WWJD? What Would Jesus Drive.

One thought has been parading around in my head nearly all day and I find that I have to explore it. With the economy tough and times hard for most of us, people are making conscientious choices about more and more things. I see generic brands selling more than name brands, more families cooking at home versus dining out and people choosing to buy used versus new cars to save economically. All of this made me wonder, if Jesus were physically living in America today, what kind of car would He drive?

I pondered this as I was driving down I-85 this morning and as I passed all kinds of makes, models and colors of vehicles I considered each a prospect. Being that I don't know all of Jesus' personal preferences, I figured I had better generalize as to a particular type of car. After that, the choice was easy... Jesus would drive a pickup-truck.

What?? I know I just shocked half of the people that will read this. The King of Kings riding in an old heap? Well not necessarily, but a truck none the less. First of all, think of the practical aspect of it. We all know the stories of how Jesus healed the sick, raised the dead and performed miracles, but we don't completely delve into Jesus' total life package. By trade, Jesus was a carpenter. He had to make a living somehow. Just as now, carpenters back then needed tools and a way to transport them, but today I don't think a donkey and a wagon would do it. Since He needed tool storage, I think Jesus would have a toolbox. He may even have a ladder rack... all of that is too much to guess, but a truck certainly fits in there for His vocation.

Next, He would have a truck because they are handy when you want to help people. If He was hauling trash for the widow down the street, collecting cans for the needy, or even carrying goods to those displaced by disaster, the truck is the way to go. There's plenty of room to store the stuff, and with the 4-door models, plenty of room for a disciple or two to hop in and go along for the ride. There's so many things He could do for people with His truck that there isn't enough paper to write it down.

About the time all of this came through my head, a Mercedes came flying by me on the left, breaking the sound barrier, and was show-room new. Now, this was a nice car that I'm sure cost more than I will make before 2999. Many people live their lives dreaming of owning one, but they just aren't in Jesus' style. He could have had worldly riches, but he didn't aspire to that. His purpose in life wasn't to impress His neighbors, but to bring Salvation. That ruled the fancy car out for me.

Shortly after thinking this story up, I met a friend, who is a Methodist preacher. As I was talking to him I shared my opinion of what Jesus would drive. He agreed (I think partly because he drives a truck too.) Whether or not He would have leather seats, heated mirrors or choose diesel over gasoline I have no clue. I don't know if it would be red, white, silver, black or blue. And I certainly don't know if it would be a Chevy, Ford or Dodge.... but without a doubt, in my mind, Jesus would be riding in His pickup truck.

I will have to get back to you about the carpentry business magnets for the doors.

Sinko de Marcho

It seems that more time has passed and I haven't had a chance to BLOG in a while. Well, I want to say first of all that since December, most of my time has been spent finishing up my CD and getting that out on the street. I am happy to say that we launched it February 28th, and the reviews I have gotten thus far have been very good. Of course, most of them are from friends who wouldn't want to tell me anything bad, but I am still happy with it.
Secondly, in the midst of our power outage, my female Bulldog goes into her second heat. Since we aren't ready to breed her, this presents a problem in that my male (who is 5 years old) has taken a new interest in her. Thankfully the power is on and I have the separated. If this is like last time, the separation will last three weeks, then life can return to normal with the two of them. Since they are inseparable, this makes it difficult for them, but we have them separated so that nothing can happen, but they can still see each other. That makes things a little easier.
I've been thinking more and more about the time-frame of my life and when I want to have things accomplished. I will be 30 in July, which I guess is partly why I am thinking about this, but I really think it's good to have some things planned out. The one thing that I can't seem to get anyone to agree with me on is how I want things handled when I leave this world. My wife would love for me to go to the mortuary, get stuffed, laid in a box and buried. Forget the astronomical bill, but I would still "be there." I on the other hand want to go the way the cigar did... in ashes. I figure for less than $800 I am outta here and the life insurance money can go for something she can really use.
My dad passed away back in 2007, and the most hideous thing I remember having to spend was $3,000 on a grave marker. We didn't get the expensive model, and just chose the basic 2-name marker. But three grand for something is going to lay in the dirt, that we will rarely see and definitely get no practical use out of? That offended me worse than a room full of dirty socks. I mean I was certain my dad wanted these things, but for me... I don't. Instead of paying for a hearse, they can stick me in the back of my Dodge truck and haul me wherever. I mean, I already paid for that... give it a final use. Plus, I think if I am going to pay a couple grand for a fancy box, I had much rather have a nice Craftsman toolbox that I could brag about and show my friends than a satin lined casket that I bury in an over-priced piece of ground under an over-priced headstone. For the total package, I could fill the box with tools too. Heck, even further, I could get a pool installed. My wife would have much more fun in a pool on a hot summer day than she would staring at her husband's headstone. Plus, if we got the pool and I was cremated, she could take the urn out there and I could enjoy it too.
Enough about that, but I do have one more thing I want to say. Everything is going to be moving to DwayneStrickland.com very shortly, including the blog. If you read it here, it will be there and here, so you won't be missing anything. Also, music information including any bookings, request for booking, CD's, etc can be found there. Tell your friends, when you get some!

