Wingman Wanted

I’m married now for years and plan to stay that way but nevertheless, I could sure use a Wingman right now. The traditional military definition of a "Wingman," refers to the pattern in which military jet fighters or other aircraft fly together. There is always a lead aircraft while another one flies to it's right (off it's right wing) and a little behind it. The pilot of the second aircraft is called the "Wingman" because he or she is there to protect the lead aircraft's "Six" that is to say, to watch his back against enemy fighters. 

In a social situation such as in a bar, a Wingman’s job is to team up with the lead guy to hopefully score a relationship with women. On the TV show, How I Met Your Mother, Ted was Barney’s Wingman. In the classic movies Top Gun, Goose was Maverick’s Wingman and as some know, Cameron was Ferris Bueller’s Wingman in Ferris Bueller's Day Off.  A good Wingman in action, will sometimes run interference with the girlfriend of the young woman the lead guy sets his sights on. Or possibly, the Wingman  might go after the girlfriend for himself.  Typically in bar situations; we find the Wingman raucously laughing at his friend’s bad jokes and by the way, the Wingman's friend is responsible for buying the drinks. He’d better buy, his Wingman is after all working very hard to watch his back.  In addition to all of this,  a wise Wingman should also take care  to not let his friend get too out of control.

   

In this present day I no longer need a social Wingman nor do I function as one. What I do need however, is a buddy who will help me get to heaven. A spiritual man who knows and understands me and who hopefully, also laughs at my bad jokes. I need help with so many things -like staying pure, staying humble, being forgiving and remaining focused on God and being obedient to Him. Ideally, my spiritual Wingman should also relate to me by having one or more common interests with me. By the way, I do recognize that I already have another type of spiritual friend known as a Guardian Angel, with real wings! In the past my Guardian Angel did some heavy lifting for me and helped me to survive some pretty hairy situations. Yet, I still need a human Wingman made of flesh and blood like me. Someone who can talk with me,  tell me what’s going on and who will listen to my cares, concerns and my confessions.

So Señor, I am now taking applications for the position of my Wingman to watch my back and of course I'll watch your back too. Good references are required.  

Sparkling in The Sand

                                                                                                       

Dear Lord hear my prayer:

Please don’t let another miss out on you, or they will surely die -spiritually. The jewel that is our salvation lies sparkling in the sands of time.  Some seek this jewel, others are drawn to it and others like myself just happened by and saw a glint of light in the sand. While stopping to examine what caught my eye, I discovered your priceless jewel of salvation and this changed me forever. I'm just an ordinary man but I invite all passers-by to stop, look and examine this treasure for yourselves. Meet me at church so we can share with each other what the Lord has done for us! Or we can share what we hope the Lord will do for us!  

Click on this link for the location of Southwest Region of my Church Fellowship. I am THERE every Sunday when I'm in town. 

The Love Music Series

The following letter is an edited version of the liner notes from my very first Love Music Tape. There are a total of five tapes  in the series. The cover art is also reproduced above.

August 11, 1993

To whom it may concern:

PLEASE PLAY THE TAPE WHILE READING THIS LETTER

I would like to share with you a collection of music from late 1968 through the seventies decade that defies all conventional classifications. The usual clichéd, pigeon holed and pigeon dropped classifications such as Oldies but Goodies, Old Gold, The Classics, Blasts from the Past, Greatest Hits of the blah, blah, blah are all much too stale, dull and let's just face it; outrageously boring and that is a crime!

            When I was sixteen I simply referred to these beautiful and sensuous love ballads –a la falsetto as “LOVE MUSIC.” I think “Love Music” is still a very fitting name to classify this music since the overwhelming theme in most if not all of this music is love lost and love found. The Delfonics and the Stylistics were two favorites of mine but there were many others some of whom also appear on the enclosed tape.

           There is not one song on this Love Music collection that doesn’t feature me on it. Picture me if you will, as the lead singer for each group and wearing some fine funky threads, singing pretty, moving fluidly to the music, in step, on time and in the groove!!! Have mercy, listen to me now! (I also do the background singing and choreograph all of the dance moves).

            The most important thing about this love music was the voice it gave to the passionate heart beating within the breast of a young brother and to all lovers everywhere. And yes there was that time long ago, when my heart was broken -yet the band played on. Doggone it! I could still hear the band playing and singing even as my love boat sank beneath the ocean waves.  

