Introduction

“I wouldn’t over think this is if I were you.”

“Have you met me?”

     That was our conversation concerning a book vs. blog as an outlet for all my nuttiness. I decided that a blog is much more along the lines of my commitment level. See I think blogs are really self-indulgent most of the time. I feel that they feed our voyeuristic society and contribute to our time-wastery (the fine art of spending hours or days at a time engaged in an activity on the internet that does not contribute to society in any measureable amount). So I feel that it is only appropriate that the first thing I address in a new blog is my general distaste with all things blogish.


     I have to question my own sanity as I embark on a blourney (blog-journey…. everyone else makes up stupid hybrid words, so why can’t I?). Oftentimes when I encounter some average joe’s blog I wonder what leads them to believe that the rest of the world is at all interested in their musings concerning their fast-food lifestyle. So what makes me think that the rest of the world is at all interested in my incredibly strange lifestyle? Absolutely nothing at all. I just need a place to put all my crazy so that the real world here around me is left with a palatable amount of sanity.

     This did all stem from a conversation I had recently with a friend and mentor who firmly but compassionately questioned my sanity. Really he was simply commenting on all the strange and unfortunate circumstances that my family has found themselves in compared to that of the average American 2.5 kid family, but I’m not so naive as to believe that people don’t question my honesty from time to time. Here’s the deal, I won’t lie to you unless it is absolutely necessary for comedic value, and then I’ll tell you about it. I will warn you though that I see the world through some funky colored and slightly distorted glasses.

     Since I only get to preach a few times a year anymore, this will probably lean toward soap-boxery from time to time. I’ll talk about autism and how it’s affected our family. I’ll talk about owning a business and how the customer is very rarely actually right. I’ll talk about being married and how difficult it is for my wife. I’ll talk about parenting because I’m horrible at it and I’ll take validation anywhere I can get it. Before I go any farther though, I’d like to comment that even though I might, on rare occasions, complain about someone who I feel suffers from stupid-itis I must also acknowledge that without those particular people I would have no source for all of my material, so here’s hats off to you Mr. and Mrs. Know-better-but-still-choose-to-engage. So long and thanks for all the fish.

     If you don’t read at least one bad joke every time I write one of two things has happened. Either I am in a really serious mood and likely brooding in self-pity, or you didn’t get it. I came across a statistic the other day that said the average child smiles 300-400 times per day, where the average adult smiles 10-20 times daily. I reject your reality and substitute my own. We should be a happier people (this coming from a guy who has mastered the art of looking miserable, but inside I’m laughing at all of my own jokes). There is always someone who has it worse than us, and just in case you’re that one guy who’s life really is worse than everyone else’s, kudos to you for being the guy who makes all the rest of us look fortunate.

     Hannah is playing back-seat blogger as I write this and I keep explaining that I don’t really have much of a purpose or direction in this (much like the rest of my life) but her modest contribution was surprisingly useful when she explained that I am simply introducing myself. With that in mind, for those of you who are unaware; I am Jeremy Tate. I am creeping up on 30 (much more slowly than I did when I was younger). I am married to a phenomenal woman who has somehow tolerated me for 9 years. We have a 7 year old little boy named Caleb who is too smart and too cute for his own good. We have 6 year old twin boys named Andrew and Joel who in addition to being some of the happiest little boys I’ve ever encountered in my life are also diagnosed with moderate to severe autism. I own my own business and work as a carpenter. I serve in several small local churches helping with music and pulpit supply from time to time. We travel to speak and lead worship at youth events and work to minister to families with special needs. We live in a building that used to be a funeral home that we are still remodeling in a small town in the Texas panhandle. I’m generally better at expressing myself through humor and to complete strangers on the internet than in a one-on-one conversation with a close friend. So even if you do know me, just pretend you don’t so I can maintain the illusion of anonymity here (after I’ve given you all but my address and SS# in this introduction).

     Honestly, I do hope that God will use this to His glory. Our family does have a truly extraordinary story and without the Lord we would have been long ago crushed and forgotten. We thrive in strange circumstances and I hope that some of our goofy will make some of your goofy a little easier to live with. Life is too short to hate every breath of it.

Jeremy