Category: Life

Posted in Life, money

“Can you pay with your phone?”

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Albert Hu on Unsplash

We enjoyed a nice breakfast after Sunday worship in Dallas at First Watch, a breakfast /lunch chain we’ve become fond of. I was especially impressed with the lemon blueberry cornbread, a recipe I will definitely seek out for home baking.

As we finished up, our server brought by the check commenting, “Our system is down. Can you pay by phone?”

“No problem. Thanks.” More and more this is the way you pay for a meal. But this happened right on the heels of a Starbucks system shutdown just a few days before. Hmm.

Is it coincidence that this has been happening more frequently? Just think how easily you could bring down a competitor just by messing with their wifi. How many security systems would fail with an interruption to cell service? Every third time I go to get cash at my bank drive through, one of the ATM’s isn’t working. My chip card works or doesn’t work, depending on the store or the day.

What about all the people who don’t know how to pay by phone? Most of the people ahead of me at an ATM or self-checkout spend way too much time figuring out a simple transaction.

It’s so convenient and yet so maddening.

Posted in Life, night

In the wrong place at the wrong time?

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Eugene Triguba on Unsplash

It happens on an early morning walk with my dog (big dog, little dog, or all of the above), while it’s still dark. Or on an evening walk after the sun has set.

I see the headlights of an approaching car. Or I see light from a car coming up behind me. I walk close to the edge of the road. We have no curbs or sidewalks in our community, so I get right up to the edge of the grass.

I slow to let the car pass. The car slows down. I look down so I’m not blinded by the lights. Or I glance back, wondering if they see me. As I cross in front of a driveway, that is the very driveway the car enters. Of all the driveways on the road, I am in the middle of that one when someone arrives at their home.

This happens more often than not. So I wonder, “Is it coincidence?” Why did our paths converge at that moment? Am I in their way? Or are they in mine? I could have walked a little faster. They could have driven slower. Why did we meet at that hour, minute, and second?

It happens once or twice a week. Too often to be coincidence. But there’s no rhyme or reason to the encounter. It’s pure irony that the moment I walk past a driveway, those residents are pulling in.

Sometimes I am really annoyed by this. Why now? Why didn’t you drive a little faster? Why didn’t I leave a little later? Why are you in my space – or why am I in yours?

I imagine they ask similar questions. “What is he doing here so early in the morning?” “Doesn’t this guy ever sleep in?” “Give me a break. I just worked the overnight shift. Get out of the way.”

Posted in Life, mercy

Confronted by hunger, scoliosis, schitzophrenia, and an e-bike

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I have a whole lot of questions about this man who crossed the intersection in front of me today.

What does he mean by a twisted spine? My quick Google search took me to websites that described scoliosis, when the spine twists or curves to one side or the other. It can cause trouble breathing as well as chronic pain.

What about schizophrenia? Although I hear that word often, Google told me that less than one percent of the population have this mental health condition. Symptoms include delusions, hallucinations, disorganized speech, memory challenges, and decision making problems. There is medical treatment.

How much does an e-bike cost?

This appears to be a Vivi Sport e-bike available at Walmart for under $500. That’s pretty affordable. But if I had to choose between an e-bike and food, I would buy something to eat.

While I’m on the topic, why do e-bikes have pedals? I learned it is so that they are considered bicycles rather than motorcycles. They don’t have to be licensed in the same way.

I have questions for this man. Are you a veteran? Sadly, too many veterans have to wait a long time to get the treatment they need for physical and mental challenges.

How did you afford an e-bike? Where do you charge it up at night? Where do you ride your e-bike to and from?

What medical care have you found? Can you afford your medication? Are you constantly in pain?

When I find myself lacking compassion, I know I should get to know the person who is asking for and needing assistance. Maybe money isn’t their most important need at the moment.

And then maybe the most important question of all: what if that were me? What would I do in their shoes? Where would I go? Who would I ask for help?

