Whew, I made it to 42!

Well, it has been a long time since my last entry but man I have been busy. I have been working on my National Boards (If you have never heard of it, it is something that educators have developed that is meant to test your Christianity) and I have not had a lot of time to dedicate to “idle” writing. I just mailed it off Tuesday, so tonight I decided to write a few lines.
Tomorrow I will be 42 years old. Now anyone that is near that age can remember that when we were younger, 42 was really old. I think back to when my dad was in his 40s, and I thought he was old as dirt. But to tell you the truth, I don’t feel that old. Whether you believe in “40 is the new 30” or what, I am not or don’t feel like an old man. Rarely do younger people think I am that old so I feel good about how I have aged. Beyond the not “looking old”, there are many things I have to be thankful for.
In my years of living, I have met some great people and have had the opportunity to do wonderful things. I was blessed to have two loving parents that did everything they could for me. I have really come to appreciate that since I have taught in the public school system. There are so many kids that do not have that, are lacking the love of a father and/or mother and so many times those of us that have both take it for granted. So thanks Mom and Dad!!
I have had great friends; whether it is friends from the past or my friends of a few years, God has blessed me to have way more friends than enemies. Off the top of my head, I don’t know of any people who can’t stand me!! (Uh, if you are one, don’t tell me and crush my feelings) I could never begin to try to name them all, I would never dare to, but I would like to mention some groups. My high school friends that shaped my personality have been a blessing. I often think of you guys when I am teaching and one of my students do something to remind me of you. My college friends, who helped shape my beliefs and help to usher me into “adulthood” were great. My college roommates that were there through the good and the bad…we had great times didn’t we. And then my Bethel friends of my adulthood…I am blessed beyond words to have you in my life. You are there for my family and have truly shown what it is to be a “community”. There are people who live in proximity to each other that are called a “community”, but that is not what I mean. You guys are a family to us. That is special!
Then there are the friends that have helped me through the tough times and have always reminded me that there is a higher power to where I should always give the glory. I have had great Christian leaders in my life other than my mom and dad and I know that God has put them in my life. Howard Plummer, Stan Parker, Stanley Allen, Mike Smith, Jody Keen…and in the past year, Heath Faircloth has helped to feed my hungry soul and have been ears and voice when I needed them. (Although, if Heath doesn’t stop stepping on my toes on Sunday morning, I am going to start wearing safety shoes!) You guys are the greatest!
And lastly, I would like to mention my family. God has blessed me with a wonderful wife and two great boys. Along with my wife, he has blessed me with the extended family of my in-laws. Many people talk bad and make jokes about their in-laws, but I can not even begin to tell you how great mine are. There is not a bad word to be said about them. My father and mother in law do anything in the world for me (of course, it may be because their daughter married me!) Rebecca’s brother, sister and their families are wonderful. Before I was married, if you would have asked me to describe the perfect in-laws, I would have fallen short of the task. Mine have gone far beyond any description I could have given. Thanks for raising a wonderful daughter and accepting me into you family.
So, God, thank you for blessing me with 42 great years of life. Thank you for always being there for me, placing the people in my path I needed and for giving me a wonderful family of uncles, aunts and cousins. If I have 42 more, then that is a plus….but if this is my last, I have no complaints. You have blessed me far beyond my ability to repay you other than trying to live my life the best I can. Forgive me when I fail!

Psalm 23....Personalized!

1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want.

(“But God, sometimes I do want…I want things to go my way…to be easy. I want stuff, to be happy, to have fun!”)

2 He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

(“But God, sometimes the waters get so rough and are not still anymore. The pastures are sometimes full of wolves waiting for me to stumble to devour me”)

3 he restores my soul.

(“Oh, God, but you have to restore my soul so many times…Don’t you get frustrated with me?”)

He guides me in paths of righteousness
for his name's sake.
4 Even though I walk
through the valley of the shadow of death, [a]
I will fear no evil,

(“But I do get scared”)

for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.

(“Oh, so many times I would like to take that staff and just knock…sorry God, got a little carried away…but you know how I get”)

5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies.

(“MY ENEMIES!? I am around them all the time and they don’t care about me!”)

You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely goodness and love will follow me
all the days of my life,

(“Well, I am waiting!”)

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD
forever.

“Oh, yeah Lord, I remember when I wanted that new truck and the money worked out and I got it…but, oh yeah, the hunting I enjoy so much and I can always get what I want for that too. The kids I see everyday that can barely afford new clothes and food, Lord? Oh, yeah I do see how blessed I am. Sorry for that. Oh, you’re not through yet….

