Tag: Memoir

Dream On …

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Today is Monday, March 31, 2014. It is the 90th day of the year. There are 275 days remaining until the end of the year.

“The world stands aside,” said David Jordan, “to let anyone pass who knows where he is going.” This applies to those, who learn where they are going late in life as well as for the young.

At age 40, James Michener published his first book. He authored more than 50 titles – 26 historical fiction novels, 31 nonfiction books, and 13 of his works were adapted into TV mini series or made into movies.

At age 53, Margaret Thatcher became Britain’s first female prime minister.

At age 65, Winston Churchill became British prime minister for the first time and started the epic struggle against Hitler. Churchill received the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1953 at age 79 for his many published works, especially his six-volume set The Second World War. He wrote the six volume set when he was in his 70s without any assistance or ghost writers. The photo is of Sir Winston Churchill.

At age 69, Ronald Reagan was elected President of the United States. He served two terms. He was 77 years old when he completed his second term in office.

At age 70 and again at 80, former President of the USA George H.W. Bush parachuted out of an airplane.

At age 72, Golda Meir became prime minister of Israel.

At age 75, Ed Delano of California bicycled 3100 miles in 33 days to attend his 50th college reunion in Worcester, Massachusetts.

At age 80, Grandma Moses, who had started painting in her late 70s, had her first one-woman exhibit.

At age 80, Winston Churchill returned to the House of Commons as a member of parliament and also exhibited 62 of his paintings.

At age 81, Benjamin Franklin skillfully mediated between disagreeing factions at the U. S. Constitutional Convention.

At age 96, George C. Selbach scored a 110-yard hole-in-one at Indian River, Michigan.

On his 100th birthday, ragtime pianist Eubie Blake exclaimed, “If I’d known I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.”

How about you? Have you slowed down, packed it in, given up, and checked out? Have you given up on your dreams? Don’t give up. Dream on!

I know the Heavenly Father has something wonderful still in store for you! It’s never too late. Why don’t you call God up and ask Him what that might be. His number is found in The Bible in Jeremiah 33:3. It reads, “Call upon Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know!”

Picture Source: Churchill V sign HU 55521.jpg This artistic work created by the United Kingdom Government is in the public domain. This is because it is one of the following: 1) It is a photograph created by the United Kingdom Government and taken prior to 1 June 1957; or 2) It was commercially published prior to 1961; or 3) It is an artistic work other than a photograph or engraving (e.g. a painting) which was created by the United Kingdom Government prior to 1961.

March 26, 2014

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Way back in 1969 I was in the eleventh grade. Let me share an experience I had with the school counselor.

“Why can’t I be a writer or author?” Those were words I spoke as I mustered all the manhood I had as an eleventh grader to keep from crying as my high school guidance counselor told me that becoming a writer or author wasn’t an acceptable vocational option for a man.

The school counselor answers, “Jimmie, you’re a guy. You’ll need a trade or college degree in engineering, accounting, or teaching to support your future wife and children. You need to forget that silly notion that a man could ever support a family writing. It’s okay to have writing as a hobby, but you’ll never earn a living doing it. You’ll need a real job.”

The words broke my heart. My parents had raised me to believe I could do anything. My Sunday school teacher and youth pastor had taught me God had an amazing plan for my life. Up to this point, I believed it. After the counselor’s words, I wasn’t so sure.

Several years later, I was a seminary student. One day in chapel, I heard a sermon about a man with an unusual name, Mephibosheth. He was lame in both feet. He had a disability, an affliction. I learned he faced many challenges, sorrows, and problems. In spite of this, he didn’t know the king of Israel was about to bless his life. The most powerful man in all of Israel, King David went out of his way to bless someone others viewed as unworthy. Our King of kings, our great Lord Almighty desires to do the same for us.

Have you been told your dream of writing is just that a dream? Maybe you’ve been told you haven’t experienced life enough to write, that you’re too young to write, or that the competition is too great? You may be dealing with feelings of doubt, think if only you had a MFA or if your family or spouse supported you more, or maybe you think it’s too late – you’re just too old. If only … Let’s face it, at times we all face challenges and difficulties in our lives that make us feel unworthy to serve the Lord. As Christian writers, we serve the Lord with our writing.

