I Wish I Could Just Stay High

Now that I have your attention I hate to disappoint you with a blog that has nothing to do with drugs. I know, some of you thought, “Rick has finally gone over the edge.” Others of you know that happened a long time ago.

Here’s my point:

Give me a mountaintop experience and I can do anything. But stick me in the valley of drudgery and that’s where my real character comes out.

I read something similar to that in Oswald Chambers the other day and had to smile.

High moments are usually followed by something low. The old saying “What goes up must come down” is so true.

Drug addicts understand this concept yet a lot of Followers of Christ live as if we deserve something better. When a low moment comes we think we did something wrong and need to do a few “Hail Mary’s” or a rebuke or two in order to get back on track.

God allows lows so we don’t get to full of ourselves. Actually, I think it’s bigger than that but we as human beings would never understand the concept if God sat down and tried to explain it to us. This is a big trust issue for me.

I don’t like being bored. I don’t like the remedial tasks in life but long for the big moments when everything feels good.

Oswald says we must slip into the valley of humiliation. Boy, that doesn’t sound very good does it? But I understand what he means. God is not out to embarrass us or belittle our character but as Mr. Chambers puts it “It takes the valley of humiliation to root the skepticism out of us.”

This gives new meaning to the old term “Get Down”.

50/50 I’m Blown Away

I didn’t expect it. I must admit I had my reservations about going to a movie about cancer. Why would I want to see a movie about something that happened to me?

I didn’t go through chemotherapy or face death on an operating table but cancer is cancer and fear is fear and sometimes returning to those moments is just too much.

It has been a long time since I went to a movie where tears ran down my face and I found sweat dripping down my arms as I fought to keep myself from sobbing out loud.

50/50 is the true story of a 27-year-old man’s battle with a rare form of cancer. I don’t know what this movie will do to those of you who have never had cancer. I’m sure you will laugh and probably cry a bit too. But if you are one of the millions of cancer survivors out there this movie will force you into a place that causes you to think about your life.

There are scenes that, while not exactly what I went through, I felt it. I identified with this guy and it was quite frightening. I felt his pain with a therapist, as he was unable to connect with a part of his life that was gone.

There’s a scene in the car where it all gets to be too much and he just screams for the longest time. I never was able to do that and as I watched I felt like my guts were being torn out of my body.

After the movie I was nearly speechless. I was trying to talk with Kathy but my lips kept quivering and tears welled up in my eyes. It took a beer and about 45 minutes before I could truly get myself together.

Cancer robbed me of some things in my life. I want my innocence back. I want to remember what it feels like to think you are going to live forever. I want to live and dream and remember what it was like before survivor became not only my title but also my lifestyle.

I hate cancer and 50/50 forced me to look at it like that and I’m glad. I may slip into a dark theater in the coming days, by myself, and watch it again. I experienced this terrible disease and I don’t want to miss a thing when it comes to living it out. This is rather stupid but perhaps by facing the aftermath of cancer I can move on. I want to move on.  I want to find my dream machine again, if that’s possible. I want to stop surviving and live again.

This is a great movie. If you are easily offended by sexuality or profanity, get over it. This movie is “R” rated for a reason. But life is not a “PG” experience. Real life is full of “R” moments. Cancer is offensive and profane this my friends is real life. This movie is not terms of endearment this is raw and wonderful and I highly recommend it.

No Wonder they call it “Golden Valley”

Golden Valley Brewery

McMinnville, Oregon

Goldenvalleybrewery.com

Looking for a place to eat dinner that also had microbrews, on a visit to McMinnville in September 2011 we found Golden Valley Brewery. We were delighted to find they not only had their own beers but also a great selection of local wines. However this was just the beginning of many surprises that evening. The food was amazing! Not your ordinary pub food, Golden Valley actually has gourmet meals. I had the Tuscan chicken entrée, a marinated breast of chicken topped with avocado-poblano chimichurri, portabella mushrooms, red pepper and onions served with grilled parmesan polenta. Rick had  a brewery favorite, Alaskan Cod fish & chips and was not disappointed. The brownie ala mode was a perfect ending to our meal. I highly recommend Golden Valley Brewery. It’s not just the beer, the food, the service or even the great atmosphere; it’s finding it all under one roof that makes Golden Valley one of a kind.

Looking for a Hideaway for Lunch?

HIDEAWAY BAKERY

3377 E. Amazon Dr., Eugene, OR 97405

(Behind Mazzi’s Restaurant)

On a Sunday afternoon looking for a new place to eat, we found Hideaway Bakery. What a delight! Great breakfast & lunch choices, truly the list is so extensive you just can’t go wrong. Along with the wonderful bakery items there’s also pizza, pasta, homemade soups and of course all the items you want in a bakery; cookies, breads, cakes, pastries, rolls and espresso.

Rick had a Tempeh sandwich and I had a Tempeh salad, both were delicious. But meat lovers never fear Hideaway also has a great selection of food for you as well.

We sat outside in a nice garden setting, there is also seating inside and on those chilly days they will turn on the propane heaters if you still want to sit outside. If you’re tired of the usual around town places to eat, check out Hideaway Bakery. It’s fresh, natural, good food with an amazing selection.

Website: hideawaybakery.com                                                                                    541-868-1982

Kathy Dancer