by | August 10, 2013 · 10:21 pm

Shark Week

Hogging the TV

This week has been nothing but shark, shark, shark. The Discovery Channel has been airing its annual series called Shark Week, and it has been on 24/7 in the Baker house.

As a matter of fact, unless a program being aired on Shark Week is a repeat, or unless it has been recorded, one can forget watching anything else until our girls are fast asleep dreaming – about sharks.

Honestly, it totally amazes me that so much programming time can be devoted to sharks. I mean, seriously, how much more has been learned since last year? How many more people have willingly swam with sharks just to have video of their stupidity shown to the world? Nevertheless, until Shark Week (and recordings thereof) is over and the girls are through with looking as Great White teeth, I’ll never get to see Joel Osteen’s pearly whites again.

Something Different

Now, it was already difficult to make myself go into the ocean. Ever since Jaws came out, you can forget me ever skinny-dipping at night in the surf (I used to do that a lot when I was 2 or 3). But Shark Week has made me even more aware of how deadly some of these sharks can be, especially the Great White.

sperm whale warningBut you know what, I’ve been getting a little tired of hearing how big and bad sharks are. They aren’t the baddest guppies in the ocean. As a matter of fact, things can get a lot worse than a shark warning. How about a sperm whale warning?!

A friend of mine posted this picture on her Facebook page. Roughly translated it reads,

“Sperm Whale! Stay the heck out of the water! For get the sharks; they’ve already been eaten! Stay at least 30 yards away from the beach or you might end up like Captain Ahab. There is no such thing as “Whale Week” on the Discovery Channel, so don’t act like a fool.”

You do know what a sperm whale is, don’t you? It’s a 35 ton, 60 ft.-long mammal with teeth that weigh a pound each, and has been known to sink ships. It’s more than a match for a wimpy 16 ft. shark.

Image Credit: Encyclopedia Britanica

Image Credit: Encyclopedia Britanica

The Point?

So, what’s the point? Oh, I don’t know. I just thought it was funny to see a warning for sperm whales instead of sharks. But on the other hand, it does make me remember something my dad used to tell me: “No matter how big you are, there’s always somebody bigger, and tougher.”

The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, and the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the LORD alone shall be exalted in that day. – Isa. 2:11

Stay humble. The moment you start feeling confident in you sharkiness, a whale might have to come along and teach you a lesson.

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by | August 6, 2013 · 11:20 pm

Nugget the Brave

Little Dogs

What is it about little dogs? If our little dog, Nugget, weighed another 50 pounds he could take down an elephant. Honestly!

Tonight I took our little dogs out for their final walk of the night. Jack was on a leash because he would never come back, but Nugget was able, as always, to walk on his own. All of a sudden Nugget tore away like a streak of lightening, barking like mad.

It was dark behind our house and church, but just as Nugget got out of sight the moonlight illuminated the fur of four large, terrified deer! Somewhere in the grass was an 8 lb. chorkie threatening the lives of four 110 lb. wild animals! What was he thinking?!

Nugget the Brave

Nugget the Deer Chaser

“Hey!! Hey!! Hey!! Hey!! Heyyyyy!!”

“Hey you! My yard! My yard! My yard! STOP! so I can sniff you!”

“You’re not getting away this time, you over-sized cats! Come back here and feel my fangs chew your scrawny legs!”

“That’s right, RUN! Fear me! Fear me! Hey, hey, hey, HEY!”

“Dang it! Why can’t I jump the fence like that? Oh well, I’ll just use my wet feet to show my mommy how much I love her and her clean sheets.”

Little Children

On the other hand, maybe he was blessed with a little of what we ought to feel whenever we see giants in the night…

I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. – Philippians 4:13 KJV

Fear not, for I [am] with you; Be not dismayed, for I [am] your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ – Isaiah 41:10 NKJV

You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4 NKJV

 Giants will flee as you go forth in the power of His might (Ephesians 6:10). Be brave!

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by | August 5, 2013 · 11:01 am

A Thought for Monday

Today is Monday, but you’ve probably figured that out, haven’t you?

Coffee always helps.

Coffee always helps.

How did you wake up? Was it with a sense of dread? Instead of turning off the alarm clock that woke you up, did you strike it like a mosquito that had been buzzing around your head for an hour?

I don’t like Mondays any more than you. As a matter of fact, Mondays are pretty rough. Mondays should be my day off, but I am what they call a bivocational pastor; therefore, my alarm clock feels like a mosquito, too.

However, the Psalmist (David) says…

This [is] the day [which] the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it. – Psalm 118:24 

Today…this Monday…every Monday…this is the day which the Lord has made. As a matter of fact, He has made every day. So, what will we do? Will we bemoan the blessing of waking up? Will we cry “foul” even before we enter the game? Will we start the day with the expectation that Monday will be like every other Monday?

This day was made by God. He knows what He is doing. Nothing will come our way that God is not already planning to use for our good – for those who love Him.

Today you may face a storm that leaves you feeling abandoned by God. You may feel like the disciples who were out on the Sea of Galilee all night fighting winds and waves. You may think that your Savior has forgotten you. Just remember that even in the worst storm, on the worst day, Jesus knows where you are. When the time is right you might even get an invitation to surf the waves of adversity (Matthew 14:27).

