worried about me, crazy people, odor junkie, cakes and longing

worried about me, crazy people, odor junkie, cakes and longing
Current mood: cantankerous
Category: Life

I'm starting to worry myself. Not only do I like High School Musical, but Cool J and I went to See Bolt 3D when it came out, and when the credit started rolling, this song started playing and we thought it was awesome! The next day, I had a gift from i-tunes (Cool J is the best ever!) and it's the song. Guess who sings it? Freaking Hannah Montana! Miley Cyrus herself sings with John Travolta on this song that's a little country......and I love it anyway!!! Am I worried that I seem to have the same taste as a preteen girl?.....

yes....actually....yes.

(Down in the street there is violence
And a lots of work to be done
No place to hang out our washing
And I can't blame all on the sun, oh no)

My heel still hurts but it's getting better (thanks for asking). I am back to cutting my own hair. It may be a bad move, but it's a chance I'm willing to take. I had a crazy woman on the bus come on to me the other day, then she fell down when the bus driver stopped too quickly (on a side note, this is like the bus driver nazi..she is crazy and she yells at people and drives like Ricky Bobby on Red Bull...and she says, "God bless you" if someone starts yelling at her for perfectly legitimate things [I love the bus]) and went flying forward. She was one of those ladies that will get right up in your face (like Judge Reinhold) and have way too much eye contact (like Steve Martin's character in Baby Mama) so that you understand why a gorilla will sometimes make themselves puke if they are in a cage to make you stop looking at them (true fact).



(Workin' so hard like a soldier
Can't afford a thing on TV
Deep in my heart I'm a warrior
Can't get food for them kid, good God )

Dude, Ron Paul sent me a Christmas Card!!! Not like a political one, but one you'd get from a cousin or aunt & Uncle you don't know all that well, but you know the names of most of their kids and stuff! Pictures and everything. Does this make us friends? I hope so. Maybe I'll write him a poem on Craigslist......

Well, Pandora is dragging their feet. They need to be motivated to put my music on their thing. You can help with this. I know I've told you before, but we need to put the peddle to the meddle (metal doens't really rhyme if you say it right...or we could say "put the petal to the metal" but most petals don't have the weight necessary to depress the accelerator....and who really likes being around a depressed accelerator anyways.....what were we talking about?). Oh, yeah...we need to make Pandora think I'm wildly popular and have like a brazillion people who demand to hear my music. We can do this by searching for "Charlie Dodrill" on their site, and annoying the heck out of them until I actually show up. Then we'll take if from there. Thanks in advance. www.pandora.com

(Oh no...
Oh no...
Oh no...
Oh no...)

I used to get these great smelling candles from the Exxon Station back when they were the Tiger Mart, but they switched to something else and stopped carrying the candles (guys, if you live alone, your apartment/house/room probably smells weird to people other than yourself...this is why it's good to have candles or some other kind of scent going on there...word to the wise). So I was going to go to the Family Dollar store to get some cheap candles and I took a female friend along with me. After about a minute in there she said, "this is not happening. Get back in the car. I'm taking you to the mall."

I hate the mall.

We went to this ultra girl store called The Body Shop and we got this clay thing that you can put this oil stuff into, light a candle under it, and it smells up your whole place in like 20 seconds (could be longer if your place happens to be larger than a walk-in closet, but how would I know?). I got a couple scents and went home. I am now an strung out on Essential Oils. I have about 20 different scents and am amazed smelling how they mix together. It will most likely be a short time before people in my apartment complex begin smelling wonderful combinations of exotic aromas coming my apartment as they await the fire engines and watch the pretty flames.

(Who is to blame in one country
Never can get to the one
Dealin' in multiplication
And they still can't feed everyone, oh no)

Cool J and I are doing a great workbook thing called "How to Hear God's Voice" by Mark and Patty Virkler. If you have some time and you want a great thing to do, this is a good one. Tell them Charlie sent you and they will have no idea what you are talking about and you'll pay full price. They do give you a discount if you buy more than one. I got them for several people on my Christmas list.

And, finally, I've been frustrated lately with knowledge. I was just talking with my great friend Sean yesterday and we were struggling with the same thing (by the way, Sean's wife is the best cake maker/decorator in the entire world...maybe the history of the world [because I bet cakes pretty much stunk back in the day....something like raisins in bread or some junk like that....no thanks]. She has a website [www.breannascakes.shutterfly.com]. I showed my niece and nephew these cakes [she has slideshows], and we watched them for like 40 minutes and were amazed the whole time]).