We may feel there is no way God could use us. We dwell on negative thoughts. We focus on why we can’t. We feel it’s too hard or the chances of getting published are stacked against us. I want you to stop those I cannot do it thoughts. Think about the things you and God can do.

Remember, God doesn’t look at our exteriors, our limitations, or our failures. He looks at His flawless creation – that’s you! God says, “I can use you; I want to use you.”
We should live in this truth. Don’t let anyone or anything including self-doubt stand in your way of serving our great King of Kings and Lord of Lords! If he has called you to write, He will provide the platform, publisher and audience/readers. He’s also a big enough God to take care of your financial and emotional needs.

My name is not a household name as a writer. I do not support myself writing. Thirty years ago last month my first magazine article was published. I was paid 2½ cents a word. Since I sold the first article in 1981, I have had many articles and poems published. You can see a partial listing of my work at http://jimmiekepler.com/publications-and-poems/. I have have hundreds rejected. I have had a nonfiction book initially accepted and then killed when an editor changed. I have a historical fiction book that’s been rejected a couple of times and yet I keep on submitting while writing the next book. I am a regular contributing book reviewer for a national magazine.

What can I say? I love to write and read. I writing is your thing, ignore the negative thinkers, and trust God and write!

The Last Time I Hitchhiked

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Hitchhiking
Hitchhiking

Spring break 1974 was the last time I hitchhiked. By then it was going out of vogue. Drivers viewed picking up a stranger as a risk. It was in the mid 1970’s that we learned some people picked up hitchhikers to do harm to them. They would rape and kill them. Had I know that I would have never stuck my thumb up and hitched a ride, but I did. Here is that story.

The story of the last ride I hitched is straightforward. It was spring break 1974. The effects of the Arab Oil Embargo that was put in place during the Yom Kippur War of late 1973 were taking effect. Due to shortages, cars and their drivers lined up at service stations to get gasoline. The traditional full service station became extend during this period. Sometimes you had to wait days to fill up your car’s tank.

March of 1974 found me completing my junior year at The University of Texas at Arlington. Fortunately, I lived adjacent to the campus. This meant I could walk or ride my ten-speed bicycle to class. More and more frequently, I opted for my ten-speed as my preferred method of transportation.

During this same time, Interstate 20 (I-20) was under construction across south Arlington, Texas. Lake Joe Poole was a future development dream.

I was dating my future wife. She was a senior in high school. She lived in DeSoto, Texas 25 mile away. The Tuesday of her spring break, I decided to ride my bike to her house. I left the campus of UT Arlington and head south until I ran into the construction on the future I-20. There I go on the new concrete roadway and headed east several miles until I got to Belt Line Road in Dallas County. There I again headed south. Belt Line Road in just a few short years would be under Lake Joe Poole’s water. There was a huge mountain to go up. My ten-speed zipped up with great ease. As I continued riding past all the television broadcast towers in Cedar Hill, Texas, I quickly crossed the then two lane US Highway 67. Belt Line Road intersected just east of US 67 with Texas Farm Road 1382.

The ride on my ten-speed from Cedar Hill to DeSoto was only five miles. Unfortunately, about hallway between the two towns the rear axle on the bicycle broke. A broken rear axle is bad. It meant I could not ride a bike because the rear wheel would no longer turn.

I had to car the ten-speed the last two plus miles. It was a hot March day with temperatures in the middle 80 degrees. I was not very smart in my travels as I had only one one-quart canteen of water with me. It soon was gone.

I arrived at Miss Benita’s house. She was happy to see me. Her eleventh grade sister was not happy I had invaded their space. They could not believe I had ridden my bike 25 miles. They were even more concerned, well at least Miss Benita was, about how I would get back to college. I remember making a fist with my right hand and extending my thumb.

The girls were afraid of hitchhiking. I seemed very scary to them. From 1967 to 1972, I thumbed many rides. It was still an accepted method of travel.

