What a Day!
Scott Trammell
March 29, 2006
This happened to me on Monday, March 26, 2006, in a little dusty town in California.
The story is true and people’s names have been left out because I think it’s the right thing to do.
I had spent considerable time preparing for a court case where false accusations were presented against me. I had proof that each claim was/is false. I sat in that court-room and watched the judge rule in favor of the opposition and would not even allow me the opportunity to defend myself. The judge wouldn't even look at my documentation. I left that courtroom a very angry man. Angry at the judge, my ex, and angry at God. Suffice it to say - I was fuming. We had waited all day to be called. No food or water - all day. I was physically, mentally and spiritually exhausted!
King Solomon really knew what he was talking about -
14And this is not all that is meaningless in our world. In this life, good people are often treated as though they were wicked, and wicked people are often treated as though they were good. This is so meaningless!15So I recommend having fun, because there is nothing better for people to do in this world than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. That way they will experience some happiness along with all the hard work God gives them. (Ecclesiastes 8:14-15)
I had other related matters to attend to before the end of the day so I hurried off to the building a few blocks away. When finished, I asked them where the next office was located I need to go to and it was in the court building I had just spent the entire day! Great.
I had spent that entire day waiting for our case to be called. During the day, I got to know some people a little bit, another “ex” couple, who were going through similar issues.
As I got back to the courthouse (where I had started from), I was heading across the parking lot towards the building, still angry and asking God why He had abandoned me today. At just that moment - God showed up.
The fellow I had met during the day was storming out of the courthouse. Apparently, things hadn't gone well for him either. I heard him as he passed by me as he raved at how the judge had gone against him, and I sympathized with him, as I could surely relate to his circumstances. The same thing had happened to me just a short time earlier.
Then, shaking his head and with tears in his eyes he angrily mumbled that he just couldn’t handle it anymore and was going to kill himself. I recalled what his ex-wife had mentioned earlier in that he keeps a handgun in his truck.
I felt the Holy Spirit tugging at me. I looked up at God and thought "Oh great! You mean now? They're about to close the office inside!" The Spirit said "GO!" - So I went. I turned around and hurried after him.
Long story short - I walked with him back to his truck, was able to talk him down, prayed with him and he didn't kill himself. I don't remember all that was said since the Holy Spirit was using me at the time and the words that came out of me didn't belong to me. I guess I should have been paying attention. We exchanged contact information and he got in his truck and drove away.
Afterwards, I went inside and had plenty of time left to take care of business - only this time, with a clean heart and calmness and peace. No anger. God blessed that too, and the staff was very helpful.
As I came back out of the building, I met the man’s ex-wife. She was waiting for me in order to tell me thank you for talking to her ex and for praying with him. She said I saved his life. I told her that no, God saved him, He just let me help. A few weeks later the man called me to thank me for taking the time to pray with him that day and what a difference that had made in his life. He said things had gotten better for him and he is now getting back to church and praising God.
God is good. And He is always there - even if we can't feel Him or see Him. He hadn’t abandoned me that day, I had just taken my eyes off of Him. God's blessings keep pouring in amidst the trials and tribulations.
Blessings to you.
“And we know that all things work together for the good for those who love God and are called according to His purpose”. (Romans 8:28)
Friday, February 09, 2007
Thursday, February 01, 2007
Listen to Me.....
When I ask you to listen to me, and you start to give advice, you have not done what I asked.
When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen. All I ask is that you listen, not talk or do – just hear me. Advice is cheap; 50 cents will get you both Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper. I can do for myself; I’m not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and weakness. But when you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can quit trying to convince you and get about the business of understanding what’s behind this irrational feeling.
And when that’s clear, the answers are obvious and I don’t need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what’s behind them. Perhaps that’s why prayer works for some people because God is mute and He doesn’t give advice or try to fix things. God just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.
So, please – Listen and just hear me. And if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn; and I will listen to you.
Anonymous
“A naturally therapeutic person is one who, by a natural response to those in pain, empowers them to realize that their own healing potential lies within them, and never in the one who is helping or giving advice.”