We are tired of having so much teaching and acquiring so much (to our little pee brains) knowledge, but not experiencing what we are learning. I have heard so many great sermons, messages, speeches, what-have-you, and read so many awesome books that I have more than I could ever use, but how has all of that really affected me? It's frustrating. Do you ever long to just forget what you think you know and just start over from scratch...trying to actually live out each bite-size piece of revelation/information before being given the next? I have been lately. The soul (as opposed to the spirit) always needs to acquire more. It can never stop to assimilate what we have already learned. It is never satisfied and cannot stop getting more and more, regardless of what is being done with what we already have. It is why we are greedy in other arenas as well.

Lord, help us to live in our spirits, where we can rest and go deep into the things You show us.

But Oh, I am so grateful that we can never exhaust even the smallest bit of revelation of Him!!! All of the universe is most likely just one little toy in His cupboard, and yet he became a human and inhabited a tiny town on a tiny planet in a tiny galaxy in a tiny star system in a universe that could probably get under his little toenail, anthropomorphically (look it up) speaking. What an amazing true story. I think the longer we live with Him in eternity, and the bigger we realize that He is, the more amazed we will be by the babe lying in a trough on a speck we once called earth. Thank You, Lord.

(We gonna rock down to _______ _______
And then we'll take it higher
Oh we gonna rock down to ______ ______
And then we'll take it higher )

Merry Christmas, friends.
and if you're new to us from Australia, welcome aboard!!!

Currently listening : Volume One By She & Him Release date: 2008-03-18

Heels and Seals (not ones with the cool scar & heidi klume), could you?

Heels and Seals (not ones with the cool scar & heidi klume)

First...many of you have asked me, "So.....How was HSM 3?"

Well...let me start by saying....

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

and end by saying...

IT WAS AWESOME!!!

I know I'm not supposed to like it, but I just can't help myself -- hold that thought--my chicken vindaloo has to be stirred and heated for another four minutes....I love Trader Joes!--

OK I'm back, eating and blogging....eagging...bloting..bleating...yeah.

Who doesn't want to be Troy Bolton after watching that? Anyway...

So I am in Malibu, California a couple weekends ago (I had a couple of shows in Corona that weekend) and my best girl is with me (to protect her identity, we'll call her "Cool J"). We were climbing on the cliffs and rocks of a place called Point Dume (sounds like Doom, but it's not...it's Dume). The tide was coming in and the sun was setting and I had not yet fallen in the water trying to do stupid things. Everything was perfect.

Since the tide was coming in, we needed to climb higher to avoid being washed out to see or having the waves crush us on the rocks (I tried that later....it's not as fun as it sounds). The place where we were was white, as opposed to all the other red rocks around us. The reason it was white is because a lot of birds hang out there and they poop all over the place (more on this later). So we start climbing and we look out and there are 3 seals right there in the water below us (like within 30 feet). That was so fun! They were swimming around and playing...just made for a fun climb.

Well, we started approaching a little landing as we climbed the cliff and a bird was just sitting there. I told Cool J to be careful in case the bird was sitting on eggs or protecting young. She had her hand on the top, ready to hoist herself up when a face came over the edge and started hissing at us!!! It was a seal...3 feet away from Cool J's head!!! I tried to clap and yell to get it to back off, but told me in no uncertain terms that I was not the boss of him. So Cool J, brave as she is, goes for it, assuming that she is quicker on the rocks than any seal. As she pulls herself up, she looks right and another little seal is staring at her on the other side about 2 feet away from her face!!! I follow and we turn around to find that we are feet away from a mother seal with NINE little seals all around her!!!! Below was the dad and in all, we (and a Pelican they must have adopted) were standing in the midst of 22 seals on the cliffs of Point Dume!!! How cool is that?!?!?

Dad started barking at us and showing off his whiskers (I was very envious of his 'stache), so we took off after awhile. They explained to us that they got a bad rap in the "March of the Penguins" movie and that Morgan Freeman had it in for them. We nodded like we understood but we were both pretty confused by the logic of it all. Anyway, very cool evening in Malibu. And yes, I actually DID go to the coffeeshop where Jamie Kennedy and his gang hung out in the movie, "Malibu's Most Wanted."

