Gentleman's Purpose - May 2021 by Gentleman's Purpose

Gentleman’s

Purpose May 2021

BELIEVING INTO THE NOW, PG. 10 MODERN DATING, PG. 18 A TASTE OF MEXICO...IN GEORGIA?, PG. 38 FEELIN’ JUST PEACHY, PG. 64

An Officer and a Gentleman, Page 30

What’s Ins Believing Into The Now, Page 10

Modern Dating, Page 18

From the Mancave Back To The Study. Page 24

An Officer and a Gentleman Page 30

A Taste of Mexico...In Georgia? Page 38

Build Your Library, Page 40

side The South Florida Music Scene,Page 48

Don’t Be A Tool, Get Yourself Some Tools, Page 54

Feelin’ Just Peachy, Page 64

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FAITH

Believing Into The Now Written by Justin Gaynor

We believe into the now, but it requires consistently practicing the presence of God. Awareness of the presence and power of the eternal God is itself very powerful. Faith like that has a strange way of bringing the future into the present. It’s been said if you pray for something, believing that you’ve received it, then you have it. Some people call this manifestation and it can happen in both the positive and the negative. Nowhere is this seen more than in the process of divine healing. A person that believes they or a loved one can be healed with nothing more than a word spoken someplace with neither time, space, or state of being hindering the healing in any way is significantly more likely to experience actual healing as a result of the word spoken, than someone that does not believe. Of course, what you are believing in is not the healing itself, but the God that is able and willing to heal. However, if you doubt the presence and power of the eternal God, then it will be to you as you believe. All that being said, what we are looking forward to affects how we experience God in the present. This is one of the reasons that gnostic and philosophical beliefs that see the end goal as escaping from earth into some ethereal ‘heaven’ can be so dangerous. 10

If, in your core beliefs, you hold to the idea that this sin corrupted world and these bodies that are presently subject to decay are inherently evil and to be escaped from, then you will not really care about stewarding this creation well, or whether or not your current body gets healed or not, besides the value of current comforts. In this case, it doesn’t really matter anyway because it’s not like this body is going to somehow be translated into your future ethereal state of being. However, if you hold to a Biblical view of Resurrection and New Creation, then it only makes sense that when the God of the Bible is present and in charge of things, all things that are wrong will begin to be made right. Including parts of his creatures and creation that are not functioning as He created them to be. So the encouragement here is to set aside any preconceived notions and to revisit what the Scriptures actually say about our future hope. A helpful book in wrestling with and developing your hope into something that is more fruitful is, “Surprised by Hope” and “How God Became King: The Forgotten Story of the Gospels”, both written by N.T. Wright.

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Relationships

Modern Dating Written by Justin Gaynor

Developing romantic relationships is radically different in 2021 than it was twenty years ago. Until recently, every woman I have developed some sort of romantic relationship with started with a connection that happened due to mutual friends, or meeting someone around town someplace. Today with the addition of social media, digital match-making services, video chats, and the widespread acceptance of sexting and other interactive pornography, the journey to your soulmate can be filled with all sorts of distractions, pitfalls, and dangers that simply did not exist in previous generations as they do now. Social Media Recently I decided to get much more proactive in building my social network on Facebook. My efforts were fruitful, the number of friends connected to my social profiles went from around 300 to more than 2500 within a couple weeks. In the midst of this I discovered some strange goings on. I took the position that if someone asked to be my friend, I would accept them no questions asked. Soon, I was getting scripted DM (Direct Messages) from what appeared to be attractive women, but when their profile was reviewed they appeared to actually be teenagers somewhere in Africa. It became apparent that there was some sort of data collection going on. In noticing that my number of friends online had rapidly increased, I got a message from a friend from church warning me to watch out for the various scams that occur online. Things like ‘internet dating’ that quickly lead to requests for help paying bills or gift cards. I have to admit that I was somewhat ignorant of such things until all this occurred.