Back to the Blog

Well, friends, I have to apologize that I haven't been here in a while, and I have let things get backed up that we need to talk about. We haven't had time to talk over the Holidays, and I need to rectify that tonight with a short, or long, little entry that comes from my heart to your ears (well eyes, but who's going to be that

We all know that Christmas happened last month, and being that I am half neurotic and half pessimistic, you know that it wasn't that much fun. We had the usual get togethers here and there. We always start Christmas Eve out at my aunt's house. We wont call her name, because I can't say Louise on the Internet. We pretty much do the same thing there over and over, year after year. It's the same menu... they never spice it up. I keep voting for hot wings or pizza but it never happens. I mean, I know they're family and I love them, but would it hurt them to tap a Christmas keg?

We also always sing the "12 Days of Christmas" song. Fortunately, last year we got reprieve since my dad had passed away a few months before. I got the out (they thought it would make us grieve harder) and we took it to skip the song. My uncle really enjoys it, but the rest of us use it as a point to laugh and make fun of each other. It's one of those traditions you will remember through the years, mainly because you're glad it's gone. After that we do the old gift switch-a-roo and then go home. If you're lucky, you can get out without the ever traditional round of photos... but that usually doesn't happen. This year, and partly to be mean, I carried my big camera with the huge flash and blinded everyone.

Christmas morning we went to Evelyn's family to watch our nieces open what Santa brought. The big guy must have spent half the night there unloading, 'cause there was a pletheter of presents skirting the living room. I believe it took them hours to get through it all, and we had enough scrap paper to fill the bed of the truck. No kidding. I won't say much about them (let her bragg on her own family) but they do make mine look more and more normal.

People keep asking me (and Evelyn) when we are going to have kids. I told someone over Christmas that I didn't know as I had never even seen her naked. She believed me. We've been married for over two years now, and I have to say that some of my fondest memories of my wife thus far involve her being naked, but that's not the point. And I'm sure the person still believes what I told her. I really get frustrated with people asking when we're going to have kids, because I know we will have them, when we're ready and when God is ready for us to have them. Not before. I'm still too big of a kid myself, and still need a little bit of freedom. We're not getting fixed, nixing kids all together or putting the subject off. We're just doing it in our time frame. And for all of the people that think we need one, should have one now, and don't understand why we aren't just pining away at our barren hearts, get a life and butt out.

Finally for tonight, because most people have already stopped reading because they've been insulted, I want to talk about organized religion. I was raised in a Southern Baptist Church. I went to one until about 2 years ago and I frankly got tired of a lot of the games and gimmicks they have going on. I know there are a lot of very good, very Christian SB people, but that's the problem. Most of them only believe half of the Bible. They believe Jesus died for our sins, but think He made non-alcholoic wine. They believe David was a man after God's heart, but don't like to admit he danced. They believe Jesus was great but forget He spent most of his timer ministering to the undesirable crowd.

Think about this if you will. If Jesus were here today, in South Carolina, where would he be at? Most Christians want to think he would be on the front row of their church, or bathed and pristine with blonde hair and blue eyes. They don't want to admit their Jesus was a poor Son of a carpenter, who wore workmans clothes, was not the cleanest person in the world, and beared more resemblance to what we would inacurately call a terrorist than the Fabio verion they have in their mind. Would we stop Jesus in an airport security line because of his dark olive skin, dark hair and eyes, and the clothing he would have on? Yeah, we're that stupid. But here's why. We were all taught some things from birth, that are wrong. Be believe that God spoke in the language of Old England, with thou's and thee's and He didn't. As a matter of a fact, some are so hung up on it, they pray with thou's and thee's. Here's a bulletin, if you don't talk to your mama like that, don't pester God with all that. He can hear you just like you are, and he doesn't like it when you try to put on.

Jesus would be over at Platinum Plus, over off Green Avenue, down by the railroad tracks, at the Downtown Mission, in a bar, walking the streets. He would be with the people that so many think they are too good to be around. How blind they are. We judge by what someone looks like, what they have and what they do. God tells us to love the sinner but not to love their sin. Why don't we listen to that and do it? How many Christians would faint when they saw Jesus over at Platinum? 95% of them I bet.

I think we should quit focusing so much on our denomination and focus more on being a Christian. It's a sad world for the church when people who are out of church see more in line with the true essensces of the Bible than faithful servants. The problem is they have too much self pride and glory in the service and have forgotten the most important part of what Jesus taught us... humility.

Next time you're talking to one of those Holy rollin', do goodin' people, remember what ole Strick said here and whats true and what you know. Maybe you need to pray for them more than they need to pray for you... cause who is really off track with God?