Oh, about the water being rough and the wolves? Yeah, I forgot where you told me that you would never leave me nor forsake me. Yeah, and the one about never giving me more than I can handle with your help…forgot that one too! Sorry…

I know you love me and don’t mind restoring my soul. That is what your grace and mercy is for? OK…

I know when I get scared you will never leave me. Yes, I know you love me and I will work on my anger and the whole knocking folks out with the staff thing.
About my enemies?...I know I am supposed to love them too…BUT…OK Lord, I will work on that too. Man I have a bunch of work to do!

I see your grace, love and mercy everyday. Forgive me for the times that I get a little selfish and take my eyes off of you. Help me to see others before me and to constantly do your will. It will take a lot of patience on your part, God…Oh you are used to it? Yeah, you do know me don’t you? Say you are used to it, huh. Thanks God and Good Night.”

My Getaway

I sat on the deck of the Hatteras Ferry, with the wind in my face, as it made its way toward Ocracoke and felt the weight of the world leave my shoulders. The only break in the darkness ahead of us was the flash of the red and green channel markers as the pilot made his way in between them…finding his way by spotlight, buoy to buoy; marker to marker. I am sure that the people lounging in their cars had to wonder why I had a big smile on my face…simple; I was going to my haven, my refuge, known simply as “the Island”. Nothing else needs to be said. As the lights of Hatteras grew smaller and faded behind me, replaced by the Ocracoke lights ahead, again I relaxed more and more. Some of you will know exactly what I am talking about...for those of you who have never experienced the feeling, I am sorry. As we neared the docks of Ocracoke, I could see the lights of flounder giggers in the water, probing for their elusive prey. The wake of the ferry caught one by surprise as he quickly made his way back to the shore before he was hit by the chilly wake of the boat.

Entering the village, Ocracoke is much different this time of the year than summer. We found the usual stores and restaurants that are usually bright and lively in July silent and dark in October. The sound of car engines, horns and chattering tourist have been replaced by only crickets and frogs. Oh, but the mosquitoes are the same! They quickly welcomed me back as if I was a long lost friend they had missed seeing. So I left them to themselves and made my way to the recliner where I wait to see what tomorrow brings but one thing is sure…I am at Ocracoke and no matter what, rain or shine, tomorrow will be a good day!

My Father has Cursed Me

Yes I said it, my father cursed me...He has cursed me never to go into the woods without looking for a "lighter stump". And if you think you have found one, it is imperative that you take out a knife and skin the wood exposing the inside and smell to see if it is "fat" or not. For those of you who don't know what a lighter stump is, it is a pine stump or log that has rotted down to the center or "heart" and now it has a high concentration of pitch in it so that it catches fire quickly and burns very hot. (Fat lightwood has more pitch) Now I know that you are wondering "what in the world are you talking about?" Let me try to explain.

When my dad and I used to go into the woods together to hunt, we would never come out empty handed. We heated our house with wood, so we had to bring out any lightwood we found. Now let me tell you, we had so much accumulated at the house by the time we stopped heating with wood that you could have burned the world, but did that keep my dad from getting more?...NOOO! You can never have enough. Well, I don't heat my house with wood, never have, but I still bring out stumps and logs every chance I get and make a mental note wherever I see a stump. And yes, I too have enough stored here to burn down a city block. Just today I was clearing lanes in the woods and found two stumps...and yes daddy, I took the machete, skinned the outside and checked for "fatness". (It was fat by the way)

This curse has caused me to be the brunt of jokes and even gotten me close to getting a ticket. My friends will laugh at me when I come out from hunting with the 4 wheeler loaded down with logs of lightwood. Once, while I was squirrel hunting, I picked up a log and took it to my car. When I got close, I put it down with the thought of going back and getting it when I put my gun up. Once I got to the car, a game warden was there and questioned me about what I had in my hand that I dropped. I tried to tell him but he did not believe me. I had to take him into the woods and show him...and yes I picked it up and brought it out. You see, I still would not pass the chance to bring it out like my dad taught me no matter what.

I have taken the pleasure here of late teaching my son how to start fires in our fire pit I was given for Father's Day. Every time I split some lightwood for kindling, I make the boys smell it. I have taught him how to start with a few sticks of lightwood on top of some newspaper, topped with some kindling and larger wood. (see daddy, I was paying attention) We all delight when the fire starts roaring and catching up. Just one more thing that I have enjoyed passing down to my children that my dad taught me.