So, rejoice! Be glad! Seize the day! It’s been custom-made for you!

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by | August 1, 2013 · 11:44 am

Thoughts from the Beach (part 2)

Yesterday, in a longer post than normal, I told you a little about my trip to the beach. This time I would like to share one more thought that I had (thanks to my wife).

Tourist Alert

Standing in the oceanCould anyone look more like a tourist? The only thing missing from this picture is a big camera hanging around my neck. Here I am, standing in the ocean, not wearing a bathing suit, tan challenged, looking down at water containing critters that could eat me. This is not a picture of a native.

Yet, this IS a picture of someone thinking…pondering…contemplating…

The Yorktown

Before I tell you what I was thinking while standing on the beach, let me first tell you about something else. One of the highlights of my trip to Charleston was our visit to the USS Yorktown, the famous WWII-era aircraft carrier. I felt like a kid in a toy store!

YorktownBelieve it or not, being that I am from Tennessee, up until seeing the Yorktown I had never seen a real ship in person. Oh, I have seen some big boats go up and down rivers, but never something this big – not even close. And to think, this aircraft carrier is small compared to the new ones! Needless to say, I was tremendously impressed – I even got chills.

It took us several hours to tour the Yorktown, not to mention the USS Laffey (a destroyer) that sat next to her. If I had had my way, and if I had had a little more energy and some money to spend on refreshments, I would have stayed longer. There was so much to take in because of the scale of these ships. They were huge!

The Sky

Back to the beach…

One thing my wife told me was that she loves going to the beach if for no other reason than to contemplate God. She said that when she looks out toward the horizon she thinks to herself, “God is bigger than that.”

Who has measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, or with the breadth of his hand marked off the heavens? Who has held the dust of the earth in a basket, or weighed the mountains on the scales and the hills in a balance? – Isaiah 40:12 NIV

As I stood in the water, lily-white legs and all, I looked out at the vast expanse of ocean, looked up at the sky, and thought to myself, “Just think, God is bigger than all this!” The cargo ships and cruise liners could be seen in the distance, and they looked no bigger than a twig. The sky soared above them and the ocean and surrounded me. There was no way I could grasp its magnitude.

I shivered.

 

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by | July 31, 2013 · 11:27 am

Thoughts from the Beach (Part 1)

Vacation

Last week my wife and kids and I went to visit our daughter, Alicia, and her husband, Josh, in Charleston, South Carolina. Josh is in the Air Force and stationed in Charleston, so we stayed with them in their new house instead of a hotel.

market shoppingWe didn’t have a lot of money to spend, so we went sight-seeing in the historic district along the harbor, admiring all the old houses, sail boats, and numerous items for sail in the old market that stretched for blocks. If we had been wealthy, there were plenty of things we could have bought, especially the hand-made grass baskets that were sold all over the place.

Isle of Palms was only about a 45 minute drive from where we were staying, so another thing we did that was inexpensive was go to the beach. Playing in the sand, walking along the shore, and even splashing in the water (if one dares) is free.

Thinking

One day while visiting the beach I walked out into the water and just stood there…thinking…imagining. What I should have been doing was getting some sun on my pale, suburban skin, but this day thinking was enough. What I thought about is what I want to share with you today and tomorrow.

Sinking

Standing in the oceanNotice in the picture how that my lily-white legs are in the water, not on top. My feet are even sinking into the sand as the waves churn the current around me. What I am not doing is walking on the water.

One of the things I thought about while standing there was how cool it would have been to be like Jesus and Peter and walk on the water. It would have been so fun to just run out onto the swelling waves and ride them up and down instead of falling into them and fighting to survive. It would have been cool to stand on top of the water and not worry about what was underneath wanting to eat my toes. Yet, I was sinking, not walking.

Riding Waves

Looking at the waves got me to thinking about the story of Jesus and Peter in the book of Matthew…

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves. About three o’clock in the morning Jesus came toward them, walking on the water. When the disciples saw him walking on the water, they were terrified. In their fear, they cried out, “It’s a ghost!” But Jesus spoke to them at once. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “Take courage. I am here! ” Then Peter called to him, “Lord, if it’s really you, tell me to come to you, walking on the water.” “Yes, come,” Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. “Save me, Lord!” he shouted. Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. “You have so little faith,” Jesus said. “Why did you doubt me?” – Matthew 14:24-31 NLT

Have you ever seen paintings depicting this event? I don’t think any that I have seen portrayed a true representation of what went on. Most show Jesus walking on water with no more than a few ripples on the surface. The Bible says the disciples were “terrified” because of the wind and waves (not to mention a man walking on them). What kind of seasoned fishermen would have been terrified of rippled water?

As I stood looking out at the waves I could imagine that the water the disciples were being tossed around in was heaving the boat up and down like a roller coaster. And when they saw Jesus walking toward them, where would He have been but on top of the waves? There would have been no flat, level, walking-water anywhere in sight!

