Daily Reckoning

2021-0620 Sunday. 212 PM. After I finished installing the cylinder head on the 4.8 liter GM engine, I dropped the push rods into their holes. I lined up the rockers and torqued them to spec. The valve springs moved into place as the respective valves opened. I placed the valve cover on top, tightened the four bolts. The intake manifold, exhaust manifold, alternator/power steering pump bracket, coolant and evaporative system hoses, accessory belt, fan and wiring harness all fastened into place like a giant 3D puzzle. I like automotive mechanics because it's procedural. Each piece of the assembly must be removed and reinstalled in the proper order. In my opinion, a good tech doesn't use shortcuts; they know the proper procedure so well as to be efficient and accurate. "Haste makes waste." I find myself saying this over and over to my children. They are often rushing to finish chores, doing homework or picking up after themselves, often finishing the task unsatisfactorily. They need to learn systems. When I was growing up, I can remember my mother systematically teaching me to sew, do dishes and laundry, clean bathrooms and windows, sweep, vacuum, dust and prepare meals. I guess she had a procedure for everything and I valued each step of the process. I've inherited or developed my own systems for things, too, it seems. The continued, repetitive practice of a task or skill not only produces efficiency, it often generates mastery. I've been told that bank tellers don't study the ways counterfeit money is made. Rather, they know real money so well, they are able to recognize any alteration when they see it. Practice makes better. Experience is the best teacher. You gotta pay your dues. We've all heard these sayings that tell us to work hard to be great at something. Life is set up with systems. We have identified systems in nature and utilized the data to build our own human systems. We use our systems to track time and measure what we experience around us. We created the language of math to explain scientific systems. We do our jobs and run our families and survive in our surroundings by use of systems, formulas and traditions. Even the governing bodies and ethical fiber of our communities are built on a network of social and moral systems. For the NHL and NBA, it's playoff season! The best (or least injured) teams have fought through the regular season to get ahead in the standings and make the postseason. Even now, down to the last four in the NHL and nearly there in the Association, the remaining teams have battled and survived the ones that have lost. These athletes have worked together, listened to coaching, practiced, practiced and practiced until their systems are second nature. Yet, even in the height of playoffs, with the most skilled athletes in the world exercising their most developed systems, I have watched them fall short sometimes. Sometimes, our systems don't work and, despite our best effort, our sharpest plan and our mastery, we will all come up short. Someday, we will all stand before our Creator to be judged. We'll give account of our behavior, choices, thoughts and words. Who among us will be able to say, "I'm innocent. I've made no mistakes."? Nobody. Not one of us. When my systematic life in this body comes to its end and I'm judged on that day, I'll admit I'm guilty. I'll endorse that I deserve death. I'll then claim the death of Jesus the Messiah as penalty paid, and His resurrection as mine. Because of Him, I won't incur punishment. Since my future is secure, I live systematically without shame. I want others to benefit from the system our Creator set up, and experience the same freedom I experience. This motivates me to love mercy, walk humbly and do justice, as The Lord desires. I will care for the fatherless, the widow, the oppressed. I will be generous and grateful. I will take His name and live my life to honor it. I'll fall short, then I'll admit it and keep going, without shame. This is His system. This is the holy life, separated from the world's grip of self worth, self care and self aggrandizing. This is bakesHere. 2021-0620 Sunday. 212 PM. ACQUIRE as NEEDED. bakesHere.com