Onward Chrisitan Solider

You know what I like about this? This guy is for real. I don't have any doubt he is buying what he is selling. It was refreshing to see this guy on my commute the other day. This was not just a tailgate message, he had these warnings on both sides of the truck and on the hood! What passion.

Three Strikes.

I am not a fan of movies. I don't like most T.V. shows either, but I'll save that for another day. Most people can, as Shakespeare put it, "suspend reality" long enough to enjoy stuff like that, but I just find myself frustrated with how dumb, or far fetched things on the screen seem to be. I am just not a fan of fake.

With the kids being out of school, Rachel and I are trying to find ways to entertain them. The other night we went to the video store to see what we could muster up...not much. Sure there were lots to choose from, but at the same time nothing to choose from. I had to suspend my own reality as Rachel would ask me if I'd like this or that movie. They all seemed bad, Yuck!

We combed to whole store and came home with three movies; The Tale of Despero, Mall Cop, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I don't want to clutter this entry with lame details or commentary of movies that should have never been made so I will just say, they were terrible. In fairness, I fell asleep during The Tale of Despero. So maybe after the first twenty minutesthat one turns into a smash. Just after that same twenty minutes that seemed to lull me to sleep. Strike one! Mall Cop scored a zero. Strike two! The only good thing about the Benjamin Button movie was the fact that I got to sit on the couch and cuddle my sweetheart for three hours, but we didn't need a movie for that. Strike three, yer out!

The Mile Swim and the Heart of a Champion

My camp memoirs were long, so I pulled this out because it could stand alone.

"I love to swim. I always have. When I saw that there were two swimming activities offered at camp I could not pass them up. One was the Polar Bear Swim the other was the Mile Swim. First was a little hokey, it was more refreshing than cold, the latter was a pretty decent chore. I talked up the mile swim to my boys and actually got three of them to go with me. One of them was my son. The other two didn't strike me as swimmers. There are three days of mandatory conditioning. Starting at 1/8 mile and doubling each day until the full mile. So long as I was doing it, I knew that Chip was not going to give up. I felt like the other boys would lose interest after a day or two. I was wrong. Those boys stuck with it. On the day of the 1/2 mile swim, one of the boys admitted that he really wanted to do other things, but he had committed to this and he was going to stick with it. Citing the 50 mile hike the troop did last year he said, "I hiked fifty miles, I can swim one."

Friday was the day of reckoning, they all did it. It was not easy but they did it. There was one thing that made it easy for me, that was my swim buddy Chip. I was swimming at a steady pace and he stayed right with me. A few times he got a little behind, but with some quick recovery strokes, he was right back even with me. I wanted to tell him that he didn't have to keep up with me. After all, it was not a race we just needed to finish. But I knew that I couldn't stop swimming so I let him do what he thought was right. It took about 45 minutes to complete, it was tiring. I watched as he pulled his long skinny body out of the pool and totally exhausted he lay on the deck. I asked him how he felt and very quickly and confidently he said, "Good." He started to shake, so I got him his towel, that helped a little. I gave him some peanuts and a Gatorade and that helped. After a few minutes he was back to normal.

I was in awe as I witnessed one whose will exceeded his own physical abilities. I was so proud of him."

"Chip off the old block"

"The old block"

Scout Camp in Review.

I went up to Scout Camp this year. I had a great time. I have the best job in all of the church. I kept a little journal; I am going to transcribe it here on the blog.

Monday
10:45pm-
I have got to connect with these boys. I need to figure out how to extend myself so they trust me. Somehow I need to show them the love I have for them.

Tuesday
11:15pm-
I got up at 4:30 this morning. I have been walking up and down hills all over this camp trying to keep track of these boys. I figure I have walked over 4 miles today. I also swam an 1/8 mile in preparation for a mile swim. I am tired. Tomorrow seems looks like it will be about the same thing. My pockets are full of little scraps of trash, too tired to empty them. I’m going to bed.