Well, I chained my bike to their chain-linked fence. I walked down to the Fina gasoline station. Joe Castle owned the business. He asked where my car was. I told my sad tale. He carried me to Cedar Hill and wished me luck. He made sure I had a cold Dr. Pepper.

At Cedar Hill I no more than got out of the Castles old American Rambler station wagon and took my place at the side of Farm Road 1382 (FM 1382), thumb extends this time trying to go north than a Jeep stopped and gave me a ride.

It was a machinist headed for his swing shift at Ling Tempco Vought (LTV) Aeronautics in Grand Prairie, Texas. He let me out where FM 1382 crossed the Pioneer Parkway that was also called Spur 303. He used to be in the US Air Force. That is where he learned his trade of building airplanes. He tossed me a Coca Cola as they left me at the side of the road.

I was not waiting even two minutes when a Chevrolet Camaro stopped. As they rolled down the window, two girls about my age greeted me. “Hey, aren’t you in our English class?” were the first words they said. They followed with “You’re one of those ROTC guys, aren’t you?” The both had an open can of Old Milwaukee beer. The hollered for me to get. The girl who was riding shotgun got out, had me get in and them just sat in my lap. They replaced my Coca-Cola with a beer. We zoomed down Pioneer Parkway until we got to Cooper Street in Arlington. We turned north and head to the campus. They took me to my apartment. They didn’t drop me off. They came in where we listened to the stereo and did what college kids did.

The return trip to my apartment took me about 20 minutes less time than riding the ten-speed t my girlfriend’s house had taken. I still am amazed.

I haven’t hitched a ride since that March day in 1974.

March 20, 2014

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church fireThis Day In Texas History:

Today is Thursday, March 20, 2014. It is the 79th day of the year. There are 286 days remaining until the end of the year. Typically, the first day of Spring begins as March equinox falls on this date, marking the vernal point in the Northern Hemisphere and the autumnal point in the Southern Hemisphere, when both day and night are of equal length.

Church on Fire:

I wrote this piece twenty-six years ago. I was associate pastor at First Baptist Church of Jasper, Texas at the time. I had just been to Beaumont, Texas making hospital rounds where I visited sick church members.

My ultimate goal was to drive north on Texas Highway 92 until it intersected US Highway 190 just west of Dam B. There I would turn east and drive home to Jasper. I had just left Silsbee, Texas heading toward Fred, Texas when I first saw it in on the horizon.

From more than fifteen miles away, the smoke could be seen rising nearly ten thousand feet above the tall pine trees and dogwood. It’s gray-blue plum acted as a beacon saying something is happening here. But what? But exactly where?

Was someone burning trash? No, the amount of smoke was too great.

Was it a raging forest fire? Possibly, but if so it was only in an embryonic stage.

Was the smoke the signal of a controlled burn by one of the timber companies? Possibly, but yet the signals just did not look correct.

As I continued driving for miles. As I was leaving Fred, Texas a number of vehicles were assembling in the distance. The closer I got, the more recognizable the cars and trucks became. The wind changed and the smoke pushed its deadly midnight momentarily across the highway.

As I got nearer, I saw no flames. Smoke was gushing out the doors and windows of a small framed building. It was erupting in a deadly, black, thickness through the roof.

The Church in the Pines was dying from fire and smoke inhalation.

March 7, 2014

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Bluebonnet RoadThis Day in Texas History:

It is Friday March 7, 2014. It is the 66th day of 2014. There are 299 days left in the year.

Did you know the Bluebonnet is the state flower of Texas. If you are from Texas of course you know that. If you’re not from here, but got here as fast as you could, you may know that. If you wish you lived here now you know.

Way back in 1901 the Texas legislature adopted the Bluebonnet as the state flower. While it is very pretty, there just weren’t enough of them around for all to enjoy. The solution? In the 1930’s the Texas Highway Department started putting Bluebonnet seeds along our roadways. It’s no accident the blue flowers are everywhere.

A typical spring sight in Texas is children standing or seated among the state flora with mother or father snapping their picture. Some families go to the same spot every year and have a history of their youngins growing up in the land of the Bluebonnets.