I never seem to have as much compassion as I should when I see someone riding an e-bike with a sign like this in front of me. I jump to conclusions, harden my heart, and think like someone who doesn’t even know Jesus. It’s convicting. It drives me to repentance. And it makes me realize I still have so much to learn.

Posted in Life

Not busy. Full.

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Joanna Kosinska on Unsplash

I decided to frame my day with a different word. Instead of busy, I’m going to define my life with the word full.

“Busy” sounds stressful, tiring, and negative. “Full” suggests something positive, satisfying, and appealing.

Busy lives are occupied with those who drain your energy. Full lies are fueled by those who energize and lift up.

Would you rather be busy or full?

What if the interruptions, requests, and appeals were those things that filled your day? What if they gave you something rather than taking something from you?

That’s the difference. And you determine the difference. Did you simply give? Or did you receive?

I desire days full of learning, experiencing, doing, and being. I’ve learned to love days filled with people, places, and events. Those same days could be characterized as routine, dull, and boring.

Or they might be described as full.

It depends on your perspective. If I don’t get everything done, it might just be a day filled with people I love, the rest my body needs, and time to figure out what’s really important.

Most of my days are full. I am rarely bored. I have places to go, people to see, things to do, new experiences, and interruptions.

Busy? Nope. My life is full!

Posted in Life, Travel

Traveling the world on a drive through Florida

Posted on by William Douthwaite
The tower of a citrus processing plant somewhere in southwest Florida

We took two of our grandsons to an Atlanta Braves spring training baseball game at Cool Today Park, a beautiful stadium nestled between Port Charlotte and Venice, Florida. Our drive from northeast Florida took us down interstate highways through Daytona Beach and Orlando, before the GPS routed us down back roads to avoid ever-present slowdowns on I-75.

I took in a part of Florida I had not yet experienced. Some of the roads took us through abandoned orange groves. Others took us through vast cattle ranches and expansive strawberry fields. We passed thetowering citrus processing plants, endless rows of fabric-covered infant orange trees, tobacco stores, gun shops, and Latin-American food trucks of southwest Florida.

I thought I understood redneck Florida. I was wrong. Our drive took us through a whole different world, a strange new world in a state where I have lived for thirty years.

I trusted the Airbnb host’s recommendation for a casual supper place. I haven’t been out to eat in a place where people were smoking for a long, long time. The seating area was technically outside, so they got away with the few patrons who lit up a cigarette. I was happy when they finished up their meal and left.

On the way home, we were the only English-speaking folks inquiring about the restrooms. Nevertheless, everyone was friendly and helpful.

I don’t have to travel far to experience other cultures. They are right down the road.

Posted in Life, Travel

Yard art for everyone

Posted on by William Douthwaite

We’ve passed it dozens of times on our way to Ocala, Deleon Springs, Blue Spring State Park (to see the manatees), Eustis, and Mount Dora. Finally on our way home from Umatilla after a grandson’s baseball game, we stopped to see what the Barberville Yard Art Emporium was all about.

The emporium is three acres of every size and shape of aluminum, glass, wood, concrete, ceramic, and clay animals, pots, mailboxes, birdbaths, fountains, lampposts, and any other kind of statuary you can imagine. Right out front is a twenty foot tall giraffe alongside life-size cows, lions, elephants, and flamingoes. Lots of bigger-than-life chickens and roosters line the road. These large animals are bolted to the ground, as if a thief would have the means to steal one.

The emporium is filled with over 800,000 pieces in every shape and size. Most item’s aren’t cheap. A modest three-foot rooster was $445. A life-size ten-piece aluminum nativity had a $7,995 sticker price. (Where would you store that after Christmas?) We looked at walls filled with Haitian tin art, hammered from used oil drums. Overhead we saw shelves filled with brightly painted pots. This is the place to find that six-foot extraterrestrial giving a one-finger salute you’ve been searching for.

