Archive for category Random
My Boys have dissappointed me…
I am a little disappointed in my boys right now – despite my energetic attempts they don’t want to dress up as soil scientist for Halloween. (we can debate the issue of dressing up later but I don’t think I am going to hell for letting my kids dress up and walk around the block then go to the church to hand out candy to the community) Seriously, boys come on – don’t you want to be like Dad – they respond “no that’s not cool we want to be a tiger and bird”…ahhh fatherhood.
In a recent blog a friend gave me some advice on increasing my readership. The advice included sticking with one theme or finding your niche and running with it…now that could be a problem. You see I am random at times, no two days are the same. There are times when I want to share life, opinions, family, the boys, work and running. I understand that not everyone cares about phosphorus absorption in biochar therefore I do refrain from blogging about my research – you’re welcome.
If you read my blog tell me what you think my voice is?
It was missing something…
I spent the last week in Houston, Texas for the joint annual conference of the GSA, ASA, 
, and SSSA which boils down to scientist who study rocks, plants and dirt. During this interesting week 9200 scientist wandered around the convention center listening to different advances in each of their fields. I was truly overwhelmed by the amount of people and options to fill my mind with during my stay, however one item kept looming over my head…my presentation on Wednesday morning. This little 12 minute talk on the performance of a CO2 sensor consumed my every minute for the last three weeks and up to midnight on Tuesday it continued. Then the moment came on Wednesday and it was missing something…a prayer. As a practiced my run through I found myself opening in prayer…after a shocking laugh I realized I was not in the pulpit anymore. If I went over my time this day the moderator would pull me off the platform instead of just waiting until I finished my 3rd conclusion.
Sometimes you really don’t appreciate something like a opening prayer to invite your creators help until you are not allowed….wasn’t it Ronald Reagan who said “loss of freedom is just one generation away”
note – I probably could have prayed, however I would have been punished by my committee.
The Power of the 2nd Amendment
I was five years old and sick with the flu when my grandfather (Bomps) came around the corner with a Daisy BB Gun to call my own. I was not thrown into the orchard without training and respect however. On the contraire, I was given detailed instruction on handling, ethics, aiming, responsibility and consequences. There was never a time in the early training when I was allowed to be alone with the gun but needed Bomps by my side.
Guns have been a part of my life since a very young age and that remains the same today. I have been licensed to pack a pistol concealed since I was 21 while investing in pieces for protection, hunting and fun. Yet, if you were to ask people I work with today they know I hunt but little more. If you ask my boys where to find them, their response would be, “in the safe with our BB gun but he it hid.” I may cling to my guns and God but I consider myself a response owner of firearms.
Friday night I was home with the kids and around 9:15 the windows shook as an explosive sound rocked the neighborhood. My first reaction was a pipe bomb had just been lit off. Upon walking outside there was no visible smoke just the distant sounds of police and fire coming to the area. The nervous dog came in the house and I returned to homework feeling a little uneasy as the football crowd from the highschool was strangely silent. Later in the evening I found out there had been a drive by shooting a few blocks over from the house. The sound and window rattling was caused by a shotgun and Russian SKS fired at a house two blocks over as a crow flies. Two teens were hit but not fatally. My kids and I were in front of the same house just a few hours early during an evening run/bike ride.
The nature of a drive by includes – the morons never getting caught – despite the fact everyone knows it was a gang shooting.
During the next two days I again found myself thankful for the second amendment (remembering the days when I sat on my deck with a loaded pistol watching my neighbors who had just threatened to kill us – it is a long story but it includes them believing we turned them in which resulted in the raiding of their house – they were the ring leaders in a large drug smuggling operation from Canada to Mexico – FBI and local authorities thought me might be in real danger)
If a gun fight would have erupted Friday night there is a real possibility they could have come our direction. SKS bullets travel nicely through empty space and even buildings at times.
Why do people want to take away my right to protect my kids who were asleep in their bed with nothing to do with the morons involved in the shooting? Regardless of what some my say – I really don’t think the guns used in this gang shooting where bought through the legal process in the same way I purchased mine. What makes people think this type of irresponsible behavior will change if my gun ownership privileges are taken away by a group of lawmakers? I don’t really care about “original intent” even though it is in my favor I care about the protection of my family and the providing food for their health.
