Tuesday, January 8, 2008

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)