Steve's Yarns-- All those years growing up and living in Oklahoma, California, Arizona, Texas, and Africa..... Ain't done growing up 'til I get over on the other side :-)




EDITOR:
Steve Van Nattan

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CONTEMPLATIONS FROM MY PAST

By Steve Van Nattan

There are those special moments in life when we stood still
and thought and wondered.

 

 

We thought, and we wondered, and we could not find the answer. But, the sense of wonder called us to look more than once at the thing, and to think long thoughts.

A boy's will is the wind's will,
And the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts.
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Long thoughts are hard to make happen in childhood, and still difficult in our youth. But, if our parents and mentors were inspiring us, we found those moments when the world stood still, and we wondered.

These contemplative moments are very different from one year to the next, and from childhood to youth. They are different for you than they were for me.

“To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower,
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour.”
William Blake, Auguries of Innocence

The Bible believer comes to this world looking for the hand of God. God spoke, and the world was created. God then made a man and a woman, and he gave them the power to create. In his plan, God anticipated that the man and the woman would create more men and women and fill the earth. Then, history tells us that man went on to create farms, cities, and Fords. Some creations of man are wonderful, and some are utterly profane.

One day, when Cain was a little boy, Adam took his hand, walked into the forest, and he started talking. He talked about the trees and flowers of the Garden of Eden, the garden which God planted. He told of the animals and the birds, and he told Cain of their beauty. There was still much beauty around the home of the first family, but Cain soon realized that Daddy and Mommy had lost something quite special when they sinned. Their first home was a thing of wonder.

And, Cain wondered.

OK, I know that is not in the Bible. But, there had to be a point in time when Cain wondered. He wondered what Eden was like. He wondered what it was like to not have evil thoughts. He wondered what it was like to run around naked and not be ashamed.

Then one day, after Cain killed his brother Abel, he wondered what the rest of his life would be like with the mark on him that he was a murderer.

It is very urgent that Christian parents cultivate a sense of wonder in their children. If you do not do this for your kids, the world will do it for them. They will either learn to look at a sunset, a salad, and sin from Daddy, or they will learn to turn them all into lust and ignore everything that God made.

Enough of me nagging you for now. I want to take you on a journey through my years and review moments when I wondered. They follow no particular order, but I think they will tell you things about me, my parents, and my God. You see, when we are in the journey from birth to the coffin, wonders never cease. The only question is, are we paying attention?

The Psalmist certainly had a sense of wonder, and he was our example of a healthy imagination:

Psalms 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
5 For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour.
6 Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:
7 All sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field;
8 The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.
9 O LORD our Lord, how excellent is thy name in all the earth!

We are perishing for want of wonder, not for want of wonders.
G.K. Chesterton


David is talking about man, not Jesus Christ. The writer of Hebrews, under inspiration of the Holy Spirit, was moved to quote verse 5 in regard to Christ. If your Bible has anything but the word "angels" in verse 5, it is a blasphemous bible. This is obvious because the writer in Hebrews uses the Greek word for angels under inspiration.

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

So, because David was initially talking about man as the creation of God, and the writer raised the application to Christ in Hebrews, we can see that man and Christ are made a little lower than the angels in some way. The difference is that man was crowned with glory and honor and appointed man to take dominion over the creation of God.

Thus, I wondered:

 

 

 

 

The Great Rift Valley- Kenya and Ethiopia Langano, 5000 feet above Debre Sina, twelve thousand feet altitude, looking down at the floor of the Rift Valley below. CLICK HERE to see the overlook. Not the round building, a church, with the turquoise roof. Standing at Debre Sina and looking east across the Rift Valley and seeing the other side 120 miles away.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Riding the Green Car
into Los Angeles

The Green Car and the Red Car were two street car lines which ran from the suburbs south of Los Angeles into the LA city center. They were electric, and they wandered through sage brush for miles after leaving Huntington Park. The drivers were always good to me, and they told me I could sit on the bench right up front. This bench actually backed up against the windshield of the car, so I would get up on it on my knees and stick my nose against the window. By modern politically correct standards this was very dangerous, but back then it was not. Nothing was dangerous if an adult was in charge. We had adults who could be trusted back then.

The street cars had wheels that were tucked far back under the car. This meant that when they came to a curve, the front of the car would swing way out over nothing and then suddenly come back to be over the rails. I would hold my breath as we went around a curve, but I also kept wondering what would happen if the street car came off the rails just then. We would most certainly go rolling out across the desert and sage brush. That would be the best thrill of all. When you are a kid, anything is possible, at least in your imagination. And, you were allowed by adults to ask questions like, "What would happen if the street car came off the rails and rolled out in the desert." Adults used to take the time to answer kids' question like that without laughing at them.