Fun with Jesus

When Peter realized that Jesus was the one out their riding the waves instead of fearing them, I can’t help but think that Peter must have thought, “Dadgum! That looks like fun!” Sure walking on water when it is calm would have been cool, but calm water doesn’t possess strong winds and dangerous waves. Peter must have seen Jesus looking like a surfer in a robe without a surfboard and wanted to share in the experience. I mean, if you’ve got to go through a storm, why not ride the waves?

Do you understand the implications of what I am saying? We all face crushing storms with high winds and killer waves, but having faith in Jesus can change one’s whole perspective.

Instead of letting the fear of sinking take your breath away, step out in faith and ride the swells!

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by | July 29, 2013 · 12:30 am

Monday Monkey (at the beach) Episode 37

Island of Palms, SC

There is no music, only the natural sounds of water crashing on the shore, a monkey yelling, etc.

This was Mr. Monkey’s first and last time to the beach. The Atlantic was not kind to his 30+ year-old, non-replenishing fur. He survived a washing machine this time, but I’m not willing to take any more chances.

Vacation is over. Maybe we can rescue the rest of our lives.

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by | July 25, 2013 · 12:17 am

Monkey Survived

He Survived!

I was so worried, but Mr. Monkey came through the wash without falling apart. Washing a family heirloom is not something I do very often, especially 30 year-old puppets.

You see, I took Mr. Monkey with us to the beach in South Carolina. There he experienced getting buffeted by the salty waves crashing onto the shore. Fortunately, he didn’t need sunscreen.

The only problem is that Mr. Monkey came out of the wash fine, but ended up looking like he got a “perm” after only a few minutes in the dryer. He’s still a little damp, so he’s just hanging around, for now.

Well, signing off again from the WordPress iPhone app. Have a great Thursday!

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20130725-001628.jpg

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by | July 24, 2013 · 5:20 pm

Washing Monkey

I’m not sure about this.

I just did something that is making me sick. I just put Mr. Monkey in a washing machine.

Even though this is supposed to be one of those fancy machines, I’m still nervous – very nervous. My wife told me there is nothing inside the machine to hurt him, and with the setting set for “delicates,” it should be OK. I hope so.

I’ll never forget that look if something goes wrong.

My dad bought this monkey back in 1983. That means Mr. Monkey is 30 years old! Who puts a 30 year-old family artifact in a washing machine?!

Here we are in Charleston, SC at my daughter and son-in-law’s house. I’m using my iPhone to make this post and thinking of the footage I filmed for next week’s Monday Monkey. Was that Mr. Monkey’s last episode? Oh, I hope not!

20130724-171719.jpg

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by | July 22, 2013 · 10:07 am

Monday Monkey (Waking Up) Episode 36

It has been a really long while since I made a video with Mr. Monkey. The last one was in March!

No wonder the world has been going crazy.

So, after a long day at church, then painting cabinet doors for a neighbor, I got into bed. That’s when it hit me – make a video.

I made the whole thing (except for the music) while laying (lying?) on my back. My wife never noticed – thank goodness.

Have a great Monday! 

P.S. Do I have any fans in Charleston, S.C.?

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by | July 17, 2013 · 12:45 am

Music Coming

Nashville

Last weekend was spent sitting in front of microphones.

My daughters and I, along with Daniel Ziegenmier, were in a small recording studio creating what I believe will be a surprise hit – Katie’s debut CD. Would you like to hear about it?

Goat Farmer Records

goat farmer recordsBelieve it or not, Katie (my daughter) was picked up by Daniel’s brother, Joel, at Goat Farmer Records in Nashville, TN. I know what you’re asking – “Goat Farmer Records?” Yes, Goat Farmer Records. We are the label’s first Christian artists!

Being that GFR is not Sony, Capital, or Sparrow Records, the recording budget is limited. We were not flown to Nashville, nor did we receive big bonuses and specially prepared food during sessions. No limo picked us up at the hotel, either. But, what we did receive was a warm welcome, a laid-back atmosphere, and the opportunity to have fun. If nothing else, this poor preacher isn’t having to fork out $10K for studio time. Can I get an “amen!”?

Pictures

Everybody loves pictures, so here are a few images from our sessions.

IMG_0635

Mr. Monkey goes everywhere.

IMG_0639

Daniel on the cajon, Haley on the Uke, Katie on guitar, Joel setting up, and me on bass (out of view).

IMG_0641

It’s hard to explain.

IMG_0650

Katie likes the Neuman u87 (microphone).

IMG_9911

Steve Castlen on drums.

Unlike many other groups, we get to play our own instruments! No hired studio musicians to replace us – no sir! But of course, that means recording music takes longer and requires a lot of work. Amazingly, one can get tired while having fun.

Requests

I have a couple of requests. First of all, would you please pray for this project? Nearly all of the songs we are recording were written by Katie, and they are meant to bring honor and glory to the Lord. We would love to see God get the glory for taking a simple project and turning it into a miracle.

Secondly, I would ask that you consider purchasing and downloading at least one song when everything is done. Believe me, every song on this project will be worth having, so I hope that you will recommend it to others.

I will keep all of you updated as we get closer to a release date. Until then, stay tuned!

Bonus Picture

rockers

Mirror Image (1993)

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