Wisdom from Training Manuals - Part 1

'If the enemy is in range, so are you.'
Infantry Journal  

'Don't eject directly over the area you just bombed.'
US Air Force Manual

'Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword, obviously never encountered automatic weapons.'
General MacArthur

'You, you, and you ... Panic. The rest of you, come with me.'

Infantry Sgt.

'Tracers work both ways.'

Army Ordnance Manual

'Five second fuses last about three seconds.'

Infantry Journal

The three most useless things in aviation are: Fuel in the bowser; Runway behind you; and Air above you.

Basic Flight Training Manual

'Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once.'

Naval Ops Manual

'Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do.'

Unknown Infantry Recruit

'If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up with him.'

Infantry Journal

'Yea, Though I Fly Through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I Shall Fear No Evil. For I am at 50,000 Feet and Climbing.'

Sign over SR71 Wing Ops

'You've never been lost until you've been lost at Mach 3.'

Paul F. Crickmore (SR71 test pilot)

'The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire.'

Unknown Author

'If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage it has to be a helicopter -- and therefore, unsafe.'
Fixed Wing Pilot

“Don’t turn your back on wisdom, for she will protect you.
Love her, and she will guard you.
Getting wisdom is the wisest thing you can do!
And whatever else you do, develop good judgment.” Proverbs 4:6-7 (NLT)

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Life in the Salt Shaker

Regularly the pews would be full … Sunday morning … Sunday evening … Wednesday night prayer meeting … and then every evening all week when it was revival time. The saints would gather, nodding at each other as they took their assigned seats. Some shouting would be heard … some fingers pointed … as the worshipers expressed their agreement with the words being spoken.

Then they all went home and waited for the next time to come together.

When the boundaries of the church property were reached, the armor was in place so no dirt from the world could possibly affect them. As they traveled through their days, no eye contact was made with the heathen outside the church. The pious ones would think “What a pity they didn’t come into the fold and be saved.” But the problem was those church goers never left the salt shaker. Nothing was made better by them, because they desired to never be sprinkled in the world.

Even as I lived in this secluded world, it didn’t seem right. Yet I carried on the tradition of exclusivity until I was in my 30’s. As I studied the Bible for myself …instead of being told what to believe … I came across a scripture that made my heart say ah ha.

“Let me tell you why you are here. You're here to be salt-seasoning that brings out the God-flavors of this earth. If you lose your saltiness, how will people taste godliness? You've lost your usefulness and will end up in the garbage.” Matthew 5:13 (MSG)

Sounds to me like we’re supposed to do more than just go to church.

This morning as I listened to Chuck Swindoll, he said something that connected with me. “If your whole life revolves around church activities and Christians, you’re living a more sheltered life than is good for you or for the world.” That’s it. As a Christ-follower I’m supposed to be good for the world. I can’t do that if I live my life in the salt shaker.

I still go to church. It’s a gathering of my friends. But doing church is no longer my focus. I rub elbows with people who occasionally use the f-word. I don’t like it and they know it. As they’ve gotten to understand me and what I stand for, when they slip up, they apologize … to me. That’s an opening for me to sprinkle a little salt.

Have you ever over-salted something? Then you know that destroys the enjoyment of eating that food. Just a little salt … when needed … does the job.

"In a word, what I'm saying is, Grow up. You're kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you." Matthew 5:48 (MSG)

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David Who?

From my vantage point high above the track, I watched the cars barrel around the oval … NASCAR at its best. Having been a fan for years, I not only knew the driver’s names, but their wives … sometimes children … sometimes parents. I knew where they lived and who their sponsor was. I had it bad.

Suddenly one car bumped another and the “Big Crash” began. In slow motion the double zero car (00) turned sideways and hit the wall head on. The race was red flagged as they worked to extricate the driver … David Stremme.

I had never heard of him. He was rushed to the infield hospital … but was DOA.

I awoke. My heart was pounding and my mind was racing. Who was David Stremme? I rarely remember any dreams. But when I do, they are in Technicolor and very memorable. I knew without a doubt that driver’s name was David Stremme. It took me awhile to go back to sleep.

Again, I saw the track … the race … the crash into the wall. Again it was the 00 car with driver David Stremme. Again, he was DOA. Again I awoke with heart pounding and mind racing. What was going on?

I finally went back to sleep.

For a third time, I witnessed the race, the crash, the death. There would be no more sleeping. I padded my way to the computer and Googled the name David Stremme. I was amazed and a little fearful to discover there was a new NASCAR driver named David Stremme. In 2003 he had been rookie of the year for the Nationwide series.

This was a real person. Now what was I supposed to do?

Since I am familiar with an organization called Motor Racing Outreach, I thought maybe they could help me. MRO conducts church services at the race tracks before the races, prays with the drivers and holds Sunday school for the drivers’ children.

I’m sure I sounded like a loony as I tried to explain my concern. Yes, there was a driver named David Stremme … but exactly what kind of message did I want to deliver to him? I didn’t know. That he was going to die? I couldn’t do that. So I just told them to give him a message that I was praying for him and his safety.

And then I waited … and watched the next race. Never before had my eyes been glued on David Stremme, but in that race I knew every time he wobbled. I caught myself holding my breath when he rounded a curve.

And I prayed.

That was several years ago … and he’s still racing.

I have no idea why that dream … three times. I don’t know if I was supposed to do more. I do know I prayed … daily and for weeks … for his protection. He has no idea who I am or the concern he caused me.

But God does.

^“God's angel sets up a circle of protection around us while we pray.” Psalm 34:7 (MSG)

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Blessed Are the Cracked

1. Blessed are the cracked, for they let in the light.

2. My husband and I divorced over religious differences. He thought he was God and I didn’t.

3. I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

4. You’re just jealous because the voices only talk to me.

5. Beauty is in the eye of the beer holder.

6. I’m not a complete idiot … some parts are just missing.

7. NyQuil, the stuffy, sneezy, why-the-heck-is-the-room-spinning medicine.

8. God must love stupid people; He made so many.

9. The gene pool could use a little Chlorine.

10. Ever stop to think, and then forget to start again?

11. Being “over the hill” is much better than being under it.

12. A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.

13. Stupidity is not a handicap. Park somewhere else.

14. They call it PMS because Mad Cow Disease was already taken.

15. A picture is worth a thousand words, but it uses up three thousand times the memory.

16. The trouble with life is there’s no background music.

17. The original point and click interface was a Smith & Wesson.

(Author Unknown)

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