I feel sorry for you folks who live in California and have never ridden a street car. They were a fantastic way to travel, and you get to visit with people along the way. The smell of ozone was in the air, and they were old and a bit raggedy, but what fun. I really thought that there was no faster way to get to Los Angeles, even though we were probably only going 30 MPH flat out. When you got on board, there was this glass box you threw your coins into. The driver cranked the thing, and it took your coins and gave you a ticket. Later these box machines were run by an electric motor.

I always rode the Green Car with my Mom. Dad was driving a cement truck. We would arrive in the center of Los Angeles, and I thought it was grand to walk those streets and look at all the funny people. We would go to Bullocks and Sears, and Mom would browse the bargain basement for deals. We would then go visit the Christian bookstore at the Church of the Open Door and Sixth and Hope Streets.

Finally, we would to go Clifton's Cafeteria, and we would go through the cave entrance. In the side of the long cave were niches with salads, macaroni, pot roast, and pie. I thought there was no adventure better than getting my lunch in a cave. We went to the dining room, and a man played the piano while we ate. I thought I was living just about as grand as any movie star in Hollywood, maybe better.

The ride home was still exciting, and I kept watching on the curves to see if we might take a ride across the desert. I am sorry for you younger folks. You probably never realized that Sepulvada Blvd. once ran across open desert. I may be old, but I would not trade my memories for your new Toyota.

SHORT STREET CAR DOCUMENTARY, NEW ORLEANS looks very much like the one I rode.

 

I would rather have 30 minutes of "wonderful" than a lifetime of nothing special.
Julia L. Roberts

THIS ARTICLE WILL BE UPDATEDLATER:
Furlough- South Gate High School- English, Latin class, Geometry, social misfit- how it helped me back at RVA

 

 

 

Climbing Moro Rock in
Sequoia National Park in California

Moro Rock is a granite dome rock formation in Sequoia National Park, California, United States. It is located in the center of the park, at the head of Moro Creek, between Giant Forest and Crescent Meadow. The rock is typical of such domes in the High Sierra Mountains, and they are all great places for anyone, especially a kid, to stand and imagine they are on top of the world.

My trip up Moro Rock with with my Dad and Al Friesen and his boys. We climbed the stairs built by the National Forest Service in about 1930. The climb is quite easy, and it is generally safe. The only problem is that people with too much curiosity can leave the stairs and railings and try to peek over the edge.

Now, I have wondered for years why we all have this urge to peek over. What is down there is usually what we saw up close at the bottom, but we are not content to just enjoy the panorama of the distance. We need to look down, and if possible, straight down. I suspect it is all about this weird human trait to do something dangerous simply for the rush.

Well, my Dad and Al Friesen had to peek over the edge. Dad had this strange urge in him, and I inherited some myself. I have a son who is obsessed with peeking over. He will read this and know who he is at once. Al was the one who craved a peek to most, so Dad held his hand as a sort of anchor, and Al had his peek. All ended well, but Al's sons and I were delighted to see a grown up do something stupid. Al and Dad immediately told us boys not to try that. It was clearly big guy stuff. I am not sure that being an adult makes stuck-on-stupid safer or not.

Al then told us a story of a guy who climbed the rock, peeked over, and fell. After he slipped off the rock, as he was falling, he relaxed, leaned back, put his hands under his head like he was lounging, and smiled at everyone on the stairs as he fell to his death.

I had one of those moments most people do not talk about because some shrink might decide to mess with them. I wondered, and as I wondered I thought it would really be cool to float to the ground looking happy and relaxed and mess with the minds of all those people on the stairs. When you are a kid anything is possible in your imagination. Only the threats and prophecies of your parents and other adults keeps you from doing self-destructive things. Adults CAN be useful at times.

So, I did not float back down, I took the stairs.

A GOOD VIDEO OF HIKING UP MORO ROCK

 

TOPICS UNDER CONSTRUCTION
Scroll down to see more finished editorial.

The lights of Los Angeles at night from Angeles Forest. The whole metropolitan area is 140 miles by 120 miles. I remember wondering if someone I knew was driving along one of the streets.

 

Herb Downings threats

 

Colonial British

 

Jim Otis, Pacific, MO

 

Assassination of John Kennedy- Remember right where I was standing. Stood in misery for a while.

 

Yet, even amidst the hatred and carnage, life is still worth living. It is still possible for wonderful encounters and beautiful things
to exist.
Hayao Miyazaki

Longonot- From verandah, art class, hiked across

 

My confession of faith in Christ

 

Off the coast of East Africa and the year 2000

 

Briartown- Pecan trees

 

The kitty with a short tail- Bob cat.

 

Westside School Mojave Desert- The day I could not spell "of"

Psalm 8:3 When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
4 What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him?
King David

 

Pretty girl working in the library

 

The wonder of a new born baby, knowing I made an extremely small contribution to
the glory of God's plan for humanity.