Jaquelyn Small, 1993
When I ask you to listen to me and you begin to tell me why I shouldn’t feel that way, you are trampling on my feelings.
When I ask you to listen to me and you feel you have to do something to solve my problem, you have failed me, strange as that may seem.
Listen. All I ask is that you listen, not talk or do – just hear me. Advice is cheap; 50 cents will get you both Dear Abby and Billy Graham in the same newspaper. I can do for myself; I’m not helpless.
When you do something for me that I can and need to do for myself, you contribute to my fear and weakness. But when you accept as a simple fact that I do feel what I feel, no matter how irrational, then I can quit trying to convince you and get about the business of understanding what’s behind this irrational feeling.
And when that’s clear, the answers are obvious and I don’t need advice.
Irrational feelings make sense when we understand what’s behind them. Perhaps that’s why prayer works for some people because God is mute and He doesn’t give advice or try to fix things. God just listens and lets you work it out for yourself.
So, please – Listen and just hear me. And if you want to talk, wait a minute for your turn; and I will listen to you.
Anonymous
“A naturally therapeutic person is one who, by a natural response to those in pain, empowers them to realize that their own healing potential lies within them, and never in the one who is helping or giving advice.”
Jaquelyn Small, 1993
Sunday, January 21, 2007
It's Just about Finished !!!
I have been working on restoring an old piano for the past couple of months.
Since I like to make sure things are done correctly, it took me a little longer than I had expected.
(I wanted to have it completed before Christmas).
Anyway, it is a 1964 Steinway upright piano.
It had been somewhat neglected and abused.
It was stored in an old house's sunroom with no heat or air-conditioning, so the finish was exposed to direct sunlight for the last 14 years.
The piano used to be a dark walnut brown color.
The finish had yellowed and was cracked and peeling.
Here's what it looked like when we brought it home.
Before (October 3, 2006)
This is what it looked like with the laquer stripper on it, before I scraped it off. What a mess!
It took quite some time and a great deal of effort (and patience), but I stripped off all the old finish, sanded it down to the bare wood, patched all the dings and gouges with wood filler (walnut), repaired the broken leg, stained it with an Antique Walnut Gel Stain, and sprayed on about 10 coats of laquer.
And now......
After (January 20, 2007)
All that's left to do is finish polishing up all the brass, and buff on the rubbing compound.
Then we can finally move it into the house.
Now if only one of us knew how to play it..........
Since I like to make sure things are done correctly, it took me a little longer than I had expected.
(I wanted to have it completed before Christmas).
Anyway, it is a 1964 Steinway upright piano.
It had been somewhat neglected and abused.
It was stored in an old house's sunroom with no heat or air-conditioning, so the finish was exposed to direct sunlight for the last 14 years.
The piano used to be a dark walnut brown color.
The finish had yellowed and was cracked and peeling.
Here's what it looked like when we brought it home.
Before (October 3, 2006)
This is what it looked like with the laquer stripper on it, before I scraped it off. What a mess!
It took quite some time and a great deal of effort (and patience), but I stripped off all the old finish, sanded it down to the bare wood, patched all the dings and gouges with wood filler (walnut), repaired the broken leg, stained it with an Antique Walnut Gel Stain, and sprayed on about 10 coats of laquer.
And now......
After (January 20, 2007)
All that's left to do is finish polishing up all the brass, and buff on the rubbing compound.
Then we can finally move it into the house.
Now if only one of us knew how to play it..........
Wednesday, January 10, 2007
Somebody's Watching....
Somebody’s Watching
Scott Trammell
January 10, 2007
There’s a new song by Rodney Atkins called “Watching You” about how a father realizes that his four year old son is learning how to do things by watching his dad. That song struck a chord with me and reminded me of something that happened a long time ago when my son was only 5 years old.
One Sunday morning, as we were driving to church, I heard my 5 year old son’s cheerful little voice calling from the back seat.
“Hey Dad!”
“Yes, son?”
“Hey, Dad. Guess what?”
(This is how conversations go with young children. A real lesson in patience if you really want to know what’s on their minds.)
“What, son?”
“Hey Dad, know what I’m gonna be when I grow up?”
