Stoplight Games

If you have ever commuted, you know how boredom can get the better of you. When we lived in Arizona, I drove from a city on the west side to central Phoenix and back. Much of the ride was a straight rode with multiple stoplights. When you travel during rush hour, there is little time to get bored. You are busy dodging Louie Lane Changers, Speed Demons, and grandma on her way to knitting circle. (She’s way early so she’s in no real hurry.) But if I was returning later in the evening when the traffic was light, I had a game to help pass the time.

I actually learned it from my grandfather. When I was in junior high & high school I would often go bowling with him. He was on two different senior league teams and enjoyed having me along as he practiced and showed me some of his tricks. I did not grow up in a huge town, but the bowling alley was clear out on the other side of town. One big long 4 lane road with lots of stoplights. He loved trying to get all the way there without having to stop at a light. Now you might think it would lead to running lights or slowing down traffic, but there were rules to help keep people safe and traffic flowing. I’m not sure who made up the rules, but never the less, there are rules.

• No running red lights. That was an automatic disqualification.
• You cannot impede the flow of traffic by going really slow
• As long as your wheels are turning, you haven’t stopped.
• Stop signs stop the run so you have to choose your route wisely. (Hint: find ones with right-hand “yield” signs.)
• The only prize it the satisfaction of a job well done

I only got all the way home – from the first stop to my drive way once. Once in seven years. And no trophy. But it did keep me from yelling out the window at people. I often wonder, when I see people slowing down way early for stop lights. Are the just conserving gas? Are they trying to keep that life-time warranty on their brake pads? Or are they playing my grandpa’s stoplight game? Ya, it’s weird enough I’m never gonna ask. But I still wonder… 

At Our House, We Call That Lying…

 

My summer gig at the local state park is a great job. I get much needed exercise, lots of natural wonder, and enjoyable interactions with the public. That is probably the most fun part. Sometimes too fun. Although most of our time is spent educating, sometimes we just like to have fun, often at another’s expense. My trail buddy has a knack for teasing children. “Make sure you stay on the beach area. We keep the alligators down river beyond the bend. ” It’s 4:45. If you are going to float the river again, you’d better hurry. We turn the river off at 5:00 PM.” And the never gets old, “Did you see the elephant at the end of the trail?”

Now to be honest, no one really believes it for long. I mean, who would let people swim in a river with alligators around the bend? One time it backfired. My friend’s grandkids were out hiking the trails one afternoon and he mentioned the elephant. Then he said he was just kidding. His 7-year-old granddaughter look him straight in the eyes and said, “Pop-Pop, at our house, we call that lying.” Most people don't put kidding in the lying department since it is really just a form of joking. The kids at school call it pranking. Joking or pranking is usually not intended to deceive, just to get a reaction. The truth is made clear shortly afterward. Well, at least it should be.

Lying is something different. It is an intent to deceive. It is often used to cover up the real truth, either because it's damaging or embarrassing. We don’t even have to speak to deceive. I have students who, when they get called out, say “What?”. We both know what, but it is an intentional distractor, like pointing at something else and saying “Look at that”. We can tell only part of the truth. If we leave out important facts to shade the event away from what really happen, we are still practicing deception. Then there is the bold-faced lie, the no holds barred, denial of wrong doing. We can go all the way down to what people call “a little white lie”.

The Bible is pretty clear, It is one of the ten commandments. You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. Exodus 20:12 We are supposed to tell the truth, even when it might not be convenient for us. Honest builds a bridge of trust in a relationship; Lying builds a wall between others. It can be so easy to tell just one little white lie, but it usually leads to a web of lies to cover the very first one. Frankly, I'm with Honest Abe. I don't have a good enough memory to be a good liar. It wouldn't pay off anyway. Remember: What you sow, you reap. 

If you tell the truth, you don't have to remember anything.

A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes. – Both often attributed to Mark Twain.

No man has a good enough memory to be a successful liar. – Abraham Lincoln

Until Next Time!

 

Fog

 

Six o’clock in the morning, It’s still dark and I’m driving to my Saturday shift at the local State Park. Today the fog looks to be the worst it has been this winter. This is the kind of fog where you are half waiting to see monstrous beasts or ghostly creatures jump out in front of you. While there are no creatures, there are people about, mostly the homeless on bicycles or pushing carts or strollers filled with their belongings. This is normally not unusual, but a lone cyclist suddenly  appearing out of the mist becomes almost surreal. As I drive down a long stretch of highway straining to see the intersection stop lights, I notice something. About half of us are slowing down, carefully crossing the intersections, mindful of everything going on around us. The other half are mindlessly cruising by like it’s a bright, sunny, summer day. It’s no wonder that one of the major freeways running through the central valley has had major 10 and 60 car pile ups in dense fog just within the last two weeks.

Now I don’t know about you, but when I get into fog like this, I try to do three things.

•  Slow down and be vigilant.
•  Keep the lights on the low beam setting to see the area right in front of me.
• Keep my eyes in the road lines.

Do you ever find yourself surrounded by the “fog”? I don’t mean the weather kind of fog, or even brain fog, but the kind where you are not able to see very far ahead because everything is muddled around you. It may be an impending move, a job transfer, or some other life-changing event where everything is in flux, but more importantly out of your control. It might be helpful to use the same steps as in real fog.

•  Slow down and be vigilant. – Step back and take things slower. Be deliberate with decisions and pay attention to detail. It will help you to make wiser decisions.

•  Keep the lights on the low beam setting to see the area right in front of you. Quit stressing about all the “what ifs”. Do what is needed today. Take each day as it comes and do your best.

•  Keep your eyes in the road lines. Ok, here’s where I get spiritual. (Hey, you knew it was coming.) Follow the things you know that you are supposed to do. Don’t compromise - Don’t take short cuts. Do things the right way, like you know you should. Pray over every situation and follow God’s principles. ( I would say follow your heart, but you know that can sometimes get you in trouble.)

I hope this helps. Drive safe, both on the road and in life!