Big steps to fill

I don't know if you remember those pre-Christmas shopping trips to the big city, Ark City, Kansas for those who are locals and Arkansas City for those who just don't know, Ponca for the locals and Ponca City for those less familiar, or even Pawhuska and there is no special name for Pawhuska. 

My favorite was going to Newman's in Ark City because they had a Toy Land like in the movie Elf.  I could spend the entire day there.  It was packed with toys and of course mom was always down stairs buying me my annual shirt.  But there was always a game for the family. 

A little side story is due here on the Newman's men's ware salesman.  The year Bonnie and Clyde, the movie, came out we were visiting with this man and he was genuinely upset because he and his family experience the terror of Bonnie and Clyde in their home town.  He brought home a real good point to me and that was glamorizing bad people and in fact making them heroes in the movie was not a good idea.  But of course I was amazed that I just met someone who met them face to face.

Anyway back to the point of this entire story.  I distinctly remember as a small boy Christmas shopping in Ark City with my dad and trying to take big steps because I wanted to be just like my dad.  I literally would try to take as big a step as he did every time.   As I got older there were times of course when I did not want to be like my dad.  But overall and even today I want to be known to be just like my dad:

Loving 

Hard Working 

Trust Worthy

Dependable

Above Reproach

do you know who the hippie is?  Preston is the little one.

I have found that through life people judge each of us by as that old hippie song says, "with rose colored glasses".  Now in my best efforts taught by Mrs. Helen Head, head honcho of the English language and distinguished college prep teacher,  what that means is folks see you from their perspective and it might be drastically different than what you think.  Hopefully they see you in a very good light but I can tell you on more than one occasion folks have miss-judged my intentions or what I have said.  But in the end I want to be seen following in those giant steps of my dad and even greater than that I humbly accept the grace of God that even when I am wrong or have wronged someone His grace is sufficient.

Someone once told me that when you walk with God there are four footprints in the sand.  And when your load is heavy and I get down that the reason I feel alone is there are only two footprints instead of four.  But what you have to do is look around because the reason there are two footprints is because He is carrying me and my heavy burdens.

So what did I learn in the Osage?

•  Choose the footsteps you want to walk in early in life and stay in the trail
• Only you can give away your reputation, it is your choice
• Surround yourself with folks that have good character

I love the Osage.
Thanks for your time,
gary@thepioneerman.com