Shocked in Walmart

I had to run out to Walmart to buy some tissue for my daughter who has come down sick over the holidays.

On Christmas Day, our children open their stockings before my wife and I roll out of bed from our Christmas slumber.  The first words uttered by both were “Thanks for our spin brushes!”  Imagine excitement and appreciation over a toothbrush.  

We are blessed with thankful and giving children.  While shopping before Christmas, my daughter asked for her $10 allowance in fives.  My wife gave her two fives and she promptly walked to the Salvation Army kettles and gave away half of her money.

As we opened gifts, we received appreciation for every gift.  Seriously, every gift was appreciated, from socks and underwear, to shirts, to a DSI and a camera.  It didn’t matter if it was what they wanted, they were thankful to receive.  Sometimes we take for granted that our children are truly good kids who are respectful and kind.

I was reminded tonight while in Walmart that not everyone is as thankful.  Cashier asks me, “How was your Christmas?”  I reply that it was good, but that it passed so quickly.  I asked how hers was to which she replied, “It wasn’t that good.”  Empathetically I said, “Oh, I’m sorry to hear that.”

At this point I expected to hear a comment about an illness or sad event within the family.  Instead, I was almost shocked to hear this:

“It’s wasn’t anything really bad, I just didn’t like what I got.”  

This young lady, probably 19 years old, maybe early 20’s explained that she was given “stuff to live on my own.  I guess I got the hint.”

Gee, wonder why!  I don’t think I want an ungrateful princess living under my roof either.  

Thankfully, I don’t.

It’s good to be reminded of our own blessings, but it’s a shame that others live with misfortune, or selfishness.  These things become choices.  She could look at her gifts in such was that she is now more prepared for independence as she embarks on a new phase of her life, but instead she looks with greed and selfishness.  Such a way to wreck a perfectly good Christmas.

Everyone has a story.   What’s yours?  Are you thankful for your blessings?

Dear Tepperman's

Dear Tepperman’s,

My family was out and about on Boxing Day when we heard your advertisement “Pay nothing, no money down, no payments, no interest for 18 months on approved credit!”  

We had been looking at getting a new TV since our 52” rear projection LCD was in need of a $400 bulb.  We drove to the store on Wharncliffe Road in London, passed through the doors that proudly announce “Family to family, that’s the difference.”  How nice!  

We looked around that vast home furnishings and made our way to the TV and electronics section.  We ideally wanted another LCD, but the 60” plasma was very inviting.  We decided that since we were already approved for $10,000 we would go ahead and take the $1500 television - for $0 down, no payments and no interest.

Well, that was until our sales rep advised that he required a 15% deposit on the TV.  Um, no, I don’t think so.  We shared with him the ad on the radio.  He looked at the ad in the paper which supported our position.  We weren’t planning to pay anything.  Mr. Sales Rep asked another rep who said, there was no money down except for 15%, a sort of “goodwill gesture” that we would fulfill our end of the contract.

Anyone see the irony in his statement?

So we asked again, are you going to give us the TV with nothing down, no payments, no interest?  No.

Well, we spent cash this Christmas, without taking any debt on.  We didn’t need a TV right now, but 18 months without payments and we could have paid it off anyway.  Instead, we walked away without a new TV.  More importantly, Tepperman’s lost a sale that day.

“Family to family, that’s the difference.”  One thing you forgot Tepperman’s...my family doesn’t lie to me.

Regards,

Todd Rowley

Most people know her as Barbie, one of the tattoo artists at Hardcore Tattoos and Piercings, located at 397 Talbot Street in St. Thomas. By the end of November, she hoped to be known in the Guinness Book of World Records as the artist who has given the most tattoos in a 24 hour period. The number you ask? At least 802, but Barbie has higher aspirations.

Mandy gets some work done by Barbie

A longtime St. Thomas resident, having attended both Arthur Voaden Secondary School and Central Elgin Collegiate , Barbie began at Hardcore Tattoos and Piercing six years ago as an apprentice. Having completed her high school co-op placement there, it was Barbie’s “love of art” that drew her to the unique field of choice. Much has changed in six years; she has completed her apprenticeship and has been tattooing full time for the past three years. Barbie has even taken first place in the “Biker Theme” category during the tattoo competition at the Canadian Biker Build Off held annually in Wellend, Ontario.

Kat Von D from LA Ink fame set the original record at 417, which has been shattered a number of times since and the record now sits at 801. Barbie is confident that she will set a new record, hoping to surpass 850, possibly closing in on the 1000 mark.  Barbie planned to tattoo an outlined 3” by 3” cancer ribbon, with shading in a choice of colours to reflect the cancer being recognized.  With each tattoo, a $20 donation was required with all money raised going to support the Canadian Cancer Society.

With a number of supply donations from community businesses, Barbie has been well stocked with the needed gloves, masks, cleaners and razors. Stencils were prepared and everyone was in place.  

