recently about a big boot sale where everything was discounted. I got such a good deal I couldn’t pass it up.” (I’ve slightly paraphrased our conversation for readability in this context but I’m sure she would agree I’ve not changed any meaning.)

What’s more, these boots are even more beautiful in person than they appeared in any pictures. I like them even better than the (more expensive) snip toe lizard boots I already have. They are goatskin with a lizard wing tip and I honestly have never seen western boots that are dressier looking than these. I may have to upgrade my wardrobe because I’m not sure I have any clothes that can do them justice. They’re just screaming for a band-collar, western tux shirt and a western sport coat.

He said, “WILL [not might] come on you and OVERTAKE you.” Kind of like when I was thinking about maybe ordering these boots sometime soon and they suddenly arrive at my door. Kind of like how until a few months ago I had dreamed that someday I would have a pair of hand-made Lucchese boots and now I have two pair.

By the way, if you’re keeping score (I only do so I can brag on my God), these two pair of boots total nearly $800 at retail. I’ve spent a grand total of $150 on them and the total amount spent by everyone involved in this blessing is less than $450 including sales tax and shipping.

That’s how The Blessing works. Abundantly above all you can ask or think.

I was just recently looking for something else when I ran across an old comment I made right here on my own blog about how I would someday like to have a custom-made pair of Lucchese boots.

It’s funny to me now. The comment in question is less than two years old and at the time I made it, it was little more than a dream. A minor dream to be sure – I didn’t sit around fantasizing about boots. But I had wanted a pair of Lucchese’s for many years and always felt they were way out of my reach. In that comment I mentioned them because it sorta kinda came up in conversation.

I’ve had a pair for months now and had no recollection of that thought when I was ordering them or at any time since I’ve had them. They’re snip-toe, lizard boots, hand-made, special order. They are the most comfortable boots I’ve ever owned, also the most beautiful and most definitely the most expensive. I can now say that the Lucchese name is definitely worth the money. (As opposed to say, Justin, which is now just overpriced, second-rate garbage. I’ve had about 5 pairs of Justins because I’m a slow learner – they suck and I had to buy another pair every year until I wised up.)

What’s even funnier – to me at least – is that I had a tough choice, when I bought them, between these and another pair. When I made the decision for these, I did it with the thought in mind that I would get the others soon anyway. Now I’m thinking about getting those too.

This, friends, is what He meant when He said The Blessing would come on you and overtake you. For those who rail at this as “Prosperity Gospel,” I would like to point out a few things:

1) the Lucchese boots I wear today cost me less than a third of their list price. At the price point I bought them, they were only slightly more expensive than the “everyday” boots (made by Justin) that I was wearing before. (Ditto for my new truck. I got a real bargain.)

See, now I’m a Jew. I buy everything at a discount and sell just a little below retail. So everybody wins. That’s what The Blessing does. For natural Jews as well as us adopted ones.

2) I’m walking in this blessing not because I’m seeking out expensive boots and new trucks. I started seeking the Kingdom and all of this gets added. (Matt. 6:33) I honestly forgot until tonight that I had always wanted Lucchese boots in spite of the fact that I’ve been wearing them for months. “…will come on you and overtake you…” (I wasn’t seeking boots.)

3) Reaching back to number two, you should know that the Kingdom works on sowing and reaping. I’ve given into ministry and charity when I “couldn’t afford it.” Then, as God has prospered me, I’ve looked first to sowing seed and giving back. Prior to getting the boots for a third of retail, I gave offerings (not tithe – that’s different and separate) that were extravagant, into ministries that I trust and where I’ve seen God’s anointing. On one occasion, I wrote a single check for an offering that was more than the retail cost of those boots, “spontaneously” just because the Spirit spoke to me and I was willing. I wasn’t even sure I could “afford” it. I just knew that I should be obedient.

As a result, I have a harvest. A harvest that has pulled me from homeless just over a year ago to a life now where I have money in abundance and luxuries come to me at great discounts.

This is Kingdom living. It’s available to everyone. It’s not a perversion of the Gospel. It is the Gospel. When I was destitute, the only people that cared to help were the government Mafia and prosperity-believing Christians. They rescued me. In less than a year, I went from needing help to providing it.

Without people that believe God’s abundance, the “salvation” Gospel couldn’t be preached. It takes money. The “prosperity gospel” is the only Gospel because it’s a message of adoption and He’s not lacking anything. If you are, you’ve missed something. Review.

Daddy’s rich. Learn how things are done here in His family and you’ll never want!*

Wait. Does that sound like a TV preacher and you shrink back because… I forgot. I’m supposed to beg you for your money.

