Older Than Dirt

Older than dirt
by Peter Lamb

I live in a small town in Texas where the entire county is a designated nesting area for flocks of retired folks. It’s a wonderful place to live except for a few minor exceptions. One of those is that about half of the locals, well let’s just say they move at a far slower pace of life than some of us. And for unexplainable reasons they are always in front of me when I want to be somewhere NOW. I’m not talking about breaking the law here. I’d just like to be able to go the posted speed limit more often than not. I can’t tell you how many times the phrase from Pinkard and Bowden’s­ “Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane”(1) has come to mind.

But I’m not a believer in coincidences. I truly adhere to the adage that things in life happen for a reason. I mean maybe I can LEARN from being forced to slow down.

So last week I had this crazy dream. The reason I remember this dream is because I had it right before I woke up. In my dream I was taxying a small airplane from the hanger out to the longer runway. You know the one. It’s the runway that seems miles long. The one where the distance is great enough to enable planes to get up to speed in order to lift off.

So in this dream, I’m about to fly a small plane. I’m the pilot. I have a copilot to my left. and a couple of passengers in the back seat. We’re taxying from a small narrow area out toward the really long runway. I gently pulled the lever back to inch the plane forward at a crawl. I remember telling the man to my left in the cockpit, “I’ve never flown one of these, but I’m sure I can figure it out.” As we got to the “T” intersection at the long runway, there was a small man standing in the middle of my lane directing traffic. He was smack in the middle of the runway, a man of authority. I mean he was the one who told the planes when it was their turn to be able to advance to the main runway. No planes go past him without his permission. As I approached the intersection, he held up his hands to halt me. Those hands spoke with authority. I HAD to wait my turn. So I waited. And waited. And waited. I waited an interminable long period of time. Then I woke up.

Now God speaks to me from the Word. It’s the standard by which I judge the truth of other ways He speaks. But He uses all kinds of life experiences as tools to get His points across—even dreams when I’m awake enough to listen. Knowing this, I went on to work. Right before lunch it hit me.

You see, things have been slogging along in my life lately. Even in the midst of these really trying days we are all in, I hear God saying He has good plans in store for us. I know that as surely as the sun rises. But yet, time is like molasses. Again and again, dreams keep being delayed. Bills are mounting. Money is tight. Circumstances aren’t changing. “But, I can see the runway from here,” I say. “Why is He taking SO long?”

So, right before lunch it hit me. There came that song again, “Blue Hairs Drivin’ In My Lane”. Only this time the Lord said to my heart, “I am the blue hair driving in your lane. You think those retired folks are old! I am the ‘Ancient of days’(2). I’m older than dirt(3). And I’m right in front of you.”

I could have sworn I heard Him chuckling. I gotta tell you, I laughed right there in my office. Hope nobody heard me. I know I’m really slow at understanding His ways. But I think I get it. There’s surely no way around Him. Best take it easy, rest and enjoy life where He has me. And be ever alert for the beckoning of His hand telling me—now fly!


“Older than Dirt” ©2008 LambCreek

Peter Lamb (pseudonym) is the founder of LambCreek —Christian Creative Services
www.lambcreek.com

(1) BLUE HAIRS DRIVIN’ IN MY LANE—(Pinkard and Bowden)
Based on Blue Eyes Cryin’ In The Rain by Fred Rose

(2) Daniel 7:9 —He calls himself the “Ancient of days.”

(3) John 1:1-4
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.”

New King James Version. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc






LambCreek—Creative services for Christian ministries, authors, musicians—from book and album covers to logo designs.

LambCreek wins an award at the Christian Festival in Puerto Rico

September 19-20, 2008 in the town of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, more than 550 people were part of the first ever Short Film an Art Design Christian Festival. The festival was held in the “Excelsior” theater where the attendance was so large the overflow packed a large tent outside the theater. Both were areas were filled to capacity. During the opening acts the mayor of the town gave a proclamation to the Ministry Mordecai Productions congratulating them and challenging each to continue realizing this event for years to come.

During the evenings, 130 short films representing more than 15 countries were presented to an audience consisting of government officials, directors, producers, graphic artists and the general public.

As a way of encouraging Christian artists from other countries, LambCreek submitted a poster design to the festival. That poster was recognized with an award for excellence in art designs.

“I just want to let you know that you graphic design title “Hope” won the Art Design Contest in the First Short Film Christian Festival in Puerto Rico. Thank you for your support and I hope I can count on you next year.” Lester Rivé Padilla Director, Mordecai Productions

LambCreek—Creative Services for Christian ministries
National and international award winning art director —specializing in Christian graphic design for packaging, book covers, album & CD covers, logos, and promotional collateral for Christian ministries, churches, authors and musicians.
http://www.lambcreek.com

Christians and the creative arts—Push for Originality

For those of us who make our living in the the creative arts, we are all too often pressed and molded by deadlines that crowd out originality. It's "the tyranny of the urgent" as someone said, maybe Yogi Berra. The " art" part of design is set aside by a collection of borrowed stock images and backgrounds we so easily gather.

Occasionally I am able to push away from the time/budget box and regain originality.
A number of years ago, I created a poster and cover for a teaching series by Dr. Ed Young, Second Baptist Church, Houston called BATTLE STRATEGY.

It is still among my top 10 favorite poster/sermon series covers I have ever created. To produce it, I hand-crafted a 5’ sword out of folded paper, leather, wood and plaster of Paris. Scripture for the background was created with photocopy cut-outs of old hand calligraphic type. Everything was then photographed in pieces. Those pieces were photo-combined and transferred into the design.

Second Baptist kept the real wood and paper sword under glass for a number of years. I’m not sure where it is today.

I believe that originality, if it's clean and pure, can honor the One who put creativity in Man when He made us in His image. On occasion we can look on the work of our hands and say, "That's good."

Peter Lamb (pseudonym)