I was there at noon on November 27 when Barbie began the task.  Francie Bisson was number one, getting her first tattoo ever, inked forever on her leg.  Francie lost a sister and an aunt to cancer.   One down.  801 to go.

By 5:00 p.m., a friend of mine had his done, and he was number 80.  Seems like things aren't moving fast enough by my calculations to pull this off, but I know Barbie was excited about his and the team at Hardcore wanted her to succeed.

I went back at 8:30 p.m. to follow up.  It wasn't looking good.  Barbie was in pain.  Her back was sore, but much worse, her hand was stiff, sore and swelling.  She iced it, she wrapped and kept at it.  Until 10:30 p.m. when she called it quits.  Over 200 tattoos were done, but far from the record.

Barbie decided to take a week off to heal from the ordeal.  She was in pain, but more so was disappointed.  It's okay though.  Remember the $20 donation that was required?  In just ten and a half hours, Barbie was able to donate over $6000 to the Canadian Cancer Society.  That's something to be proud of.

Everyone has a story.  Francie is wearing hers for everyone to see.

X'n Biker - Canada's Christian Biker Magazine

Earlier in the year I was conversing with my mom about my job.  I explained that I had been in the same field for roughly sixteen years and that I had just about enough of it.  In a field with high turnover and quick burnout, I am long past my expiration date if the statistics are to be believed.

So what is it that I would rather do?  Well, I just wasn’t sure.  

I love being out on my motorcycle, attending different bike events and charity rides.  I enjoy the friendship that happens just because of a shared interest.  

I enjoy writing.  Not just any writing though, writing that can share someone else’s stories and experiences.  Writing that is personal and relatable.  Writing that gives some entertainment, but also has a point - usually.  

I appreciate travel.  When my son, Jordan, and I went to Cuba on a missions trip, I explained to him and other younger travelers that they will get out of an experience what they put into it.  I believe that.  When you are given the opportunity to embrace a new culture, a new experience or a life story of a person, you are being given a gift to make the most of.

Wouldn’t it be great to be a writer for a motorcycle magazine?  

I spent considerable time combing the magazine racks at various stores in the area.  I went online to check out biker magazines to see what was happening.  There are so many magazines out there competing for advertisers, rack space and web traffic!  Bagger mags, custom mags, H-D mags, sport mags, off road mags, test ride and new product mags.  Some are very well put together, others, well, there are others that are no more than a poorly produced newsletter online.

Then it struck me.  Something was missing.  There are no Canadian Christian biker mags on the market.  There was one running out of California that was a well put together publication, but it seems to have ceased production.  There are a couple of other Christian “magazines” that run online but seem to stem from an existing religious organizations that promote their ideology rather than the Christian biker culture and the works of God in the world.

There it is, the idea that is slowly moving through the gears, revving up to the launch of X’n Biker - Canada’s Christian Biker Magazine, coming in 2011!

X’n Biker will provide well written articles of interest, news and encouragement.  I am hoping for a Chaplain's corner with submissions from various Ministry Chaplains, a note from the editor/publisher, clean humour, a ride list, a Question and Answer section serving as a forum for bikers to pose questions and offer answers, a “First Ride” page, and a “Current Ride” page profiling various bikers' rides.  I would like to include a ministry profile story at each issue.  We are all in this together, sharing God’s Word to the world we are in and need to be supportive of each other in this mission.  Most importantly, X'n Biker will also feature testimonies and reports from the front line of our unique mission field.

Everyone has a story.  Every Christian has a past and every sinner has a future.  

If this is an endeavour that you are interested in pursuing on a voluntary basis, send me a sample of your writing or photography for consideration.  All submitted materials will, of course, be subject to editing and space consideration, but the integrity of the submissions will be maintained.

Morgan and Skip

It’s been too long since I had the chance to sit and write.  Today, I am making the time amidst the chaos of home renos.  My lost time started with our van needing repairs, followed by a bathroom that needed a new floor, which leads to far more work than anticipated, followed by a repainting of our living room which was the wrong colour so that is now being used in the kitchen that my wife is painting while I stop to write.  The kids are back in school, youth groups begin, my son started cadets this year and is already on a weekend camp venture.

The past month has been somewhat of a blur really.  At the same time, two distinct introductions stand clear in my mind.  Morgan and Skip.

While I was up north, when I wrote the post about howling coyotes, I had the chance to meet Morgan.  He is a friend of my mother-in-law’s.  I have long heard of this somewhat reclusive man and wanted to meet him in his home.  I briefly met him a number of years ago, but little more than in introduction.

We made plans to visit him and when we arrived he greeted us at the door welcoming us in.  Morgan lives in a round 45 foot cabin, all one room and very cozy.  He explained to me that he has a different view of the industrialized world which is why he has chosen to live in his cabin.  Morgan’s water supply comes from his catch basins connected to his downspouts leading from his metal roof.  He has only a small generator to power his radio in the cabin, and a series of propane powered lamps that line the inside of his home.  He prepares all of his meals on one of two wood stoves, the other solely for heat.