To Protect and To Serve (Part Two):

Yesterday I shared I was pulled over by my local police as I was driving to work. The officer said the light was out over my license plate. They checked my driver’s license, state inspection, and car insurance. When I arrived at Starbucks, I checked. The lights over the license plate work, were on, but were very dim.

I replaced both light bulbs after work yesterday. My local Auto Zone Store was very helpful. They sold me some super bright LED bulbs. With tax they were over $10.00. They showed me how to remove the bulbs and replace them. Now it looks like there is a spotlight shining on my license plate.

Miss Benita:

I refer to my bride of over 39 years as Miss Benita. Her real name is Benita Beatrice Breeding Kepler. As a southern gentleman I call her Miss Benita. No, I didn’t watch too many episodes of the original Dallas TV show back in the 1970’s and 1980’s. Remember Jock Ewing calling his wife and J.R.s mother Miss Ellie? My grandfather addressed my grandmother this way. I thought is showed great respect. I still do.

Miss Benita was diagnosed with cancer back in December 2013. They found a malignant tumor. They were not able to remove all because it had spread into the lymph node.  On March 5 Miss Benita received the results of tests that show if the cancer has spread elsewhere. I’ll quote her post on Facebook, “Back from oncologist. Good report. No more cancer found. No treatment needed at this time. Will see him again next month.”

March 6, 2014

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General Santa Anna (Public Domain)
General Santa Anna (Public Domain)

On This Day in Texas History:

It is Thursday March 6, 2014. It is the 65th day of 2014. There are 300 days left in the year. On this date Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna recaptured San Antonio on March 6, 1836, after a thirteen-day siege; the Mexican army suffered an estimated 600 casualties. Of the official list of 189 Texan defenders, all were killed.

To Protect and To Serve:

I was pulled over by my local police this morning as I was driving to work. The officer said the light was out over my license plate. They checked my driver’s license, state inspection, and car insurance. When I arrived at Starbucks, I checked. The lights over the license plate work, were on, but were very dim. I will need to get that checked.

It is a mjaor surprise when flashing lights appear in my rear view mirror. I immideately loooked at my speed. I was ten miles per hour under the speed limit. I had my seat belt fastened. I wondered why they pulled me over. I knew it wasn’t to wish me a good morning. Oh well. so goes life.

February 28, 2014

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It’s Friday, February 28, 2014. It is the 59th day of the year. It is a cool 40 degrees in Dallas this morning at 6 AM. Fortunately, we are not as cold as our neighbors in the northern plains and upper Midwest. They have all those temperatures that begin with a minus sign before the numbers. It is plenty cold for me though. My maternal family’s arrival in Texas predates the Texas Revolution in 1836. I jokingly say as a result I get cold when it gets below 90 degrees. I guess that is why I love the Texas heat of July and August.

This morning as I am typing I am listening to one of my favorite groups of all time, The Alan Parson Project. The song I have on a continuous play loop this morning is “Don’t Answer Me”. It is a 1984 song from the album Ammonia Avenue. It rose to #15 on the Billboard charts in the United States. This was the last Billboard Top 20 hit for the Alan Parsons Project. The music video – which was the first music video from the Alan Parsons Project – was rendered in comic book style, with art and animation by MW Kaluta.

On this date in 1991 the first Gulf War (code-named Operation Desert Storm) ended. In 2001 the Nisqually Earthquake measuring 6.8 on the Richter Scale hit the Nisqually Valley and the Seattle, Tacoma, and Olympia area of the U.S. state of Washington. As a former US Army officer I paid attention to the Gulf War. Some of the men and women I served with back in the 1970s were still on active duty at the time. While in the US Army I was stationed at then Fort Lewis, Washington (now Joint Reserve Base Lewis-McChord. It is located in the heart of the Nisqually Valley. The Nisqually River flowing through the west side of the base with its frigid waters coming straight off the glacier with the same name.

The time is now 6:45 AM. I did a simple time check as I am writing this before going to my day job.

This week my acquaintances Terry Burns and Linda Yezak had the new book released. Writing in Obedience – A Primer for Christian Fiction Writers is the title. I own the paperback and the Kindle version. It is available through Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Writing-Obedience-Christian-Fiction-Writers/dp/1941103138. The book is good. I have read over half to date.

