Ok, so this is not the usual approach to an autobiography. With the title of my Blog JFrog -- Adventures and Experiments it seemed to me that playing with some of my own life experiences would be a fun way for me to reflect on some events of my life. This is not an attempt to be comprehensive, or, for that matter, it’s not really an attempt at autobiography. It is more a series of reflections.
Melissa and I began dating in late 2006, and we were married in mid 2007. During the time we have been together she has expressed some amazement at my tolerance for what I would consider minor injuries. We might be working in the back yard, clearing a part of the tree line and pulling vines out of the trees. Melissa would see blood on my arm or my leg and ask, “How did that happen.” I would, of course, have no earthly idea. It became a bit of a joke. Then for me to “brag” of having had six experiences of breaking bones took the “joke” to another level. Recently, when I had a little more time on my hands for reflection, I recognized that each time I had broken a bone it was also a time when there were other things going on in my life. Well, duh! There is always something else going on in our lives! Sometimes other events are totally unrelated, but there are times that other events may impact the story of the broken bone, or the story of the broken bone may impact the unfolding of other events.
To begin, I plan at starting with my first broken bone and work my way, chronologically, to the present. That is as effective a way of organizing the story as any, and it may be helpful, as the reflections evolve, to see them in context of my larger life story. As a brief outline, or a provisional table of contents, I offer the following:
1. My First Break in Life (left arm in First Grade)
2. Breakthrough with Friendships (collar bone in Third Grade)
3. We are not always made stronger at the broken place (Collar bone re-do during my first pastorate)
4. Superman, I am not (left arm during second pastorate)
5. Anger Management Came Late (right hand during first marriage)
6. Paying attention to what is important (Broken Leg)
7. Getting to the Heart of the Matter (Cracked Sternum as result of bi-pass surgery, technically not a “broken bone,” but it gets to the heart of the matter)
I will be posting these reflections as I have them completed. No time frame is planned, but I am curious to see where it takes me. With this blog, I am not sure if I will be able to group them, or to have them in a "correct" order. It may be on the reader to find the installment that you want to read. There may also be other postings that are added in breaks between reflections (pun intended).
To begin, I plan at starting with my first broken bone and work my way, chronologically, to the present. That is as effective a way of organizing the story as any, and it may be helpful, as the reflections evolve, to see them in context of my larger life story. As a brief outline, or a provisional table of contents, I offer the following:
1. My First Break in Life (left arm in First Grade)
2. Breakthrough with Friendships (collar bone in Third Grade)
3. We are not always made stronger at the broken place (Collar bone re-do during my first pastorate)
4. Superman, I am not (left arm during second pastorate)
5. Anger Management Came Late (right hand during first marriage)
6. Paying attention to what is important (Broken Leg)
7. Getting to the Heart of the Matter (Cracked Sternum as result of bi-pass surgery, technically not a “broken bone,” but it gets to the heart of the matter)
I will be posting these reflections as I have them completed. No time frame is planned, but I am curious to see where it takes me. With this blog, I am not sure if I will be able to group them, or to have them in a "correct" order. It may be on the reader to find the installment that you want to read. There may also be other postings that are added in breaks between reflections (pun intended).
Those of you who have known me during some of these times are welcomed to add your own comments and reflections, even tweaking my selective memory with your own selective memory.
