Hard Knocks & Consequences Too: You Still Have a Lot to Learn

Copyright © 2013 Fred G. Dickenson.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

All scripture references used in this work are from the King James Version of the Bible unless otherwise indicated. All other verses are from the NIV or the NLT.

THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

All quoted material in this book is conversation as I recall. Direct quotes are for identifying dialogue only.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-1459-9 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-1460-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-1458-2 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2013920231

WestBow Press rev. date: 11/15/2013

CONTENTS

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgements

Introduction

Section 1:   Animal Attraction

1.   Skunked

2.   Smudge

3.   Daisy The Million-Dollar Dog

4.   Dead Bugs And Dunkings

5.   Mission Musk Ox

6.   Willy The Musk Ox

7.   Noah’s Ark

8.   Missing Missy

9.   Beaux And Buster

10.   One Small Stone

Section 2:   Is It Just Me?

1.   Be Not Deceived

2.   Hard Knocks & Headaches

3.   Why Can’t We Talk?

4.   Always Second Place

5.   Firestorm At Monkey Junction

6.   Reverse Hurricane

7.   Desert Storm Deployment

8.   Commuted

9.   I’m All Alone

10.   Transitions

Section 3:   Driving Lessons

1.   Driving In The Dickenson Domain

2.   Kevin Vs. The Camaro

3.   Runaway Red Volkswagen

4.   The Paper Route

5.   Star Of The Show

6.   My Real First Car

7.   Stop That Bus!

8.   If It’s Tuesday, This Must Be Denver!

9.   Crossed Paths

10.   That Still, Small Voice

Section 4:   Friends And Family

1.   Heroes Or Seeing With Your Heart

2.   Iron Sharpens Iron

3.   Barn Raisin’

4.   A Brush With History

5.   Getting To The Roots

6.   My Kingdom For A Cap

7.   Sul Ross Middle School

8.   Don’t Say It, Pray It

9.   Passing The Mantle

10.   God Has A Plan

IN APPRECIATION FOR

Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn

I just returned from a journey through Hard Knocks & Consequences Too: You Still Have a Lot to Learn by Fred G. Dickenson. I have known this family for many years. After reading this collection of short stories and anecdotes, I have a greater respect for the Dickensons. In this journey, Fred takes us back to a simpler but tougher life. He then follows each anecdote with a discussion of a Life Lessons Learned. I Love the way he finishes each chapter with a Biblical Truth gleaned from the Word of God and proves that letting God take control is the final solution.

My favorite stories are about Fred’s relationships with his father and brother and the Assemblies of God Boys’ ministry Royal Rangers. I particularly enjoyed One Small Stone, a story that proves the power of God’s direction in our lives.

But, the story that touched me the most was Why Can’t We Talk? I guess it was because my Dad could not talk to me about life. I believe many times it’s hard for men to open up to their sons and daughters to convey deep emotions. There is a great need in the world today for this very thing. Every dad needs to read this book and then tell his children he loves them!

I highly recommend Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn. It is filled with powerful real-life stories. Thank you, Fred, for this outstanding book.

Rev. Lillie Pearce, North District Prison Coordinator

NTD Women’s Ministries Director (1990-2006)

NTD Missionettes

In Mark chapter 4, Jesus presents the parable of the sower. Verse 24 tells us we grow in a spiritual sense to the same degree with the amount of God’s Word we plant into our heart by reading and listening. God created us and He knows how we learn and what impacts us.

Fred tries to make you forget his background as an educator with his home-spun colloquialisms, but it is still there, and so are the Biblical principles. In his first book, Hard Knocks & Consequences You Can Always Learn Something, you are gently coaxed into a mental and spiritual exercise to begin a process that plants principles from God’s Word – the Bible, into your heart. Once you have read Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn, not only will more seeds be planted, but I expect you will begin to see a harvest produced. It will impact your life in a positive way. Thanks for being a seed planter Fred. Your friend,

Missionary Wilson Gauntt, M.Ed.