            Moving on with my life and moving to Houston in 79 was an epic happening for me.  That's when and where I met my wife for the first time and I fell in love with her at first sight. (I Never Knew Love Before Her!) I just knew at once that she was the one I had been singing my love songs to; ALL along! I felt it deep within on a spiritual level, that I had just met my Soul Mate. 

           Director's Cut Notes: This whole tape flows with the emotional Ups and Downs of Love. Marilyn McCoos' 'One Less Bell to Answer,' an incredibly moving heartbreak song; is answered immediately with Eddie Holman's heartfelt song 'Hey There Lonely Girl' and on and on as the love tape goes slowly around in your cassette deck.

              Very sincerely and lovingly yours, 

              Joseph

The Playlist: Love Music 1. (Originally released on cassette tape in 1993)

**Feel free to sample the tunes that are highlighted below by clicking on them.

1. La La Means I love you – The Delfonics
2. Break your promise –The Delfonics
3. Didn’t blow your mind this time – The Delfonics
4. Trying to make a fool of me – The Delfonics
5. Baby, I’m for real –The Originals
6. The Bells –The Originals
7. You’ll never get to heaven –The Stylistics
8. You’re as right as rain –The Stylistics
9. You make me feel brand new –The Stylistics
10. Break up to make up –The Stylistics
11. Always together –The Dells
12. I can sing a rainbow –The Dells
13. Rainy night in Georgia –Brook Benton
14. Going in Circles –The Friends of Distinction
15. One Less Bell to Answer –The Fifth Dimension
16. Hey there lonely girl – Eddie Holman
17. Let’s stay together –Al Green
18. Ooh Baby Baby-The Five Stairsteps
19. O-Oh- Child –The Five Stairsteps

Roadside Memorials

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4hXB2YOiQjA

When we see those small white crosses on the side of the road, we all know what that means.  It means that someone lost their life in a car accident on that very spot.  This roadside memorial custom is practiced all over the United States now but it is controversial. I use to think that these memorials were weird and that people shouldn’t do this.  But latter I changed my mind because I thought; "who am I to tell the brokenhearted that their public grief is unwanted." My heart goes out to all the grieving families who set up roadside memorials. My hope and my prayer is that they will find peace and healing for their loss. Also I pray that those who see the small crosses along the road will respect them and be reminded to be more careful as they drive. The following song is for you: "The Windows of the World," by Isaac Hayes.

The Forbearance

The power company tech went there to disconnect the power at 2428 Birch Street. He was starting the disconnect when he heard a noise behind him so he turned around.  An old man with a walker was approaching him and when he came near he said, “You going to cut off the juice are you sonny? Me and my wife won’t be able to see anything and what little we have in the fridge will go rotten.”  The power company tech knows the rules –can’t accept money, don’t listen to sob stories, just cut and run! But something about the old man stops him in his tracks.   He asks, “Are you James Hammond the owner here?  “Yes I am,” he replied. I’ve lived here for over forty years.” The tech wanted to ask him how old he was but he could guess at the age, probably about eighty to ninety years old. He was nicely dressed in a navy blue button down shirt and blue jeans and he had neatly trimmed white whiskers on his kind face. So instead he said to his own surprise, “I’m not here to cut the power off, I’m just checking the meter to see if it’s working okay. Seems to be fine, I'm sorry to bother you and you have yourself a nice day okay?” 

He gathers himself and hastily retreats to his service van to call his supervisor.  As soon as she answers; instead of making a trouble report the tech found himself appealing to her for help for the old couple. His voice gets choked up and to his surprise tears flood his eyes during the call. His supervisor hears something and pauses to asks him, “Are you alright you sound like you’re... crying?” “I’m okay boss, he replies.” “You don’t sound okay,” she says. “Really struggling now to continue on he says, “I know I’m breaking the rules boss but it’s the residents here. They’re just... so old! I  just can't bring myself cut them off!  I’m sorry about this boss.” He expects a reprimand from her but to his  surprise she calls him by his first name and says to him; "It’s okay James I guess I can call our special needs unit and maybe they can do something for them.” “Thank you boss, he manages to croak out, I...I’ve got to go now.” “Sure," she says gently. "Just go on to your next job you'll be alright. I’ll see you at shifts end this evening okay James?" "Yes, thank you I sure will,” he says softly and hangs up. But his tears haven't stopped streaming down his face and his emotions seem impossible to control.