Reason why it's nice to live in Nashville - Last night, November 13, I slept with my window open and a fan running in it. It was that warm. Very grateful for that.

Ive been reading the book of Luke lately. I don't know why, but it just felt like the right thing. I just so enjoy picking up the Bible and just reading it...not particularly studying it or looking to get something from it, but just to read it for entertainment sometimes. It's very cool, because the Holy Spirit still reveals great things to you anyway. He is very cool, don't you think?

I love the fall. It is tied for my favorite season with Spring.

As far as music goes, Australia seems to be picking up. That is really cool. I hope I end up getting down there before too long (especially in our winter!).

Also, want to do me a favor? I have discovered this awesome thing called Pandora.com. It is a free radio station on the internet that figures out exactly what you like and morphs into your favorite songs all the time. It is very cool.
Anywho, I want to be on it. The way you get on it is if enough people start requesting you and searching for you. So, if you want to help me live my Pandora dream, you can go to www.pandora.com and click on "about the music" and "find an artist" and type in Charlie Dodrill. The more this happens, the more likely they are to add my music to the project. It is really, really neat and you will thank me for introducing you to it. So....you're welcome in advance.

That's about it for now. I have a question that I'm asking all my friends right now, but I was just told not to put it in a blog because it is too gross. I guess I'll err on the side of not grossing people out, but it's a very good question.

Oh, yeah, I forgot about the heel part. I think I might have broken my heel attempting a fictitious "tail grab" jumping off of a sand dune into what I thought was going to be soft sand but turned out to be a rock. I've been limping now for almost two weeks. If your wondering, yes...I am that big of an idiot. If you've read these blogs long, I know you were not wondering. You already know.

I love you all (but not all in THAT way).

charlie dodrill (probably still wants to be Troy Bolton)

Currently listening : The Best of KC & the Sunshine Band By KC & the Sunshine Band Release date: 1990-06-12

You know the time, grease, get on the Train

You know the time, grease, get on the Train
Current mood: bouncy
Category: Life

Well, I guess all of you guys know what day it is, right?
Today is the opening night of High School Musical 3, and I am very excited about it.

"Aren't you ashamed to admit that, Charlie?" you ask.

I could say that I'm a little ashamed, but the fact that I am blogging it for hundreds of people to read would belie the insincerity of such a response, so I'll say it loud and proud: I LOVE ME SOME HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!!!

I was with my niece one day and she wanted to watch it with me. Needless to say, I was not excited about the next hour and a half of my life, but I love my niece, so I told her that of course I would watch her little movie with her.

About half way through, I looked at my sister (my niece's mother...go figure) and said, "This is really good."

She replied, "I know, isn't it!"

So I'm on board the HSM train and am headed to see the 12:50 showing here in a few minutes.
---------------
Other random thought....do you ever read something and wonder if whoever wrote it said it out loud before they approved it to be printed on thousands of whatever it is that it is (does that sentence make sense to you?)

An example is the microwave dinner I ate the other day (I know they are way bad for you and the microwave kills everything good in all food, but sometimes I just don't want to feel hungry, and those things do the trick to accomplish that noble purpose). It was Greek food, but it didn't really taste Greek ( I have no idea why I think you would be interested in the fact that it did not taste Greek, but it did remind me of something the crazy family I lived with in Uruguay used to feed me). Regardless, on the box, when it says all the wonderful things about the meal they have kindly prepared for you and that you are about to enjoy, it says, "Taste of Greece in every bite!"

That sounds fine when you're reading it because you know what they are talking about, but what would you think if you were blind or something and you were at the store with your seeing eye dog who just happened to be able to talk and read (they're up and coming...one of those breeds that ends with poo [like some mexican meals, incidentally]), and your seeing/reading/talking eye dog takes you to the frozen foods section and just reads you what the boxes say about the meals. S/he gets to one and reads the following (keep in mind you can't see it), "Taste of Greece in every bite."

I would be one blind guy who would not want a taste of grease in every bite and they would lose my purchasing power (unless of course it was on sale for half off).