Professor at Global University

In keeping with his first book, Hard Knocks & Consequences You Can Always Learn Something, Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn continues on that nostalgic road of life lessons learned, life remembered, and spiritual truths realized. This second book doesn’t pick up where the first left off, but crisscrosses the different paths of joy and triumph, disappointments and sorrows in the life of author, Fred Dickenson. Fred has a gift in assessing his life – past and present - with a candid approach to proving that God has a hand in everything… and he does it with an enjoyable sense of humor and humility. Well done, Fred!

I recommend both, Hard Knocks & Consequences You Can Always Learn Something, and Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot To Learn for your personal library, as a gift to a loved one in spiritual need (or not); for church libraries and ministries; and to anyone for enjoyment and a trip down memory lane.

Donna Gentry Weeden

2013 President, Paradise Historical Society, Inc.

1970 Paradise HS classmate of Fred G. Dickenson

Past Texas Municipal Court Judge

Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn, by Fred G. Dickenson is a folksy and practical walk down the path of life. It is about learning from personal experiences in ways that imprint upon one’s character. Fred’s devotional anthology is fun to read and it inspires the reader to reflect a little deeper into how everyday life can teach profound spiritual lessons. Whether read as a daily devotional or as a biographical journey, it will inspire any reader. I recommend this book for any believer who desires to learn how to learn from experience.

David Martz, Ed. D.

Author and Adult Educator

DEDICATION

It was easy to come up with a dedication for book one of this series. I have no doubts that Christ is the source of all good things, and through the power of His Holy Spirit, we can do anything. That has not changed since the first book. That being said, I dedicate this book to another group of individuals who make up one entity – 

The Dickenson Family.

Not all of my nuclear family is still with us. In order of their home going are:

Donald Wayne Dickenson; Second Born, Second Son,

Margaret Louise Lemme Dickenson; Mother,

James Lafayette Dickenson; Father.

Those who remain are:

Jimmy Carl Dickenson; First Born, First Son,

Molly Pearl Dickenson Richardson; Third Born, First Daughter,

Donna Ruth Dickenson Moore; Fifth Born, Second Daughter,

Judy Irene Dickenson Stokes; Sixth and Last Born, Third Daughter.

Thank you all for being a part of my life. With Jesus as the corner stone, all that I am is a compilation of the influences that make the foundation of who I have become – good or bad, weak or strong, foolish or wise. Thank You!

Fred G. Dickenson; Author, Fourth Born, Third Son.

PHOTOS AND ILLUSTRATIONS

1.   What Fish?

2.   Skunked

3.   Smudge

4.   Mission Musk Ox

5.   Willy the Musk Ox

6.   Now That’s a Snake!

7.   Be Not Deceived

8.   Why Can’t We Talk

9.   Always Second Place

10.   Firestorm at Monkey Junction

11.   Runaway Red Volkswagen

12.   Paper Route

13.   Stop That Bus!

14.   Heroes or Seeing With Your Heart

15.   Barn Raisin’

16.   Enola Gay

17.   Kevin and Crew

18.   Getting to the Roots

19.   My Kingdom for a Cap

20.   God Has a Plan

FOREWORD

A series of life’s hard knocks brought Fred and Rhonda Dickenson to Hilltop Assembly of God in Boyd, Texas. They wanted to be involved in a church where they could not only be blessed, but a place where they could be used of God to be a blessing to others. They have certainly been a blessing to Hilltop Church in ministry. For more than nine years, Fred and Rhonda have been faithful and truly dedicated to the Lord and to the church.

They have been involved in the music ministry – Fred on the bass guitar and Rhonda on the keyboards. They have also been very active in the choir ministry. Fred has directed more than 10 Christmas and Easter cantatas, or choral presentations honoring respectively the birth and the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. His diligence in direction and willingness to turn over control of each one to the Holy Spirit has made each of these musical presentations both spiritual and enjoyable for the congregation and visitors.

In January of 2010, Fred was called upon by the members of Hilltop Assembly to serve as deacon. He serves in that role in a very biblical sense – praying for those who are in need, making hospital visits, attending nursing home services, as well as being faithful in church attendance. He is a good role model for our younger members, encouraging them – especially in the music ministry.