A little while latter while driving to his next job James couldn't  help but wonder; "What’s wrong with me! Why did I get so emotional? This is not acceptable behavior for a pro like me." Then he breaks into a big warm grin mirroring the warm glow he feels inside and from then on he had himself a nice day. The kind of nice day he hoped old James and his wife would be having too. He also said a quick prayer for them. Something like; God bless the elderly, may no harm ever come to them  especially through me.  

Winning isn't easy

On the lighter side this observation by Gandhi could be used as parenting advice for parents of teens! But in the spiritual realms it describes the winning of a victory over your demons. KEEP FIGHTING until you win!

My Love forever

My Love forever

Violets aren’t blue sugar isn’t spice

But when my sweetie says she loves me

On that I can rely;

Where do I find my love,

I find my love in her dark eyes

In that satin smile

And inside her sweet embrace;

And how do I love thee,

My dear that’s easy

I love you forever.

Inspired by Sheila Hammond

Written by Joseph R. Hammond

February - 1996

Carpet diem (High and Tight)

I never imagined that it would take so much work to replace your carpeting at home. Not that I have to install it myself, there are carpet installers who do that.  I'm talking about getting four bedrooms ready for the carpeting.  The carpet store said they will move furniture but no electrical and no glass. Okay that sounds like it should be easy but it's not.  I still have to pick up everything from the floor including each closet floor, remove books from shelves, box up my vinyl records and move a multitude of other things.  I started the preparations on Monday and by Tuesday night  I am only half done.  You see the master bed still has to be broken down and my stereo and my computer equipment too. Oh and there are two more queen size beds in two other bedrooms. But I never forgot the phrase I once heard at a freight forwarding company where I worked part-time for extra money loading trucks. They told us to "Pack em high and tight!" So that's what I've done. I've moved everything I could and packed it high and tight! After the carpet is in all that stuff goes right back to where it was before -so I'm having Such a good time on this project!

    

The Revelations of Genesis (Answering Tough Questions)

Genesis 1:1  The beginning  ( things revealed to us) about  God creating the heavens and the Earth.  Did God create all of the other planets in our solar system too? Certainly!  And did God also create ALL of the other planets in the Galaxy and in the whole universe?  Unquestionably he did; over and over again! So is Earth our planet the only one inhabited by intelligent life forms? I cannot accept that.

In Genesis 1:6-23, God focused on the water, on the land, the ecology and on the biology of the Earth and He called all life that he created good! No doubt God’s creativity extends well beyond the solar system where our planet is situated and well beyond our galaxy that we call the Milky Way.

In Genesis 1:24 God focused on producing more complex life forms which he also called, good!

In Genesis 1:26 God, not stopping with just the animals made a man in his image, in his own likeness to rule over the Earth and over all the other creatures of Earth. More good! So why stop there after all the good things he created on Earth. The universe is limitless, there are numerous suitable planets in the universe where sentient beings could well have been created just like on our Earth.

Genesis 2:16-17 is the troubling story about the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that was instrumental in the fall of man.  Why even put that tree in the garden in the first place,was it a test for mankind?

Genesis 3:1  says, "Now, the serpent was craftier than any of the wild animals the Lord had made." Wasn't this serpent the one we know as Satan also created by God?   Yes, but he went rogue and is a liar and a tempter.

Was the Earth and mankind's creation on Earth just a test case?  Did God achieve a much better outcome in creating sentient beings somewhere else in the universe? He would of course have learned from man's bad behavior on earth what qualities to avoid on his other worlds.  

The misery of man's fall from grace on Earth was not the end of the story.  We are still made in his image after all. So like the best of parents God never abandoned us and even sacrificed his son to reconcile us to himself.  

Was Jesus' intervention also needed on God's other more successful worlds? Of course, Jesus is always needed wherever and whatever the situation may be but I wonder? Did he have to suffer and die out there among the stars as he did on our rebellious Earth?  

    

Therefore one could conclude that the Earth with its resident evil may well be quarantined from the rest of the universe.   So far our planet appears to be. There's been no conclusive proof of alien contact from other worlds. As far as one can tell the only out of this world contact we have ever had was Jesus Christ himself two thousand years ago and from angels from time to time.