Another writing acquaintance with a new release Mur Lafferty. is Her latest book, set for release March 4, is The Ghost Train to New Orléans. She won the John W. Campbell Award for Best New Writer 2013. It is available for preorder at http://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Train-Orleans-Shambling-Guides/dp/0316221147. I am a long time Mur fan. I own her earlier book The Shambling Guide to New York City. It is available on Amazon at http://www.amazon.com/Shambling-Guide-York-City-Guides/dp/0316221171/ref=pd_bxgy_b_text_y. The book is awesome. it is the first Urban Fantasy book I ever read. Mur tells a great story.

Well, it is 7 AM. It’s time to get to the day job.

Love Your Pet Day

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Today is love your pet day. A lengthy search of the Internet found no record as to the origin of this day. My guess is some pet owner or pet food company thought it up. As a pet owner I say why not?

I have a kitty. Actually, it is my daughter and son-in-law’s kitty that just happens to live with me. I love our kitty.

Lacey the Cat
Lacey the Cat

Here is a video I found a while back about a dog that kind of says it all. Have a happy pet day.

Valentine’s Day Thoughts

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I went to the doctor yesterday afternoon. I have severe ear infection. That is causing my dizziness. I’ve had those since a kid. I also have a sinus and repository infection bordering on bronchitis. I was treated for pneumonia back in September and spent a week in bed.

I was treated December 18, December 24, and again January 19 for sinus infection, ear infection and bronchitis. I got another shot, some fourth different type on antibiotic, and a super duper cough medicine that has the warning – “DO NOT DRIVE OR OPERATE MACHINERY WHILE TAKING THIS MEDICATION. IT WILL MAKE YOU VERY DROWSY AND HAVE AN ACCIDENT”. Sounds powerful. It is okay to take at night and then drive during the day.

After the doctor, it was time to go to the pharmacy at the big box store. My experience forces me to offer a “Customer Service Tip”. The tip is set realistic expectations. I turn in an RX. It’ll be ready in 30 minutes I’m told. I check back in 50 minutes. I’m told by the same person it’ll be at least another hour. I am unhappy. If they had said 2 hrs initially and set my lower expectations, I wouldn’t have expected it ready.

The above story gets worse before it gets better. I am told to stand to the side while they get my RX ready. The person waiting on me leaves for lunch without telling me or anyone. I keep waiting impatiently. Finally, a lady I know comes on duty. She helps a couple of people then asks me whats up. I tell her my sad story. She apologizes for the poor service which someone provided. She then checks and finds my RX is ready. It has been ready for 45 minutes.

Apparently, the young man got it ready, but his lunch break time came along, and he just left. Insert scream of frustration here! He didn’t take the time to get it to me before going to eat. He didn’t tell anyone. And I dutifully waited to follow the last instructions I was given. They made sure I left before he returned from lunch. I guess they were afraid I might go postal on him when he returned.

They experience reminds me of when I worked as a senior training specialist for American Express back in the 1990s. I learned the average person with a good customer experience tells at most one or two people if they tell any. Have a bad experience and the horrors are shared with over 20 people.

Last night the new RXs caused me to have insomnia. I was after 4:30 AM before I went to sleep.

It is now Friday morning. It is 63.2 degrees on my front porch at 11:00 AM on Valentine’s Day 2014. After having trouble getting to sleep last night I slept until 9:20 AM. I got up, wished Benita Kepler happy Valentine’s Day, just as she left for work.

I bought a nice gift for her earlier this week for Valentine’s Day. Unfortunately, it is sitting on my desk at work, and I am on vacation today and Monday. Linda Lee Tritton that I work with can vouch that it’s there. She saw it and asked about it. I guess it is good intentions gone wrong. I am “resting and relaxing” today. I finally showered and got dressed. I had the music cranked up. I am headed to the Shops at Willow Bend to walk for an hour. Then I will head to my favorite Starbucks to write (12:45 to 3:30 PM).