----------------
Been pondering a lot lately on being actually, eternally, in Christ. I'm starting to see it much more than the things that He has done for me that I get to enjoy and more like I have become a passenger on a train going to all the places that He has bought for me. It isn't removed like He did something and because I believe it, I can somehow take a cab to where I need to go....or walk there...or travel there at all.

It's kind of like that scene in the 3rd Matrix where they are at the train station. He can't get anywhere unless he is inside that train. There is nowhere to go.

That is probably a great picture of what this little life on earth is. There is really nowhere worth going that we can get to on our own. And the only way to get anywhere worth going is to get on that train. Jesus is that train.

Once on the train, we don't run...we don't fly...we don't exert any of our own effort or plan. We simply sit in the train and let it take us where it will.

He will only take us to wonderful places (final destination is complete Union with the Trinity) and all we have to do is relinquish our ideas of how to get there and simply climb aboard and into the One who isn't only the directions, but is the Train, the Tracks, and the destination.

That's what I'm thinking these days.

Maybe I'll see you and all the other pre-teen girls at the premier!!!!!

charlie dodrill
dreaming for the next 2 hours that he's Troy Bolton

Currently reading : The Lie & The Light: There Is A Lie Hidden In The Heart Of Man By Jason Henderson Release date: 2008-06-25

KC, vacation, flag boy, garden rest, the Lie & the Light, down undah

KC, vacation, flag boy, garden rest, the Lie & the Light, down undah
Current mood: quixotic
Category: Fashion, Style, Shopping

Hello everyone,

Where were we?....Oh yeah, singing at urinals and pringles from the sky....

First of all, how are you? How's your mother? That's good to hear (unless either you or your mother is not doing well, in which case I'm very sorry).

Lots to catch up on.

(looking out, across the nightime.....the city winks a sleepless eye)--your song quiz

I'm getting ready to get on another plane and head to one of my favorite places on earth--Kansas City. Ahhhhh, Fiorella's Jack Stack, Oklahoma Joes, Sheridan's Frozen Custard, IHOP, Gates, Southwest Blvd., Union Station, Bluebird Cafe, Arthur Bryant's (that's 6 food references, if you're counting because IHOP is not a restaurant, so there!) That and some of the most wonderful people on the face of the earth (what part is the face of the earth anyway?...I wonder what the armpit of the earth would be...or the back of the knee of the earth......it's something to think about....feel free to give your opinions in the comments)

(hear her voice shake my window...sweet seducing sighs)

I took a real, live vacation last month!!! I've been on vacations with family before, but they were never ones that I would plan myself. Most of them were beach vacations and, if you've ever met me personally, it takes your eyes a second to adjust to the bright whiteness of my skin, so the beach isn't the happiest place on earth for me. Don't get me wrong...I love being in the ocean and riding the waves and such. I just don't like the after effects of pain and itching and lobster-esque complexion that peels off to become white, giving me a candy-cane appearance in the transition.

(Get me out Into the night-time...Four walls wont hold me tonight)

So here was the vacation. I flew to Chicago for a day, got on a train that night (I know what you're thinking, but it was not the midnight train to Georgia), went through Illinoise, Wisconsin, Minnesota, North Dakota (lots of sunflowers there), and Montana, where the train stopped at Glacier National Park, Montana. Spent a week there with friends and saw some of the most beautiful country I've seen outside of Chile. We hiked around 60 miles in all and saw Grizzly Bears, Big-horn sheep, Mountain Goats, a Moose and her calf, etc....all pretty close too. It was awesome!!!!

(If this town, Is just an apple...Then let me take a bite)

If you're wondering at what part of this trip did I end up looking like a fool, I'll tell you.

It became a tradition for at least us guys to jump in whatever glacial lake we hiked to. The first one was exhilerating. It was very cold, but the sun was out strong, so it felt great to dry off in the warmth. The first two lakes were in Canada (my first time in Canada, eh?) and they were cold, but the last long hike we took was to a place called Iceberg Lake.

"Why do they call it Iceberg Lake?" you ask (should the question mark go after the ask or after the Lake?...I'm putting it after Lake because that's the actual question....tell me if I'm wrong).

Because there's actual icebergs in it, silly.

