Milestones

Milestones



You know it is kinda funny in how things happen to you in your life. One minute, you are a single, long-haired rock and roll guitar player, banging out massive power chords that would make the hair stand up on the back of your neck and send a river of fire and excitement pumping through your veins like gasoline. Think Van Halen’s “Unchained” and you get the picture. Turn up the volume on your PC and check it out on youtube. That was me, 20 years ago.

However, in what would seem like a blink of an eye, you are rushed through a blur of time-space continuum’s, zipping through space ala Captain Kirk in Star Trek, where he commands Lt. Zulu to grab the controls of the space craft and hit warp speed and jump forward to another place or time. Flash Forward to now.

Now I must admit that along the way, I have missed very few Milestones with my children. Although I have never missed a Birthday, Christmas or Thanksgiving, I am sure I have missed an Easter here or there, and DEFINITELY missed the last 15+ New Years Eve’s due to my job. It sucks, but it is a requirement that I am obligated to fulfill to my employer.

This week, I was present in what has become a Milestone for me as a father, and my oldest son Gunner. He is a very tall, athletic, smart and funny 17 year old who has now just gotten his drivers license. *WARNING TO ALL EASTERN CT DRIVERS, NEW 17 YR OLD DRIVER ON THE LOOSE.*

Now I do not mean to call him out on the internet, but I must say that Gunner and I are a lot alike. We BOTH thought we knew best when we were 16 and took the permit test too soon and FAILED. I was crushed when it happened to me, and I know Gunner was also crushed when it happened to him. However, the thought and humiliation both led us to study hard and pass the 2nd time, and we both did well on our road test.

Now, I ask the question, why did we both fail? Because we were stupid, or unprepared, maybe even cocky? Only God knows why and for whatever reason, it is what it is, but I have to tell you, that I ain’t asking why anymore.

It is so obvious to me that the reasons why God does what he does is for our and his best interest. I am sure that because I failed that test, it was to save me later. I can’t really explain it that well and there have been MANY instances in the cold New England winters that a little bit of extra time behind the wheel and preparing has paid off. I am sure that I have avoided MANY accidents just due to “timing” alone, right down to the second, let me explain.

A month or so ago I was off to work, (5:30a yuk!) and needed to stop by the Bank ATM for some money. For whatever reason, Bank of America had decided to change their ATM’s to the touch screen type and it was kinda like a PC screen now, and let me tell ya, this thing was dog-butt slow. I must have looked like a loon tapping the screen over and over as quick as possible, like that would make it work any faster. Think the guy touching the elevator button that is already “lit” and by him repeatedly hitting the button will make it come any faster, yes, I am that guy.

So, in a nutshell, this normal 20 second banking transaction turns into a minute or so, whatever, it took too long and I was miffed and sped off to work.

I am now working through traffic on the highway and finally find an open stretch of highway where I can break away from the pack, cruise at 64mph in my little “comb over” sports car, (that is what my wife Michelle calls it b/c it looks like the type of car middle aged balding men drive to compensate for a lack of something in their life. Did I mention earlier that my long blonde locks are now GONE and I now sport the Bruce Willis look?), and slide into work on time. This is where God’s timing is impeccable.

Through the dense morning October fog and out of the corner of my right eye, I barely see a 4 or 5 point buck, galloping at full speed, and coming within inches of jumping in front of my car. This buck was about 500+ lbs of shear muscle and headed my way, it happened so fast I did not have time to react, and for a 40 yr old with Spidey Senses, I have cat-like reactions when it comes to maneuvering vehicles and turning on a dime, motorcycles, cars, yes, I can drive.

However the timing of this was such that the buck just barely crossed the back of my car and I missed hitting him by the thickness of a piece of paper. I actually felt my car rear end shimmy side to side like a hula dancer as he passed right behind me and smelled deer poop from his rear end. He managed to safely cross the divided highway and jump into the woods on the other side. But all I know, is if I hit that buck head on with my little car, folks, I am dead, and ya’ll are eatin’ venison at my wake.

I slowly released the white knuckle death grip on my steering wheel and continued to stare wide eyed and bushy tailed down the lonesome foggy highway, 64 mph, my foot never left the gas pedal. I looked to the Lord and said, “Thank you God”.

Do you think that possibly God had orchestrated all this? I do. I think he does it all, everything, even when you fail, you win. You learn something. Maybe at the time you do not know you are winning or learning, but you will know, somewhere down the line the little, “ah-ha” moment will happen, recognizing the connection between your losing, then winning.

SO, I hope you enjoyed reading my rant today, I know I am not as well spoken as one of my blogging hero's Billy Coffey, and don’t have links to fancy scripture in my blog as I have seen some of the other wonderful blogger’s sites,(like my wifes), but I will get there eventually, so please be patient with me, I am still learning.

God Bless ya’ll, see you around- Joshua

Ps- Gunner, if you need to go the bank, go to the one on Main Street in downtown, and at all costs, avoid 395 Southbound between the hours of 5:30a-6:30am, there is a buck with my name on it for hunting season.