Now, it’s important to note that my goal in expanding my online footprint was to share faith related content, build awareness of my business, interact with others on various ‘normal’ topics, and to help build my client’s businesses. So, the first time a woman asked me to send her my pic, I honestly asked questions like, “Why do you need a pic of me? There’s like hundreds of them on my profile? Did you even look at my profile before sending me a DM?” When I realized that she was asking for inappropriate photos, I had to think through how I was going to respond in a way that was going to deny the request, yet maintain an open door for conversation and building a relationship. Seriously, this swapping of nude photographs online is so commonplace that women were actually surprised when I told them I never share nude photos of myself with anyone I had not already actually had sex with (call it a personal rule). The main point is that I never intended my Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn pages to be used for a dating / hook-up app to begin with. I just had to learn how to respond to the many people that do use the technology in this way. Dating Apps A man that I respect more than most had divorce papers dropped on his desk by a courier out of nowhere one day. Years later, he decided to engage with eHarmony where he met an amazing woman that eventually became his wife. They have been happily married ever since. He was a little more bold than me. I just have a difficult time taking that much control over the situation. In my mind, God brought Adam’s bride to him. However, the logical side of me understands the value of psychological evaluations, probabilities and statistics, among the other very valuable scientific tools that are utilized by these match-making programs to increase the probability of a successful long-term relationship. 19

All that internal wrestling of mine aside, I recently decided to kick the tires of Facebook’s Dating program. Within a short period of time, I had completed my personal dating profile, uploaded some pictures, and begun interacting with some local women. It was interesting and a lot better than the weirdos that were approaching me on regular Facebook. I took the route of expressing my ignorance to this kind of relational springboard and found that I wasn’t the only one that was unfamiliar with the ‘rules’ of engagement. There were some helpful tips and prompts the app itself offered, but when I saw that the person I was speaking to was following the ‘steps’, I realized this person is just as lost with this stuff as I am, and probably as intimidated. Honesty and clear communication here is the best way forward. The ones you are honest with are relieved and grateful for you truly breaking the ice, the ones that don’t like the honesty...well it’s best if they scurry off with themselves anyway. The last thing I’m looking for in “real life” or in an online dating app is a “professional female playa”. From Cyberland to that Walk on the Beach Once you meet someone through an online dating app, a transition has to occur at some point. The app, in my opinion, is simply a starting point in a journey to build a real relationship that will include real food, real adventure, real good night kisses and so on and so forth. However, how and when these things become appropriate varies depending on how the relationship is going. It is much more of an artform than a science at this point, though I am sure that Facebook could share some interesting statistical insights. Personally, I want to get past the digital wall as quickly as possible and sit down face to face to share a meal and real conversation. In relationships though, it is not all about me, though the things that make me happy have begun to take a higher level of priority in my life recently. It is good to live according to the JOY acronym (Jesus first, others second, yourself last) as much as is possible with you, but it is also good to not be a doormat for every Nancy, Jane, and Wilma.

The right kind of woman for me, will likely be reasonably nervous about all this online dating to begin with. She will have concerns about the kinds of very evil men that are out there preying on women through this technology. Her family and friends will have encouraged her to be very careful and wise, if she’s even shared with them that she is taking this route. There are a lot of things going on the other side of the screen that we gentlemen need to consider prayerfully. But then again, at this point, only God knows...and I’m comfortable with that.

Style

From The Man Cave Back To The Study Written by Justin Gaynor

Since the beginning of the year, Gentleman’s Purpose has been encouraging the collection of books on various areas of life and vocation in our “Books” section of the eMagazine. In this article, I would like to put the question to you, “Where do you do your reading?” American men spent thousands and sometimes hundreds of thousands of dollars building specialized rooms for sports and entertainment. These rooms have been dubbed, “Man Caves”. These specialized rooms allow men to withdraw from the hustle bustle of work and family, and to escape into their favorite movies and professional sports. I have heard it suggested in various places that our nation would be served better if the men would refocus on developing wisdom, understanding, and building stronger relationships through intelligent conversation. Men, however, still need a place to focus on these things. In ages past, this specialized room was a gentleman’s study or den. Building and utilizing a study in your home reveals, and continually develops, a level of style that commands respect and manliness. Through the lifelong development of reasoning skills, vocabulary, comprehension, and the art of conversation, women will feel safer and more engaged with you because no woman really trusts a man that can’t hold an intelligent conversation with her and others. I for one am nausiated by the degradation of man in American sitcoms and television shows, but sadly many men have lowered themselves to the level of national expectation. The result has been that our sons no longer have very many real male father figures and mentors, they have women running around wearing men like a pants-suit. So, let us read, study, consider, converse, smoke a pipe, sip a quality brandy, love on our dogs, care for and protect our wives and families, wisely and with awareness. That is a style worth seeking. 24