I continued the tradition and jumped in a lake that isn't warm enough to melt ice and swam out to touch the nearest iceberg. This was dumb. The first two lakes were invigorating. This lake was absolutely painful from start to finish (I think there was a 20 minute period there where I may have temporarily switched genders). And as soon as I get out of the water, absolutely freeeeeeeezing and ready to dry off in the hot sun, a dark, ominous bank of clouds comes billowing over the cliffs above. With the clouds come the cold and...you guessed it....cold rain!!!

Smart guy Charlie (that's how I refer to myself at all times) decided that rain gear was too heavy to bring on this trip, so I put on every long sleeved piece of clothing I have with me and we ended up running a good portion of the 5 miles down the mountain in a downpour.

When we reached the camp, I changed into any piece of dry clothing that I had that looked like it might be warm. This included a pair of warmer running pants that I got like 9 years ago that were way too big that are supposed to fit tight on your legs but are really loose on me and look like those stirrup pants girls wore in the 80's. Over these was a pair of green shorts. I had a blue tank top covered by a white shirt, covered by a photographers vest that I traded someone for in Katmandu when I was there, and sunglasses with one lens out of them. (There's a picture on my blog page from my website). I actually ended up trying to dry off the rain protector of the tent and ended up looking like Napolean Dynamite doing a flag routine in high school band (there's actual video of this). So....there you go.

(If they say - Why, why, tell em that is human nature
Why, why, does he do me that way)

Thinking about the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve eating that fruit to gain the knowledge of Good and Evil....what if they were doing it to give themselves the ability to please God? I don't know, I'm just saying. We were discussing it at church last night and I would tend to think that it is a good possibility. They knew God was the best thing ever, so why would they want to rebel against Him and break fellowship with Him. Surely those "cool of the day walks" were the best part of their day, right? I bet they thought the knowledge of Good and Evil would allow them to make their own decisions that would make God proud of them and so become more pleasing to Him.

I know that's how my brain works.

The problem was...and is...that this is totally unnecessary and it doesn't work. We stink at it! We call what is good evil and vice-versa. But the bigger problem is that they were pleasing already!!! And so am I!!! And so are you if you are in Christ!!!! Why is that so hard for me to grasp in reality? Even though I sing about it and write about it, I still think I need to be doing something to make Him happy or to make Him smile when He looks at me. That's so jacked up!!! There is nothing I could ever do to impress Him or gain favor from Him, but there's no reason to do so because He's smiling already as He looks at me in His Son. His Son makes Him smile and there I am in Him!!! There's nothing I can do to add to Jesus Christ! I just need to rest.

I'm beginning to think that rest is maybe the most mature form of worship and the most selfless way to honor Him.....to rest in what He has done and quit trying to do my own thing to somehow acquire something that I'm continually given without the slightest hint of measure.

------------
Book Recommendation
You guys, I read a book that is AWESOME!!! I love finding books that when I'm done I say, "Every Christian should read this book as soon as they meet Jesus." This is one of those books. You won't find it at your local bookstore, so you'll have to order it, but it's worth ordering (plus it's pretty cheap and it's not real long). It's called "The Lie and the Light" by Jason Henderson. Get it. Read it. Tell me what you think. It will take you one or two days to read, but it is soooooooo good. Get it at https://www.createspace.com/3345469

I'd better let you get back to whatever it is that you are doing. Thanks for hanging out for a second.

By the way, some of my music is getting radio play in Australia these days. If you want to listen or request songs, you can listen over the net at http://www.rhemafm.com.au/newcastle/. Pretty fun. They say my name "chaaaaalie Daaaaahdrill." I love it!

craziness of love, circle of life at the urinal, pringles from heaven

Hey everybody!

I’ve missed you too (and stop sending me nasty e-mails heaping shame and condemnation on me for not blogging ;)….oh no…the dilemma of putting two regular parentheses in a row to make the cute, sideways winking face…but I guess this aside makes it OK again).

Let’s play “Name-that-random-tune-in-between-paragraphs” again.

(It’s hard to believe, that I couldn’t see)

Some things in my life have changed lately to change me perspective on a lot. I was thinking the other day of how frustrating it can be to be incapable of expressing affection to the degree you would like to…so that someone can really accept it and grab ahold of it.