Morgan’s home is decorated with memories from his past with items such as linens he purchased in other countries, photos from past projects and pottery that he made by hand.  Morgan has traveled the globe.  His last travel was by tall ship that he help sew the sails for.  He has photos that were taken of a home in Peru that he helped rebuild.  The home was a collapsed ruin from the 1500’s.  The archeologist in him was interested in the ruins themselves, but the engineer in him was more interested in recreating the past, and it won over his other feelings.

Morgan was honored that I would want to take pictures of his home and when I brought out my Canon EOS 30D he was immediately interested.  He once was an avid photographer but when the digital age dawned he turned the page on the chapter of his life.  Morgan brought out his old camera that was like new.  I hadn’t held anything like it in my hands before.  It was about half the size of my camera, but at least as heavy.  Looking at his photos from years past, he was quite to photographer for his time.

Did I mention that Morgan was bare chested and wearing skirt?  We talked over dinner about cross dressing and his belief that women began cross dressing during the war when they began work in the factories as men went off to battle.  The women workers had to trade in their dresses for pants and a new age took shape.  Morgan, although he won’t wear his skirt in town, since some people couldn’t handle it in the small northern town, wears it at home as it is comfortable and freeing.  I don’t think my kids could handle it if I wore a skirt.  Imagine if I showed up at a bike event in a skirt!  Good for you Morgan.  As odd as it struck me, I respect his stand for what he believes.

I will keep in touch with Morgan.  I will write him soon, since he doesn’t have email.

Two weeks after meeting Morgan, I met Skip.  I received a call from our chapter president, Terry, saying that Skip called him and was interested in working with the Tillsonburg Chapter of Heaven’s Saints Motorcycle Ministry.  Cool.  Who’s Skip?  Apparently he had seen us flying the flag on the way to Friday the 13th in Port Dover and became interested.  A few weeks later he read an article that I had written about a fund raising ride we were doing for Fresh Start that ran in a local paper.  He went online, read about the ministry and called us.

On the day of the ride, Skip came out to meet us at the church where we began our ride.  Nice man.  He’s in a band called Mercy Train.  He has a long history in the music industry, playing with people like Janis Joplin and Steve Miller.  I know those names, sounds interesting.  As it turns out, Skip is the Skip Prokop from Lighthouse.  Now I was able to begin putting this all together.  While our Chaplain, Dave, and I were talking with Skip, he explained that while he was on our website, he was encouraged and moved that we took a stand for our beliefs, spoke the word and didn’t hide behind our colours.  Skip felt lead to work alongside our chapter should the circumstance arise that we needed a band for any events.  Before we parted way, Skip gave us his email address, a few CD’s and a bio that he had printed off.

As the week went on, I learned more about Skip, listening to the Mercy Train CD, reading online about the man and the bands like Lighthouse and The Paupers, and hearing from someone that since Skip had contacted us, we shouldn’t “let him go” as he was the best and most sought after drummer in the music industry of his time.

When I got around to emailing Skip, he called me and left a message to call him at home.  As soon as I did, we made arrangements to get together for lunch at his place.  Interesting.  Skip is a four time Juno award winner, has gold and platinum albums as well as numerous other awards from his time with Lighthouse, which by the way, continues to perform today.  

When I arrived to meet Skip at his home, it was the usual getting to know a person sort of thing.  His home had just been completely renovated and we swapped stories as I had just had to tear apart my bathroom, and would be working through the rest of the house over time.

As we sat at the dining table and drank coffee, I listened as Skip opened up about his life, his success, he challenges, his good times and the bad.  He is a living example that no matter how big a person gets, he can still be humble, humbled, and real.  

Of no real difference to anyone reading this, I had homemade chicken soup that his wife made, and my first ever toasted salmon sandwich.  It was good and I realized I have been missing out on this tasty slice of life.  Mmmm.  I wonder if she caters?

Mercy Train is currently in studio right now working on the new album coming out in 2011.  We listened to the tracks that they have down so far and I must say, it is going to be a great album and I would encourage anyone to get their hands on a copy.  These guys have a solid full sound that spans worship and rock, with a consistent message throughout about God, his love, grace and of course, his Mercy.

I will be heading with Skip to the studio next week to meet the rest of the band and spend some time with them while they record.

To add to an already unique experience, Skip let me hold one of his Juno awards, and like Morgan’s camera, I had never held anything like in my hands before.  Skip’s wife wanted his awards to be on the shelf in the living room, although he doesn’t hold on to the past with anything other than his memories.  He is indeed humble.  Talented and gifted, but humble and gracious.

I am so blessed to meet people on my own way through life that, if it weren’t for God’s hand, I just wouldn’t meet.  I am constantly reminded that whether it’s you or me, Morgan or Skip, everyone has a story.