It has been a privilege to know this ministry team not only as their pastor, but also as their friend. It is with great pleasure that this pastor can say Fred and Rhonda are friends.

²⁴ The LORD bless you and keep you; ²⁵ the LORD make his face shine upon you and to be gracious to you; ²⁶ the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 (NIV)

Rev. Billie Fitch, Pastor

Hilltop Assembly of God

PREFACE

Hard Knocks & Consequences You Can Always Learn Something was only the beginning. I did not realize how positive the response would be. Many said they could relate to the stories and that each tale brought back memories of their own hard Knocks & Consequences. Age does not seem to be a barrier either. Young or old, people often learn best when they learn from their own mistakes.

I would say that Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn picks up where the first hard knocks book leaves off, but that would be less than accurate. Neither book is designed to be read straight through from cover to cover (even if a few have done just that). Each chapter stands alone and readers should enjoy the book a chapter at a time. Every chapter includes the short story, Life Lessons Learned, and a Biblical Truth.

From Skunked, to God Has a Plan, Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn offers readers plenty of opportunities to avoid the school of hard knocks.

When I was a child, a neighbor of ours told my dad the Lord had something in store for Freddy ’cause the devil is shur nuff trying to kill him. Mr. Venable was more right than he knew about the Lord having something in store for me. But it didn’t stop there. Not only did Satan try to stop me, but he still tries to stop anyone who takes a stand for Christ. As it says in 1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." If even one person is touched by the stories in these pages, then all the hard knocks would have been worth it. Every bump, bruise, or broken bone will have been a small price to pay.

Enjoy the Read!

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Special thanks to Rhonda, Kevin, Kristi, Angie, Jackie, Tiffanie and all those who contributed to the editing, proofreading, and production of this book. I couldn’t have finished without you.

INTRODUCTION

If you are living, and not just occupying space, you will always be learning. It’s inevitable. It’s not all that profound, just a hard cold fact. As I sit here, to begin Hard Knocks & Consequences Too You Still Have a Lot to Learn, I can already think of numerous times that God has taught me through life lessons that I didn’t use in book one. Some are stories I listed before and just wasn’t ready to share. Some are because someone (family and friends alike) who came to me and said, You forgot… or Don’t you remember… My siblings were most helpful, but my children are still the most prolific source.

I am constantly reminded that the songs, He’s Still Working on Me and He Didn’t Bring us This Far to Leave Us are still true. Billy Graham’s wife Ruth, was riding in the car one day and, after going through some construction, made a decision. The story goes that she saw a sign that caught her attention. She told her husband those are the words I want on my tombstone - End of Construction, Thank You for Your Patience. (Christianity Today et al June 2007)

What a beautiful sentiment. I guess we can all share those words. I know for myself, they ring too true.

What makes the difference in whether that construction is painful or peaceful depends a great deal on how well we treat the road we travel or the vehicle we drive. I know some of the choices I have made led down some pretty rough roads. There have been far too many potholes that were enough to jar my teeth and occasionally, the bridge was completely washed out. God knows when we need a detour to keep us on the right road.

When we follow the signs and stay within His speed limit, the ride will be smooth and safe. Oh, we will still have a bump in the road once in a while, but even when this old engine needs a tune up, I know where to refuel and repair; my church. I have a copy of the owner’s manual; His Holy Word. And I know how to talk to the Master Mechanic; Jesus.

As you read the following chapters, just remember, at the end of the road you’ll find something certainly worth the trip.

Life Lessons Learned: Every life is full of learning. Just when I think I know it all, and get a little full of myself, God reminds me that I haven’t even scratched the surface. One day I will know everything I need to know. Until then, I will follow His roadmap. It’s called The Holy Bible.

Biblical Truth: ¹⁶ And I will bring the blind by a way that they knew not; I will lead them in paths that they have not known: I will make darkness light before them, and crooked things straight. These things will I do unto them, and not forsake them. Isaiah 42:16

Dad teases a fishing buddy about "the one