(That you are always right beside me)

Then I began to wonder if this very scenario could be part of the reason that God Almighty came up with the plan to send His Son….the dearest thing in all the universe created and in God Himself, uncreated to a world who would never accept Him to die on behalf of those whom He created and yet hated Him anyway. What could be a greater, more crazy, extreme scenario to show someone that you love them than to give what is more precious to you than your very self to them and for them?!?!?!?! I mean, come on!!!! That is just crazy!!! What kind of unquenchable love is that!?!?! It just makes me want to learn to accept it and walk in it with my head held high because He has made me worthy, through that very gift, to be the recipient of inexpressible Love. I really want to do that. Just to accept it and so honor Him, the Giver.

(thought I was alone, with no one to hold)

I mean, what does life look like to a person who learns to receive that and leave the self-doubt and self-consciousness behind him/her and just be loved?!!??! Let’s find out, huh? What else have we got to do in our 2-3 minutes on this pebble?

(but you were always there beside me).

I know, I started off kind of heavy this time, but it’s been bubbling in me for a bit now…had to get it off my chest.

(this feeling’s like no other…I want you to know)

Have you ever been really thirsty, but have to pee at the same time?
Follow up question: Have you ever drunk (not been drunk, but been in the process of drinking liquid) at the same time as you were peeing? If you think that is gross, just skip the next few lines. I do this from time to time because I think it’s neat to have a continual flow—incoming and outgoing at the same time. When I do this, I can’t help but have the song “Circle of Life” from the Lion King playing in my head, which ultimately leads to Hanukah Matata, which sends me singing and dancing a little. This is when I notice all the other men at the urinals quickly leaving the premises (did I mention this is taking place in a public restroom?). Anywho….

(I’ve never had someone who knows me like you do… the way you do)

I imagine that one of the universal wishes of mankind, since the creation age, has been to have a portal (or at least a long tube like at the bank) which reaches all the way to heaven and dispenses fresh Pringles potatoe (Dan Quayle spelling) chips anytime that one wishes. I can’t find this wish in the Bible or in any ancient (or modern) literature, but I know in my heart that it is in the deepest desires of men and women across the globe.

(I’ve never had someone as good for me as you…no one but you)

Reading Exodus this morning, I began to notice that the Lord very intentionally put the Israelite escapees in a really difficult position with no “outs” but Him. So often, our western theology leaves no room for Him putting us in a tough spot where He is our only option. Man, I’m glad he does it. Our lives in this country are so unbelievably cushy that we can live a lifetime without every really feeling need (like the humans in WALL-E). I don’t want to look back on a life without struggle some day. There is so much to learn through pain and work and disappointment. There’s so much joy to be had on the other end of these things.

(So lonely before….I finally found...what I’ve been looking for)

As much as it pains me to do so, I’ve decided to ask Him for the whole gauntlet of what is possible here on this planet. We’ve only got one shot to experience Him through faith, while we have eternity to know Him by sight—face to face. I want to take full advantage of this short time. I ask You, Lord, to show me comfort for what it is when it doesn’t come from You. I’ve got forever to be comfortable. I’ve only got one shot at chances to walk through fear in You and to step out and risk in You. Let me/us take full advantage of these opportunities until you let us come home to You forever.

I’m off to Kansas City tomorrow for a full band show. I love KC!!!

Keep in touch and I’ll try to do the same. Sorry if I grossed you out.

SHHHOOK, SHACK, Shimmy, awkward Gramma moment

So, a friend and I are hiking in the Tennessee hills and we come to a clearing containing a forked tree (this is all after we were picked up by a police-lady....excuse me....police-person, and made to ride in the back of her cruiser because we were wandering lost on a skinny road [I have phone pictures and everything--pretty sweet--and no, she didn't taze us, bro]).

The fork was pretty low and both trunks grew up pretty straight and nice. My friend, speaking as the mature adults we are, literally said, "I dare you to jump through that tree."

Well, I was dared. As you know, there was no question as to what would happen next. I took off at about 3/4ths speed, increasing as I approached the forked tree. This would be no problem at all for me. I just had to jump up a ways and be going fast enough for my momentum to take me through the fork.