I’m sorry. I can’t accommodate you. I don’t need your money. I’m rich and looking for opportunities to give. I’m talking about biblical principles and a better way to live.

*Psalm 23:1

The story of Joseph’s life in Genesis is one of a pit to palace experience. I never much cared to live in a palace. But I’ve always wanted to live on a ranch. As long as I can remember that’s been my dream. As a young child I asked my dad, “How much land do we have?” He told me we had “eighty-five hundredths of an acre.” (This was also a man that later told me he didn’t understand my math homework when I was in the 4th grade. I would never call him a liar, but he sure fibbed to me a lot. }:-)

At the time, it was only important to me as a curiosity. I didn’t care how small our yard was because it was surrounded by farms and my dad was known and loved by all of our neighbors. So I had permission from them all to ride my motorcycles on their land as long as the fields weren’t planted and I was considerate. (Daddy made sure I knew what “considerate” meant in that context.)

Growing up, my family only had eighty-five hundredths of an acre, but I had hundreds of acres to explore and play on. When I was about eight I could finally outrun my mother’s whistle. (That woman can stick two fingers in her mouth and let out a shrieking whistle that you can hear for at least a quarter mile.) I could ride and live and explore. I had alone time. Just me and that machine. We got so far from home. When you’re eight or nine, a mile away is another world and I could do it! That all played a large part in making me who I am. I was free! That’s where I lived every summer that I can remember – on the seat of a motorcycle that I called “Basket Case” because my dad literally brought it home in a basket of parts and built it just for me. He was the service manager at a Yamaha dealership at the time.

My Dad also played a huge role in building an AMA sanctioned motocross track around that same time. (I seriously doubt that is the track as it was then. Dad’s been dead for almost 25 years. But that’s the club and he was both an officer in the club and helped build the original track.) I spent many nights out there practicing the big jumps while Dad was mowing or moving dirt.

I loved the motorcycles and still do. I continued that love even after Dad moved on. But I always wished I had horses. I loved rodeo and I wanted to be a cowboy.

I worked at a rodeo this weekend. At the event, a man of about 70 (and a true cowboy in any way you define it) walked up to me and said, “Are you a cowboy?”

I said, “No. I’m a poser.”

He laughed heartily and said, “I always wanted to be a cowboy but I’m afraid of cows.” He then let out another hearty laugh. (I know the man a little and I suspect he’s roped more than a few.)

I replied, “I always wanted to be a cowboy but I haven’t been able to afford the horses, cows and land….. YET!”

He laughed yet again and said, “I like the way you think, boy. We should talk.”

Lest you think I have no point and this has nothing to do with Joseph’s story…

I pretty much lost all of that when my Dad was stolen from me. I was twelve when he went home. It wasn’t long after that that I decided I would never have children if I couldn’t give them what he gave me. I have two now so there’s no longer an option. It’s now a requirement. I’ve worked very hard at it and made some mistakes. I’ve faced some challenges and overcome most of them successfully.

Oooh, But God. I love those two words together. If you’re looking for something to study, go look up those two words in your concordance and see how many times they appear together. But God….

I found myself and children abruptly homeless a couple weeks ago on a Thursday night at about 6:45. When I say abruptly, I mean, blind sided and NOW. At the time, I had about 70 cents in change and my gas tank was empty. No problem. God will make a way. He always does. He usually does it before you need it. He sure did here. I’m not giving details, but I went from a bad situation for my children and myself, to homeless, to living my dream in less than a 24 hour period.

Anyone that loves us would be happy about that. Don’t ever again claim to love any of us if you disagree.

Here’s the high points of the details I’m not giving:

Tomorrow morning we’re picking up the keys to a log home on a 137 acre ranch. It’s a working ranch. The rent we’re paying is barely more than half of the place we moved out of. The rodeo that I worked this weekend wasn’t really a rodeo – it was a team roping competition – but it was in my new back yard, in a covered arena and they practice there every Tuesday night. We can walk there to watch in two minutes.

There is an elaborate playground that my daughters can walk to with their friends. (Most of whom live there.)

Two basketball courts and three stocked ponds where my kids can both catch the fish and feed them.

I almost forgot the baseball field.

I spent the weekend emptying garbage cans out there and picking up trash. It was dirty, ugly and nasty and I was smiling (almost) the whole time. I LOVED it. I would’ve done it for free, there. Then they paid me about ten times what I thought it was worth.

Deuteronomy talks about days of heaven on earth. I’ve seen it. I was smiling while emptying refuse. I was just glad to be there.

Starting tomorrow, we live there. My kids and I have a new address. We live at Covenant Ranch. That’s the desire of my heart. All I asked for was a roof and a shower and a couple beds. He gave me “exceedingly and abundantly above all I could ask or think.”