Wednesday
8:30am-
I woke up at 4:45 to get ready for the polar bear swim and KP duty. (Our troop has to take a turn in the kitchen and ours was this morning’s breakfast.) Last night I pulled each boy aside and told them what I expected of them. They needed to stay awake after I left, wake up the other Dad, clean up camp, and be at the mess hall by 6am in full uniform.
So I left our campsite in the care of one of the dads who came up and the less motivated boys while I took the “go-get-ers” to the pool. Ten minutes to six one of the boys asked if me should go back to camp to check on the boys. I told him that they would be there and not to worry. (Worrying is my job, after all.). We waited. Then two minutes to six, I saw them coming, in full uniform, just like I had asked. Awesome.

Now, I made it back to camp and it looks outstanding. I am tickled at what a great job these boys did. Bless their hearts. I really believe they want to be responsible and accountable. They are awesome.

I prayed hard last night. It has been a while since I have, “poured out my whole heart” to the Lord. I prayed for my loved ones. Naturally I started with my sweet Rachel, then the kids. I prayed for my scouts, one by one. Then I prayed for the other leaders, and my daughters leaders, and on and on. I was so grateful for all of the good people in my life. Peace came over me and I realized that is how all my prayers should be. It was time to forget myself and get to work. It was very inspiring.

10:45pm-
Jim came back, what a relief. I don’t know about what he thinks, but I think we make a good team. Gosh, I like that guy. I had a few Mike Brady ‘pearls of wisdom’ moments with some of the boys today.

Story 1: During KP duty this morning, our Senior Patrol Leader was doing his best to look like he was doing work, but fooling no one but himself. I pulled him aside and explained that the best way to earn respect is to out work everyone, not out smart everyone. When you have their respect then you will have their ear, then when they believe you, you will have their heart. It seemed liked he listened.

Story 2: I talked three of the boys into doing the mile swim with me. We condition everyday, doubling the length until on Friday we swim one mile. Yesterday we swam 1/8 mile, today ¼ mile. Before the swim I told the boys what seemed hard yesterday will be easy today. After the swim one of the boys, my son Chip, came over to me and told me I was right. We talked for a bit about how with experience things that seem hard become easy. I told him that his mom and I have been through all of his hard tomorrows and we want to help and guide him through those tough tomorrows of his life. We talked about the Atonement, and how through Jesus all of the things that seem hard will be made easy.

Story 3: We went to the Order of the Arrow tap out ceremony this evening, it ended with a little hike led by the OA. We were not to talk, and were asked not to use our flashlights. After the Scout law hike we headed back up to our camp site. Our newest scout, still so xcited about everything asked if it was alright to use his flashlight. I told him that he could if he wanted. He was so excited. As we headed up the trail I noticed how bright the moon was so I turned my flashlight off and enjoyed the moon lit trail. I called ahead to the new scout, he stopped and let me catch up with him. I told him to turn off is flash light. He was reluctant, but still so new and trusting, he did as I aksed. I showed him how bright everything became when we loose the man made light and use the all encompassing light that the Lord provides for us. I told him that man cannot compete with God; man’s inventions are no match for God’s creations. Sometimes we think we can do it our way or on our own, but growth and truth come when we exercise faith, loose our little light and rely on the Lord’s light.

It was a good day.

Thursday
10:45pm- On the downhill now. The boys are finishing merit badges, we are trying to let them do all the things they want to do. They are getting a little testy and short with each other; they might be learning that from me. All in all, it was a good day. I an starting to excited about going home.

Friday
5:45am-No polar bear swim today. This gave me time to study and ponder, I wish I could make this a habit when I get home.

11:00pm- Great last day of Camp! All the boys got their merit badges complete. We completed the mile swim today. I was impressed with those boys’ determination. Most of all, my son for staying with me lap for lap. We spent some time hacky sacking and hanging out. At dinner it was our troops’ turn to be the honor guard and retire the colors. They did me proud showing such reverence and respect up there.