So, here I go...getting closer and closer to the tree---faster and faster as I approach---and then I jump up in the air and sail toward the fork. While rising in the air, I begin to look for the area on which to land when I come back down on the other side, when all of a sudden....SHHHHHOOK (that's what it sounded like.....SHHHHOOK!) I stopped in mid air!!!! I had overestimated the width of the fork or underestimated the width of myself. I found myself totally and completely stuck in mid air with my feet dangling a couple feet off the ground. I somehow managed to jump up and pin both my arms to my sides at the same time I went through this fork. Now I was wedged in between two trees by my shoulders and hips (which are still raw and scabby...I could take another phone picture, but I'll spare you). The only things I could move were my head and my dangling feet! What an idiot!!!

It took me a good 15 seconds to shimmy myself until the tree released me from it's ninja grip. All the other trees were laughing at me, but near as much as my hiking buddy, who was on the ground, rolling around laughing. It was pretty unbelievable. I don't think I could do that again if I tried 1000 times! I hope the scars stay so when I'm in some terrorist prison camp on the brink of despair, I can just look down at my hip scars and just laugh and laugh. It will drive those terrorists crazy!!!

O.K. I'm sorry it's been so long since I've "blogged." I'd give you the old holiday excuse (I'm sorry if the term "holiday" offended any of you...I never know what we're allowed to say these days!), but you've heard enough of that, so I'll save it.

What's been going on since we last talked?

Christmas...that was good. Got to go hang out with family, which is always good. I went to see "Charlie Wilson's War" with my 84 year-old grandmother and my folks. Good movie, but the first five minutes is a bunch of naked women in a hot-tub doing cocaine!!! If I'm by myself, that makes me uncomfortable, but when I'm with the people that gave me birth and the woman that gave one of them birth????........AWKWARD! Thankfully, the rest of the movie was great and had no more naked, cocaine snorting, hot tub women (not to reduce their lives to that one scene, but that's all I know of them....I mean, I'm sure their parents don't refer to them that way).

Since we last talked, I've become politically active. I found a candidate who I think is just awesome and I'm really excited about him (or her...but it's a him). I never really cared much until I googled this guy, but now I'm borderline obsessed with getting him elected. That's a new one for me.

West Virginia football had a fairy tale redemption of a tragic situation in beating the Goliath, Oklahoma in a bowl game with an interim coach who is the nicest guy ever after being abandoned by a 'not-as-nice" coach to fend for themselves. Being from West Virginia, that's a really big deal. The rest of you will just have to try and understand and become huge Mountaineer fans as well!!!!



Sooooo...It's a new year and I'm excited!!! I LOVE change and I just like new starts. I'm not a big "New Year's Resolution" guy because it's just a big opportunity for guilt for me. I figure I've got enough laws that I put on myself, so I avoid one more every year.

It does excite me to think, "Lord, I'm going to know You in a different way this year....not because of anything I'll do, but because I know You want me to know You in a different way." That just exhilarates me (I've tried to spell this word four times now and the red line still comes up below it! Does anyone know how to spell this word!?!?!!)

The year is off to a great start in that respect. Someone at my church mentioned a life-changing book they just read called "The Shack" by William P. Young. I went immediately from Church and began looking for this book. It was sold out all over the city until I made it to David Kidd, an independent bookstore in Nashville, who had one copy left (got the last one in the city....I take that stuff as a sign). I started reading it Sunday night and now I've got about 20 pages left. It is unbelievable.

I've never read a book I agree with more. The things I've learned in my life, especially over the past 10 years, are presented so beautifully in this book that I just sit in wrapped amazement as I turn page after page and drink in what is being so smoothly poured from the heart of God. I'm not even finished with it and I'm already planning on reading it 5 more times, just to make sure I keep reminding myself of these truths that I believe, but I don't always live. It's so easy to forget the good of Him who loves us. It's so easy to forget that we are the delight of His eyes, and not the disappointment of his expectations (expectations that He never even had). It's so easy to forget that the Life He gives us is simple and not complicated. So easy to forget that we are not made to be alone. I'll stop waxing and just tell you, you should get this book. Wow.

Well, I just wanted to check in and see how you guys are doing. I know many of you are wondering how I'm rebounding after the break up with Dee's (Dodge Stratus that should not be named). I'm doing fine. One day at a time. I do have a new lady in my life, though. Her name is Muh (pronounced "Emma"). Any guesses as to what type of vehicle she is?

May you see more and more of Him in every circumstance of your life this year and may He become clearer and bigger in your eyes as each moment passes.

Great to be on this journey with you.

charlie dodrill
(former driver of a Dodge Stratus)