 

Preaching on some text and seeing believers take action in an altogether different area of life.

 

The world of travel

 

The Mojave Desert blooming one year.

 

The bridge on the EAR west of Lumbwa. Built by American Bridge Company circa 1920. Still in use. Very high. Minimum materials. Miracle of the train engines that derailed but did not turn over.

 

 

ADVERSARIES OF CONTEMPLATION AND WONDER

There are groups of people who hate contemplation. They live for their own lusts, and a sense of wonder is of no use to them because it will not turn a profit.

Politicians must be the worst dead heads in any society. They are people who leave a useful life, get themselves elected to office, and then they learn the art of trading votes and influence for bribes. They are among the most pathological beings in any culture, for they have totally lost any sense of shame. The best way to destroy your zeal for God's creation is to give your time and efforts to help a politician.

Another group which needs watching are the Globalists and New Agers. They have a sense of wonder, but it is only to wonder at the glory of Marxism and collectivism. They long for the day when people are all herded into communes where they will produce wealth for the oligarchy, just as was found in the Soviet Union long ago. These people also have no use for God's creation. They have a sham zeal for preserving the environment, but it is based on nature being divine and ruled by "Mother Nature." Thus, they campaign for all of us to be converted to worship and deify trees, animals, and amoeba. This is not a sense of wonder. It is a sense of power over people. You can tell who they are because they also have an instinct to nag and nanny people around them.

A group I think I must mention are the academics of the White Race. They have sold their souls to a system of snobbery and arrogance which is based on thousands of presuppositions plus nothing. These men always have the last word on any topic under discussion because they know they are brilliant and need to draw attention to that fact. Thus, God's creation is of no interest to them unless it can be co-opted into more glory for the jabberwocky. These doulbe domes are very sure of themselves because they have gathered enough knowledge to be sure they are right, but not enough knowledge to realize they are wrong. Do not waste you time on them.

Christendom, the entity which should be first to exalt the inheritance God has given us to wonder at, are horrible about burying themselves in their studies and books. They get into powerful debates and wars over various doctrines, such as the sovereignty of God, predestination, and third degree separation, and..... to hell with the creation. Thousands of pastors never get out into the wilderness and the mountains to wonder. They are much too busy trying to build attendance in Sunday School. Do not trust a pastor with the education of your kids unless he shows clearly that he has a sense of wonder.

Psalms 19:1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

 

 

LINKS FOR KIDS OR ALL AGES WHO STILL HAVE A SENSE OF WONDER:

 


This is a Colani Streamlined Truck. Read about Luigi Colani and his sense of wonder
as he tried to make everything he invented round.

 


"Daddy, can you get me that truck for my birthday present?"

 


Aurora Borealis (Northern Lights). The red is the highest at about 600 miles away
from the earth.

 

TWO KINDS OF NOODLING:

NOODLING NUMBER ONE

EXTREME NOODLING NUMBER TWO
The story above about Jim Otis of Missouri tells of his noodling exploits.

 

WALKING THE PLANK IN HUASHAN, CHINA
You will need your Mom's permission to go on a walk here.

 

 

VIDEOS AND OTHER WONDERS:

A MAN-MADE WONDER IN THE DESERT OF EGYPT
This is a lot like sand castles on the beach, but with a lot more trouble. The local Egyptians were able to watch the White Race once again do what it does well..... the recidivous. Then again, until the wind wiped it away, it was an impressive wonder, right? We see that some wonders do not have a definition and don't need one. They are just there.

A MAN MAKES THE MUSIC OF A STRING ORCHESTRA ALL BY HIMSELF and SECOND ONE
This shows you that it is possible to cause wonder, and you can make a few bucks on the side.

THE MONGOOSE AND THE BLACK MAMBA
What if God gave you immunity to the power of Satan? Would you do battle with Satan for the sake of the those with no immunity to Satan?

ANTOINE'S RESTAURANT IN NEW ORLEANS- DINING ROOMS
OK, young man..... After you make your next raise of bonus, how about taking your Mom to Antoine's, and watch the wonder on her face? If your Mom is gone, take that older lady in town everyone loves, the one who helps people get through troubled times. The whole idea is the return the favor with wonder.

EXTREME WONDERS- LIVING ON THE EDGE
Great documentary by "I Have No TV" Please note the sense of humor in the men on Everest. In severe survival situations two things are needed. 1) Extreme alertness, and 2) A sense of humor in the face of hellish danger. This keeps you from simply going hopelessly stiff with fear. Fear is needed to sharpen our senses, but it cannot be allowed to take charge. And, remember, in the face of extreme terrors, you will temporarily lose much of your IQ. You better have some idea ahead of time what you can do and what you cannot do. That is the wonder of the man whom God made long ago in the Garden of Eden, and he survived for over 900 years.

 

 

 

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