{"id":11627,"date":"2019-07-02T09:53:32","date_gmt":"2019-07-02T14:53:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/?p=11627"},"modified":"2019-07-02T09:53:34","modified_gmt":"2019-07-02T14:53:34","slug":"my-personal-appearance-may-be-declining","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/?p=11627","title":{"rendered":"My Personal Appearance May Be Declining."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

For those of you who know me, that headline may not be much of a news flash. For the reader who doesn’t have any background with me, the barbarian pictured below is me. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Lotsa Cargo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Needless to say, at 6′ and 300+ pounds I’m hard to miss. With the full ZZ Top<\/a> beard thing (and usually shades if I’m outdoors) I present a somewhat different\/imposing appearance. Now, combine that with my beloved workout clothes – most of which look like stuff that’s a decade old because they are – and you have a guy that people want to move across the street to avoid if there are any alleyways in the general locale where our paths will cross.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only exception to the above description is when the cross-fit members are out for their cute little group runs. Then it appears that the self-entitled deem the entire sidewalk to be theirs, and walk three-abreast, forcing me to move out of their way. (Hint to the cross-fit group I ran across this morning: tomorrow you had best move or the bruises will likely be legendary. I’m guessing my 360 pound mass travelling 8 mph toward your 140 pound mass is going to win. Move over, it’s a courtesy.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A short time ago I was walking down University Avenue in Saint Paul on my way to work. I had my 100 liter backpack hoisted on my shoulders, and was carrying my 5’10” walking staff. I got to Dale Street, and had to wait for the light to cross. There was an older woman waiting at the corner, and I held back a bit so she wouldn’t feel that I was encroaching on her personal space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When we both got across University, I turned to cross Dale as well. I heard a voice to my right, and looked over: it was the woman saying something to me. Turning Glenn Campbell off for a minute, I removed my earbuds and apologized for not hearing her when she spoke to me.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She pointed at the public library and said (in the most genteel voice you can possibly imagine), “Sir, if you’re looking for a job, they’re having an employment fair at the library.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In my most disarming manner, I smiled and said, “Thank you, Ma’am, but I’m actually walking to work right now. I’m ready to retire in another year. But it’s very kind of you to help a stranger.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She nodded and said, “Well, I just thought you might like to know.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now, it would be easy to judge her as a busybody talking down to some guy on the street, but that clearly wasn’t the case. Instead, this frail little woman, 1\/3 of my size, and a good foot shorter than I am, had the decency to try and elevate a fellow human with an opportunity, and a vote of confidence that I’d use that information wisely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I have wondered in the days since if I have mustered that good Christian compassion often enough. Have I extended myself to others? Do I judge and not offer help? The answer is not often enough, and yes I do judge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

That day I started looking for opportunities to lend a hand, not the back of mine, when I see a chance to elevate a stranger. (The people I already know should expect no change!) This may not apply to cross-fit walkers on West 7th street. I guess I’ll find out next time we meet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Can you? Will you? Won’t you lend a hand to one who could use it? Not a hand-out, but a hand-up. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It won’t be easy, but I’ll keep trying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*********************** *********************** ************************ ************************ *************************<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My second novel, Nicholas of Haiti<\/em><\/a>, is now available. Go fetch your credit card for the Kindle<\/a>, print<\/a>, and audio book versions<\/a>. This is not a sequel to Assault on Saint Agnes<\/a><\/em>, but a unique book in the speculative Christian fiction world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Audio book cover on the left, Kindle cover on the right.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Please follow me on Twitter<\/a>, and “Like” the Facebook author page<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don’t forget to subscribe (the box is on the right side of the page) to be eligible for free e-books and other benefits! Oh yeah – grab a copy of Assault on Saint Agnes <\/em><\/a>if you’re of a mind.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

For those of you who know me, that headline may not be much of a news flash. For the reader who doesn’t have any background with me, the barbarian pictured below is me. Needless to say, at 6′ and 300+ …<\/span> Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1253,1,3781],"tags":[167,6444,6447,6446,162,6445,51,326,605],"class_list":["post-11627","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-love-2","category-uncategorized","category-walking","tag-commotion-in-the-pews","tag-dale-street","tag-extending-yourself","tag-job-fair","tag-joseph-courtemanche","tag-library","tag-minnesota","tag-saint-paul","tag-university-avenue"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11627","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=11627"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11627\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11996,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11627\/revisions\/11996"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=11627"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=11627"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/commotioninthepews.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=11627"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}