“I don’t know son. What are you going to be when you grow up?”
“I’m gonna be a Daddy!”
“Well son, there’s sure a good chance for that”
“Yeah Dad, but I’m gonna be a Daddy just like you!”
“Really? Wow. Thank you son!” (feeling a little puffed up and proud by this time)
“Yeah Dad. I’m gonna be just like you! When I drive my car, and somebody gets in my way, I’m gonna honk my car at ‘em and yell ‘Get outta my way you dummy!’ – Yeah, Dad…….I’m gonna be ….. just ……….like………….you.”
Ouch. You could just about hear the whistling of the air escaping as my pride bubble was slowly bursting. His mother was laughing so hard she nearly fell out of the car.
All I could think of to say was “Well, son, let’s hope you do a lot better job at being a Daddy than I’ve been doing so far.” And just like the father in that song, I prayed, “Lord, please help me…”
That day, my life changed forever. I realized I wasn’t being a good father to my son. Oh, I worked hard and provided a good home for him, took him to church and tried my best to teach him all those things a good father tries to teach his son. But it wasn’t until that day when I learned that what I showed him was more important than what I told him. Hadn’t someone told me about that before? Maybe, I really don’t remember. Perhaps just like with my son, I needed to be shown, not just told, what to do. I needed an attitude adjustment in how I reacted to other people, and the Lord used my own son to give it to me.
Ephesians 6:1 tells us “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Do you really think children will obey their parents just because somebody says so? Some will and some won’t. I think it would be much easier if we gave them a good example to follow, rather than by just telling them.
The Bible also says to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not part from it.” Did you notice it says to “train”, not just “tell”? To properly train someone to do something, you need to show them how to do it. Leading by example. “….As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Serve, train, teach – these are all things that you do, not just talk about.
My son, who is 18 now, called me the other day. He asked if I remembered how I’d always tried to teach him to be polite, treat people with respect, put others first and to do the right thing. He said it used to annoy him, but lately he’s finding himself actually doing those things, even when he doesn’t really want to. He called me just to say thanks. To steal a line from another song, “In all that I’ve done wrong, I must have done something right….”. He doesn’t even remember that day in the car when he was 5.
I, however, will never forget.
Remember, somebody’s watching you.
Scott Trammell
January 10, 2007
There’s a new song by Rodney Atkins called “Watching You” about how a father realizes that his four year old son is learning how to do things by watching his dad. That song struck a chord with me and reminded me of something that happened a long time ago when my son was only 5 years old.
One Sunday morning, as we were driving to church, I heard my 5 year old son’s cheerful little voice calling from the back seat.
“Hey Dad!”
“Yes, son?”
“Hey, Dad. Guess what?”
(This is how conversations go with young children. A real lesson in patience if you really want to know what’s on their minds.)
“What, son?”
“Hey Dad, know what I’m gonna be when I grow up?”
“I don’t know son. What are you going to be when you grow up?”
“I’m gonna be a Daddy!”
“Well son, there’s sure a good chance for that”
“Yeah Dad, but I’m gonna be a Daddy just like you!”
“Really? Wow. Thank you son!” (feeling a little puffed up and proud by this time)
“Yeah Dad. I’m gonna be just like you! When I drive my car, and somebody gets in my way, I’m gonna honk my car at ‘em and yell ‘Get outta my way you dummy!’ – Yeah, Dad…….I’m gonna be ….. just ……….like………….you.”
Ouch. You could just about hear the whistling of the air escaping as my pride bubble was slowly bursting. His mother was laughing so hard she nearly fell out of the car.
All I could think of to say was “Well, son, let’s hope you do a lot better job at being a Daddy than I’ve been doing so far.” And just like the father in that song, I prayed, “Lord, please help me…”
That day, my life changed forever. I realized I wasn’t being a good father to my son. Oh, I worked hard and provided a good home for him, took him to church and tried my best to teach him all those things a good father tries to teach his son. But it wasn’t until that day when I learned that what I showed him was more important than what I told him. Hadn’t someone told me about that before? Maybe, I really don’t remember. Perhaps just like with my son, I needed to be shown, not just told, what to do. I needed an attitude adjustment in how I reacted to other people, and the Lord used my own son to give it to me.