The highlight of the evening and the camp was what happened after dinner but before the closing ceremony. Let me explain.
Scoutmaster Jim is a detail guy and a good planner. (I, on the other hand, am a ‘big picture’ guy who procrastinates and shoots from the hip.) It was earlier that morning that Jim told me that there was going to be two hours between the dinner and the campfire. He was pretty bent out of shape because he didn’t have anything planned; he usually has two or three back up plans to boot! It didn’t get to anxious because 7 hours seem like an eternity away for a guy like me. So, I told him not to worry about it and I would think of something. He was still unsettled, so I reassured him that I would come up with something that we could do. A little later he lamented and said he cannot believe that he missed this two hour window. I told him everything would work out and to trust me. He has trusted me in the past, so he let himself trust me again.
As I was thinking of something to do I took a different path through camp and it went right by an obstacle course. There was a C.O.P.E.(Challenging Outdoor Personal Experience) course on the far end. Right then I knew what we were going to fill that window of time with. So we did the Steve Hixon unofficial C.O.P.E. course.
The real highlight was the trust fall. I was so glad to be a part of it. There were a few surprises that I neither could, nor have been happier about. One of our boys is very unsure of himself. He does not think anyone likes him. I told him that if he could not trust them, then just trust me. He did it and was so happy to be caught by the boys that he welled up with tears. The boys were so encouraging. We have another boy who is not too active in the troop, shy and a little bit pudgy. Much to my surprise he got up there and with very little hesitation did the fall. Yes! The apex for me was the reflection. Of course the boys brought up team work, unity, trust, and overcoming fear, but what made my whole week was to hear my son say, “For me it was like faith. Falling backwards into arms that you know is there but can’t see them is like having faith in Jesus Christ even thought we cannot see him.”
I have walked for miles all over this camp. My legs are sore. I have been getting very little sleep. Sleep that comes by way of an insect and critter infested tent on a piece of plywood. I used a week of vacation time away from my wife and other kids. I herded boys from one thing to the next, listening to, “But Brother Hixon why……?”, and all of that seems to be a small price to pay to hear something like that. I am so blessed to have thins opportunity with my boy.

Later I personally reflected upon my fall. After being caught by these little boys and as they were letting my feet to the ground I had put my arms around two these young men that I love as I caught my balance. I hope that in my life I was faith sufficient so when I fall for this life to the next I will be greeted with the open arms of my Savior and Redeemer, Jesus Christ.

Thank You, Ervin.

A few weeks ago I saw this commercial. It would be the worlds greatest understatement to say that this is only the greatest commercial ever made. Admittedly, the first time I saw it I got so excited I got goose bumps and welled up a little. Now I just goose bump and cheer when the ball falls through the net. So here is to the greatest basketball team ever. (I'm sure with all of the modern technologies one could do this a little less archaic, but not this one. I just filmed the TV screen.)

"Break Even's" Update

One of my dreams is to have my own restaurant. I'd work the grill, bark at the waitresses, chat with the customers, much like Mel on the TV show Alice. It's like a retirement dream. I don't think it would be fun if I depended on the income, so the food will be affordable and good. It will be called, "Break-Even Stephen's", and it's Menu will be a dry erase board that will change upon what I feel like whipping up that day. It will be a hoot.

Every so often I will play in the kitchen working on menu items. This weekend seemed to be a spare rib weekend. I do ribs about three times a year, the last time was a debacle: overcooked and over seasoned. The only thing I didn't over-do was love. They were a classic case of under loved and neglected meat. What a pity. Most of the time I eat what I cook and it is fine. Sometimes I taste it and I don't want anything else to do with it; Not because it's gross, it's just because I don't have a desire to eat it, it's a complicated emotion. It is rare when I feel like I make something really good. Monday's ribs were one of those rare times that I did good. I couldn't get enough of them. I was very pleased with them. They may be a regular menu item.

I rubbed them, stacked them, wrapped them and let them rest overnight.

After about 6 hours of braising I finished them on the grill.

Horay for me.

The Law of the Harvest

It goes a little something like this,

.

When you put very little effort in...

....you get very little tomatoes.

I am not ashamed of this, I am proud of the fact that this plant is not dead, yet. Me, this plant, and my green thumb are a work in progress. And progrees is never something to be ashamed of. By the way, I cut these tomatoes up last night and put them in our salad and they tasted great!