That is the power of the 2nd Amendment – for without it I am left at the mercy of morons, evil doers and the local PD who are already over taxed in coverage. This is a core value and I vote.
Fear is Stupid
I am truly fearful about very few things. I have repelled off a 350 foot cliff with a 200 foot rope, walked through cougar infested woods in the dark, rolled a van at 55 miles an hour on the freeway, watched a baby being born and have been the first on the scene to a fatal car accident..yet failure still gives me a pause. At times deep down inside the idea of failure grips me, which is so contrary to who I am as a person. Who cares if I fail is my usual motto, the worse thing that could happen…is… but not when it comes to putting together a 15 minute talk for the American Society of Agronomy meetings next month. I have worked on this presentation for days yet a blank screen (almost) still appears. What is the deal?
Fear is useless. It does us no good. The muscle tension, the procrastination does nothing for me except make the situation worse. So remembering the words of Paul to a young Pastor – God doesn’t want us to be shy with our gifts but loving, bold and sensible – God has not given us a spirit of fear. Fear is stupid (this kind at least)
So, I’ll suck it up and get r done.
A Roller Coaster
Our family’s life has never made sense to some, how we would pick up, leave and start anew at different times in our marriage for the call. If you read the post “Why I Press On” one can see where I am at in my thought process; however this mindset does not come easy at times.
The few months prior to my post I was in a pit of doubt which was filling full of water. Throughout the summer I was able to dig deep and remember the purpose and the call…yet faith is always a roller coaster. Here are just a couple examples…as of late
1) Three weeks ago I spoke at King Mountain Bellingham and following the service a connection was made with a wealthy man who is looking for an agriculturally educated person with my exact qualifications (the whole list is amazingly God designed) to run orphanage projects in West Africa. We sent a couple encouraging emails and now have not heard anything as a follow up…
2) I received a job opening email from the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation, they are looking for someone with a soils background to run their Sub – Saharan division – an encouragement again that I am obtaining skills that will be needed…but I don’t have the degree yet
3) Have a great job that helps feed my family…boss told me today that he can not cover tuition because the school will not allow it.
4) Scooter broke down yesterday…but I fixed it for really cheap.
5) Van is still in the shop…after a month.
This roller coaster ride is a thrill a minute – if you have ever wanted to live at the edge of your seat just hang out with the Streubel family. All this to say – it is another day of hanging on for the next twist in this journey of faith.
Awesome!
My grandfather (Bomps) is slowly dying and was going to tell his doctor to turn off his defibrillator – Bomps is actually ran by a machine that tells his heart to pump then he has a cool defibrillator that keeps it normal when it is out of control. You can’t take Bomp to security check points without knocking him back a couple of feet. He has been feeling much better the last couple days and of course the family has been praying. The doctors told him yesterday that the improved condition in his heart was not a product of any medical treatment …pretty cool. Any day extra with Bomps around is a good day!
Why I Press On
Every fall season (yes, I believe fall is here) I find myself trying to get organized for the year ahead, this year is no different. 2008-2009 however has a little different feel as this becomes year number 2 in the PhD program. The question posed by my wife, “can you see the light at the end of the tunnel” my response “what’s light?”, so… it is at these times in my life I dig deep into my character, thoughts, and passions to remember the why –
First I remember – “God loved the world so much (everyone in it – no questions asks) that he sent his only son to pay the bill no one could ever afford – John 3:16 (Jason’s Translation)
Second, I remember – Like everyone I was not an accident but designed for a purpose that is bigger then myself. I have a role to play – I must play it with my best.
Third, I remember – I was never expected to play my part on my own strength but with the backing and support of the ultimate designer – the same creator who paid my bill – seriously – if He is for me – who can be against me.
My hope does not come in who’s president, the price of gas, the state of global relationships but my hope comes from my personal and living relationship with God and him working in me.
I’m not normal – I get it – I love God and play with poop but I know this, my purpose stays the same…
“I exist to restore hope to my generation, anyone I meet, anywhere I go, anyway I can; living dangerously and recklessly trusting God’s word because God’s love compels me to do no less”
I Corinthians 9:24-27 (Message) You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself.
Now I return to the books, the data, the manure and the upcoming dissertation looking through the lenses of the deep and the passion that remains the same…
Africa or Die
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