Ephesians 6:1 tells us “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” Do you really think children will obey their parents just because somebody says so? Some will and some won’t. I think it would be much easier if we gave them a good example to follow, rather than by just telling them.
The Bible also says to “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not part from it.” Did you notice it says to “train”, not just “tell”? To properly train someone to do something, you need to show them how to do it. Leading by example. “….As for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15).
Serve, train, teach – these are all things that you do, not just talk about.
My son, who is 18 now, called me the other day. He asked if I remembered how I’d always tried to teach him to be polite, treat people with respect, put others first and to do the right thing. He said it used to annoy him, but lately he’s finding himself actually doing those things, even when he doesn’t really want to. He called me just to say thanks. To steal a line from another song, “In all that I’ve done wrong, I must have done something right….”. He doesn’t even remember that day in the car when he was 5.
I, however, will never forget.
Remember, somebody’s watching you.
Sunday, December 17, 2006
Christmas Wish?
Christmas Toys
Scott Trammell
December 17, 2006
It’s Christmas time again. I just don’t understand how some people will go so much out of their way to buy their children more toys and gifts than they need, or will ever appreciate. When I was a kid, we didn’t have much so each toy or gift was very much appreciated, and most are remembered to this day. As I pondered this, another memory came to mind……
Remember that comedy bit where Bill Cosby said his father would tell him “Go get me something to beat you with!” ? Well, I was discussing this type of thing with some friends and one guy admitted that he was actually stupid enough as a kid to go get his dad a belt, with a buckle on it.
I guess I was lucky that my parents didn’t do that. My dad was much too impatient for that. He’d just unbuckle his belt and whip that belt out like a buccaneer drawing his sword. There was nothing more scary sounding as a kid than the thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap as dad drew out that belt. You just knew that somebody was about to get it!
Mom was more creative. She wasn’t very patient either. She’d grab whatever was most handy at the time. Remember those paddle ball toys? You know, the wood paddle with the rubber band attached to the rubber ball? We’d play with those until the ruber string broke. No one tried to fix those things, mom would write our name on it and hang it on a hook. We each had our own personal whooping paddle. That’s not all she used. Remember those Hot Wheels tracks? Yep, my mom raised a few speed bumps on my backside too.
One day it occurred to me: “Scott, she’s beating you …. with your own toys!” I could just imagine my mother shopping at Toys R Us, stopping in one aisle and thinking “Oo..that’ll hurt!” After that, whenever she asked what I wanted for Christmas, my response was “Nothing! Don’t get me anything for Christmas. I’m good. Really. I don’t need anything. Maybe some socks. Or a sweater. Bermuda shorts. Just no toys, please. Better yet, just don’t get me anything. I’m fine. Honest!” My parents thought I had matured and was being noble and meek and humble. Actually, it was a matter of personal preservation!
You know something? If you ask for “nothing”, then “nothing” is just what you may get. The Bible tells us “Knock, and the door will be opened. Seek, and you will find. ASK, and you shall receive ….”
So, be careful what you ask for this Christmas. You just might get it.
And please, keep in your hearts and minds – the REAL meaning of this Holiday Season. It’s not about the toys and presents – but it is about the true gift of the KING!
Peace, Joy and Blessings to you, from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'
Isaiah 9:6
Scott Trammell
December 17, 2006
It’s Christmas time again. I just don’t understand how some people will go so much out of their way to buy their children more toys and gifts than they need, or will ever appreciate. When I was a kid, we didn’t have much so each toy or gift was very much appreciated, and most are remembered to this day. As I pondered this, another memory came to mind……
Remember that comedy bit where Bill Cosby said his father would tell him “Go get me something to beat you with!” ? Well, I was discussing this type of thing with some friends and one guy admitted that he was actually stupid enough as a kid to go get his dad a belt, with a buckle on it.