And when my boys and I start going in the woods together more often, I will teach them to find a lightwood stump by sight and then to skin it and see if it is fat or not...and of course they will have to bring it out of the woods. :)

Porches, Backyards and Neighborhood Roads

I love Bethel....Let me tell you why! It is because Bethel has all the things that this world needs and has gotten away from. That is porches, backyards and neighborhood roads.
Today was a lazy day. I went to church, which by the by was great. We had Police and Firefighter Appreciation Day. Went out to eat then came home and napped for a while. But it is what we did later that makes me write this now.

I took the boys over to one of their friends to play. My two boys, along with 4 of their friends jumped on the trampoline, danced, wrestled, and just had boy fun. It took me back to the days when me and my neighborhood boys would play all afternoon long. Chris, Phillip and I would play army and football until it got dark and we had to come home. You just cant get that in the city!

On the way home, we saw people, neighborhood folk if you will, sitting on the porch, talking and watching the sun go down. Like clock work, there were the Mannings riding their bikes through the neighborhood. If you dont see both or at least one of them riding everyday during good weather, they are either out of town or have company! There was Mr. Bob, walking Bailey (his dog); Mr Eldon and Mrs. Rachel walking down the road, waving hello to everyone who walked by...and did I say they are at least in their 70s. I joked with Mrs. Rachel that it was getting dark and to make sure Mr. Eldon did not lead her down a dark road and try to sneak a kiss! Our preacher, Heath, his wife and kids, Leann, Joshua and little Savannah were out for a evening stroll...and I do mean stroll. Joshua is about 3 and Savannah was just born this summer. They were stopping along the way to talk to people in their yards and then would again start their journey around the block. Kids, filling the streets on their bikes, and like me in days of old waiting for their moms to call them home.

Now maybe I am wrong, but that is what we need more of...no I am not wrong! That is small town; the atmosphere we have lost as "progress" has taken over. I know that there are neighborhoods in big towns, but there is something about living in a small town. So what that we have to drive to the next town for a grocery store...it is only 5 minutes down the road. You have to do that in the city and fight traffic. No traffic jams here...unless Mr. Crawford is moving a tractor from one field to another or the train catches you.

So when things get too fast for you, and you need to just slow down, come see us in Bethel...if you lived here, you would be home by now!

Too Hot.

This was me today!!

How can it be soooo hot? Now, I don't remember it being this hot when I was young. I stayed outside all day long and played and never thought about the heat. Heck, I push mowed my yard and never got too hot. I mowed with the riding mower today and thought I would pass out. My shirt was soaking wet when I was through.

Then if that was not bad enough, I had to go lifeguard in the heat of the day. Now, I know that is not a tough job, but having to sit in the heat and just sweat is unbearable. I have an umbrella, but I could not scrunch up enough to get in the shade until after 2 or so. I could get relief by jumping in the water though so it wasn't so bad.

Then to round it all off, I had tennis practice at 5. Only two girls showed up...which is disheartening in itself. I have a match the first day of school, and I have not had enough girls show up yet to have a team. But I digress.....I hit some with the girls and again, my shirt was soaking wet. At the end, I ran 2 laps with the girls and even though I thought my lungs would fall out and my calves would split in two, I did not stop and made it through. It is a good thing, because I did not feel that bad about the extra helping of chicken and pastry and apple turnover with ice cream I ate! :)

Daddy's Birthday

Well happy birthday to Phillip Woolard. Now some say, "Oh, you are Phillip Jr, so your dad is a Sr. Not so! He always says that he is not Sr, he is the original. I have thought about that. Everyone who has a son that is a "Jr." and signs their name "Sr." is not their real name right? I mean on my birth certificate it says, Phillip McCoy Woolard, Jr., but on his it just says Phillip McCoy Woolard. Go figure. Well enough of the rambling.

Today he is 66 years old or young, however you want to put it. I just know I am so glad to have him as a father. He has been a great role model in my life...at least when I finally started listening to him! I remember after my oldest McCoy (the III) was born I called dad and told him he had really gotten smart over a year. Come to find out, he was right a lot when I was younger.

Just think of all the things your parents have taught you. And if you are a boy, all the things your dad has taught you. I learned to shoot a gun, drive a truck, hunt, fish and sing a song at the drop of a hat when someone says words that remind you of it. Most of all, I have learned how to be a great father from him. I hope that I remember all the examples, although I must admit that I often did not pay attention too well. Well let me say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY dad and many more to follow!