We didn’t purchase anything this time. At least we know where we can find a gorilla or unicorn when we need one.

So I wonder who would buy a giant chicken for their yard? A farm sellling eggs? A fried chicken restaurant? How about a huge cow by the entrance to a dairy farm?

Now that I think about it, I used to ride my bike past a house in our community that had a triceratops statue in the front yard. A friend has a life-size dog statue by their front door. Giant Santas smile at me from lawns in December. Some day I’ll have to count all the flamingo statues I see on a morning walk.

Posted in coffee, Life

Coffee chat

Posted on by William Douthwaite
Photo by Brooke Cagle on Unsplash

A young man in a black polo shirt sat next to me at the local Starbucks where I relax while the little dog is at the groomer. His shirt was embroidered with the Starbucks logo and he was absorbed in some work on his laptop.

He knew a number of the baristas working that morning. After I listened in on a few of the conversations, I asked if he worked for the company. Austin introduced himself and explained that he was a district manager for a number of stores in the Jacksonville area. He had driven down to meet with another DM.

When I asked what his job entailed, he explained that he visited each of his dozen stores weekly. He’s been in this position for two years and really enjoyed the work. I asked how this store compared to those in his area. He said this was a very busy store, being right off the interstate. He didn’t know for sure, but guessed it grossed over $50,000 per week. Wow.

Austin asked if I came there often, and I explained that I hung out there while my dog as at the groomer. He asked me if I had tried the 1971 roast that had just been introduced. When I told him I hadn’t, he said, “Let me get you a sample.”

He brought back a small cup of coffee for me to try. It tasted fine, but wasn’t very strong. I don’t think the barista brewed it correctly because I’ve never had a weak cup of coffee there. Starbucks advertises it as a bold dark roast, and this cup wasn’t bold or dark. For a moment, I wanted to tell him it wasn’t very strong, but he looked like he was busy. So I just thanked him and got back to some writing, thankful for a little extra free coffee that morning.

Posted in Life

Someone’s watching

Posted on by William Douthwaite

I pass this little patch of asphalt just about every day when walking the dogs. Oil drips form a face that is surprised to see me as I am.

Here’s another one, in the granite of my bathroom sink, sleepily looking back at me whenever I’m brushing my teeth.

It’s only a little creepy when I catch of glimpse of these faces. I wonder what they’re thinking, in their asphalt or granite world, seeing my face out in the air. Are they creeped out?

What if it was the face of a person who cut the stone or spread the asphalt? What if the countertop or the street contained the remains of someone? In the middle of a project, a worker disappeared. No one knows what happened to them. They just disappeared.

Maybe it’s just a reminder that someone is always watching you. There’s a camera in every store, on every doorbell, at ATM, and above traffic intersections. They are watching. Who? I don’t know. Someone.

Posted in Life

Thunderbirds

Posted on by William Douthwaite

Yesterday was cookie delivery day. With a bag of birthday iced sugar cookies in hand, I met the purchaser outside of the hospital where she worked in Daytona Beach.

I heard the sound well before I saw the plane. Instead of the usual commercial jet or single engine plane coming or going from the Daytona Beach airport, the roar of a fighter jet filled the air as an F-16 flew pretty low overhead. It was flying pretty low as it disappeared as quickly as it arrived. Close behind were four of the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flying in close formation.

I was pleasantly surprised and awed. They were practicing their flyover for the start of the Daytona 500 on Sunday afternoon. The friend picking up cookies told me she had gone up onto the hospital helipad the day before, watching them from less than 1,000 feet away.

Every once in a while, I’ll see a couple of F-35s or Blackhawk helicopters overhead when the Air National Guard runs training flights along the coast out of Jacksonville. When I hear the unmistakeable sound, I hurry outside to watch. They don’t fly as low, but they are fast!

Moments like this bring back memories of one of my top ministry moments, a flyover at the graveside service of a dear friend and member.