I guess I was lucky that my parents didn’t do that. My dad was much too impatient for that. He’d just unbuckle his belt and whip that belt out like a buccaneer drawing his sword. There was nothing more scary sounding as a kid than the thwap, thwap, thwap, thwap as dad drew out that belt. You just knew that somebody was about to get it!
Mom was more creative. She wasn’t very patient either. She’d grab whatever was most handy at the time. Remember those paddle ball toys? You know, the wood paddle with the rubber band attached to the rubber ball? We’d play with those until the ruber string broke. No one tried to fix those things, mom would write our name on it and hang it on a hook. We each had our own personal whooping paddle. That’s not all she used. Remember those Hot Wheels tracks? Yep, my mom raised a few speed bumps on my backside too.
One day it occurred to me: “Scott, she’s beating you …. with your own toys!” I could just imagine my mother shopping at Toys R Us, stopping in one aisle and thinking “Oo..that’ll hurt!” After that, whenever she asked what I wanted for Christmas, my response was “Nothing! Don’t get me anything for Christmas. I’m good. Really. I don’t need anything. Maybe some socks. Or a sweater. Bermuda shorts. Just no toys, please. Better yet, just don’t get me anything. I’m fine. Honest!” My parents thought I had matured and was being noble and meek and humble. Actually, it was a matter of personal preservation!
You know something? If you ask for “nothing”, then “nothing” is just what you may get. The Bible tells us “Knock, and the door will be opened. Seek, and you will find. ASK, and you shall receive ….”
So, be careful what you ask for this Christmas. You just might get it.
And please, keep in your hearts and minds – the REAL meaning of this Holiday Season. It’s not about the toys and presents – but it is about the true gift of the KING!
Peace, Joy and Blessings to you, from Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.
'For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders.And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.'
Isaiah 9:6
Sunday, November 26, 2006
It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas….
It’s Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas….
Scott Trammell
November 26, 2006
Yep. It was worth it.
I spent most of the afternoon stringing lights, climbing around on the roof, putting together a lighted deer, and making the outside of our home look all “Christmas-y”.
While I was on the roof, my beautiful wife came out to see how things were going and cautioned me to be careful (I was on the second story roof). Just the sound of her voice, the way she said it, told me that she genuinely cared about my safety and well-being.
It was dark by the time I finished, and the lights had already come on (I used a photo-cell with a timer, so the lights automatically come on when it gets dark), from the deer in the front yard, to the Christmas Tree in the front window, to the lights along the roof line of the entire front of the house, across the garage to the Christmas Tree shaped juniper at the end of the garage. I went and got my wife to come out and see the finished product.
She was a few steps ahead of me and when she reached the sidewalk, she turned around and looked at our house. The look in her eyes and that sweet smile on her face said it all. My lovely little wife radiated love and appreciation like I had never seen before. She was pleased.
It took some time on a Sunday afternoon, and some hard work, and I know it will all have to come down and get packed away soon after Christmas Day, but seeing her face light up when she saw it – yeah – it was (IS) worth it.
Merry Christmas.
Scott Trammell
November 26, 2006
Yep. It was worth it.
I spent most of the afternoon stringing lights, climbing around on the roof, putting together a lighted deer, and making the outside of our home look all “Christmas-y”.
While I was on the roof, my beautiful wife came out to see how things were going and cautioned me to be careful (I was on the second story roof). Just the sound of her voice, the way she said it, told me that she genuinely cared about my safety and well-being.
It was dark by the time I finished, and the lights had already come on (I used a photo-cell with a timer, so the lights automatically come on when it gets dark), from the deer in the front yard, to the Christmas Tree in the front window, to the lights along the roof line of the entire front of the house, across the garage to the Christmas Tree shaped juniper at the end of the garage. I went and got my wife to come out and see the finished product.
She was a few steps ahead of me and when she reached the sidewalk, she turned around and looked at our house. The look in her eyes and that sweet smile on her face said it all. My lovely little wife radiated love and appreciation like I had never seen before. She was pleased.
It took some time on a Sunday afternoon, and some hard work, and I know it will all have to come down and get packed away soon after Christmas Day, but seeing her face light up when she saw it – yeah – it was (IS) worth it.
Merry Christmas.
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