Today’s writing goals:

  1. Write another chapter in the Bradbury Burroughs Raindome SF novel,
  2. Finish reading the Terry Burns book on writing,
  3. Work on final edits and organizing on my forthcoming book “Lonely and Feeling Blue”. It is a poetry collection due out next month,
  4. I have some book reviews that need finished. The first drafts are written – maybe they’ll get priority today,
  5. Review the registration info for April’s poetry conference “Poetry at Round Top”,
  6. Check out the details for All-Con 2014, Dallas , March 13-16, 2014, and
  7. Check out the details for the biggie – Dallas Comic Con May 16-18, 2014. Now with 4x the space on one floor! 600,000+ square feet of comic and pop-culture family fun. It’s guests will include guests Stan Lee, William Shatner, Nathan Fillion, and Robert Englund. It is a Dallas version of Comicon.

Well, it is time to get on with the day. Oh, the below video is a little something I made for my bride on Valentine’s Day.

The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories

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The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners' Helmets With Lights and Other Stories
The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories

Today is Saturday, February 8, 2014. It is a Saturday. After a week of cold miserable weather, we had a reprieve this afternoon. The sun came out after spending the morning behind clouds. Temperatures that started at freezing made their way to 52 degrees at 4:47 PM. After days with temperatures staying below freezing it felt like a heat wave.

My Saturday was similar to many others. I awoke later than usual today. I slept until 7:15 AM. Instead of heading for coffee at Starbucks, I had breakfast at home as well as my morning caffeine. I watched some of the Olympics opening ceremonies on DVR while I ate a bowl of Cheerios with dried cherries. I remained at home until my wife departed for work.

After she left I loaded my laptop and myself into my Ford Taurus. I headed to my favorite Starbucks for a morning of editing and formatting. I had a tall blonde roast coffee. I spoke with my friend Joanne and her husband. She is a local bank branch manager I see most mornings when I stop in for coffee.

I put the last touches on the formatting of my book “The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets With Lights and Other Stories”. It is available on Kindle February 9, 2014 in the United States, India, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Japan, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, and Australia.

Maybe the hardest part of the book was the dedication. I dedicated it to:

  • My wife Benita B. Kepler, who permits me to pursue my passion of writing.
  • My poet friend and beta reader Karen Vandiver Garrison for her encouragement.
  • My writing coach Linda Lee Tritton and the Wholehearted Writing Group: Marcie Aber, Sabrina “Sam” Chapman, Amy Koetter, Talya Tate Boerner and Storm Ricamore. I told them thank you for their beta reading and suggestions. I have grown to love them like family.

At 1:30 PM, I left Starbucks. I went to the gasoline station and filled my car up with gas.

Next, I returned home. My wife was still at work. My kitty greeted me. She was looking for tuna. I ate leftover meat loaf to her disappointment.

I retired to my home office and did more editing while watching/listening to The Seekers 25th Anniversary Reunion Concert from the early 1990s.

About 5:45 PM I moved from my office to the kitchen. I prepared pork chops, corn, green beans and pineapple for the evening meal. I had it ready when my wife came home from work about 6:45 PM.

Following dinner, I watched the conclusion of the Olympics opening ceremonies on DVR. I then retired to the kitchen. I put up the clean dishes in the dishwasher. I next rinsed the dinner dishes and placed them in the dishwasher. I washed the pots and pans in the sink. I made a pitcher of iced tea as well as taking up four trays of ice. I do not own an ice maker other than four ice trays.

I read the short story “Dehydration” by Grayson Queen. It was very interesting. It deals with the premise of what happens if the earth’s water supply becomes non-potable.

I also finalized arrangements for going to see the Dallas Symphony and Bernadette Peters tomorrow. The show is after church. It is at 2:30 PM.

Well, it’s about time for bed. In the name of shameless self-promotion, buy my book “The Prairie Dogs Have Coal Miners’ Helmets with Lights and Other Stories”. It’s available on Kindle at http://www.amazon.com/Prairie-Miners-Helmets-Lights-Stories-ebook/dp/B00IBRLH74/.

Photo Credit: The cover image use is with permission under Creative Commons Share-Alike License CC-BY-SA 3.0. Joe Ravi is the photographer.