Status Report

"HahYuhDooin?"
"How's it goin'?"
"Tsup?"
"And how are we today, Don?"

As almost everyone who knows me knows, I hate questions like this, for various reasons - not all of them misanthropic. So as is my habit, whenever anyone asks me one of these or a similar general question, I give a general answer here and refer them to it, if at all possible. That way, if the person really cares about the answer, we can get it behind us and return to the real personal meat of our own unique relationship.

Just got the question again today, so -

Status Report:

-Oldest son Blake, still in the Army but home from Iraq (for good, hopefully). Married to my precious daughter ("in law" - phooey!) Lauren. Because of them, Kathy and I are grandparents - twice. This is good for Kathy because she is a grown-up. For me, it's awkward, but I do enjoy Luke's and Grace's company quite often. See pictures elsewhere on this blog.

-Younger son Trent continues to be a VERY good drummer, primarily in Seattle, performing often. He is totally committed to making it big, no matter the cost, which I admire a great deal, since I gave up on that dream after a number of years. If he ever becomes a multi-millionaire in the music industry, I hope he remembers the significant people in his life who have made unwise financial decisions in the past.

-Kathy, intensive care nurse at a nearby hospital. ICU, as in "ICU need a doctor." Incredibly attractive - even for someone half her age. Lucky me. She also loves clean, orderly, beautiful things - house, yard, gardens, husband. Only the last one has created problems.

-Kathy's brother - one of my most favorite human beings in the whole world - is visiting soon from California with his family. That should be quite glorious.

-I LOVE LOVE LOVE Lauren's family, and actually the people in their whole neighborhood. Her Dad and I have been doing quite a bit of karaoke and also took a trip to Mexico. He is a treasured friend - beyond anything I could have expected.

-I teach online for one college and one university.

-We still have two cats, and they leave more fur laying around than Nicole Simpson naked.

-Two weeks ago, I actually got invited to talk about the Bible with some folks - for the first time since 2003. Pretty weird, eh? As far as I know, no one with the power to make my life a living hell was offended.

-Generally speaking, I have some sorrows that don't go away.

-Generally speaking, I have some blessings for which I am not sufficiently thankful.

-I think that Jesus is the best thing that ever came to earth, and that a professional clergy that gets paid to represent Him is the worst. I wish "the people in the pews" would finally "get" what Jesus came to bring them.

-I don't have an excessive amount of respect for most folks who think political elections can improve America's ultimate fate, or for people who claim to be Christians but who worry more about America than they do about God's greater purpose in history.

-I still write songs, and wish I had sufficient free time to produce another CD.