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Business

An Officer and a Gentleman Written by Justin Gaynor

There are a lot of interesting people in the world. People with amazing stories. If you visit my company blog, The General Idea, there is a recommended reading list and it includes a book written by Tom Brokaw titled “The Greatest Generation”. The business of war has been an extremely profitable and efficient way to strengthen the US economy in the face of significant financial troubles. It seems that with our modern problems, the opportunitiy for genuine heroism, and the adventure of life has gotten far more dull than in generations past. It seems to me that many who are inclined to do great things are being forced to manufacture causes and then desperately try to fit them into the same categories of legends of old. It’s a marketing gimmick that comes off looking like, well, a marketing gimmick. However, I am quite pleased with the relative peace we’ve been experiencing and would be perfectly fine with things staying on track as they have been. Recently, I got to talking with a retired Air Force Colonel in Warner Robins, Georgia. Warner Robins is host to many US Airforce enlisted men and women and their families, as well as retirees. The Colonel shared a little with me about his current battle with cancer and the processes associated with working through the VA hospital. He served the people of the United States in Vietnam as an Air Force pilot. The health problems that he is currently experiencing are related to the use of a chemical defoliant called Agent Orange. The inventors of the chemical apparently didn’t know that the substance would have such long lasting, negative results on our troops. As the Colonal and I talked, I shared with him about David, a short, thin Jewish man that used to invest with me when I managed a branch of an investment house. David was a turret ball gunner in World War II. His job was to shoot NAZI’s from the belly of an US Air Force plane. If the plane had to crash land, it was pretty much certain death for the turret ball gunner. David survived the war and was one of the best men I’ve ever known. Like his namesake, King David, though he was a man of blood, he was still a man after God’s own heart.

The Death of the Ball Turret Gunner A Poem by Randall Jarrell From my mother’s sleep I fell into the State, And I hunched in its belly till my wet fur froze. Six miles from earth, loosed from its dream of life, I woke to black flak and the nightmare fighters. When I died they washed me out of the turret with a hose. 31

Dining

A Taste of Mexico...In Georgia? Written by Justin Gaynor

Arriving in Warner Robins, GA I didn’t know where to begin my adventures. I knew I wanted to find a local church to worship with while I was in town, and I wanted to see the best of the best of what Warner Robins had to offer. So, I looked up the location of the town welcome center and headed over to introduce myself and to see if I could get a little direction. When I arrived, a very sweet red headed gal greeted me. She was perfect for her position. She had a great attitude and just the right amount of excitement and love for her hometown. She shared with me a couple local churches that might interest me once I shared with her a little about the folks I am used to worshipping with. Then I asked her, “If you only had 24 hours to experience Warner Robins, where would you go?” She immediately shared with me about the Museum of Aviation, but second on the list was, “El Bronco Mexican Restaurant!” “Of all the places to visit, a mexican restaurant?”, I thought. She must have seen the perplexed look in my eyes. “Oh, yes, I eat there all the time, just had dinner there last night.” I didn’t put up much of a fight. I used to make it a point to go to Don Pablo’s in Sanford, FL every time we went home for a visit from South Florida. I value good Mexican food. The restaurant was clean and the service was wonderful. The margarita, not even the large, threw me for a loop. I’d like to know what they put in that thing, because I can handle Irish Whiskey and Rum with the best of ‘em. I don’t usually do tequila personally though, but it seemed appropriate. Since I’ve been in town, I’ve had the lunch fajitas, the flautas (beef and chicken), and the chimichangas. All of the entrees were excellent and the cost was lower than a value meal at McDonalds (and higher quality food too).

Books

Recommended Additions To Essential To

“How God became King” looks at the unique life of Jesus of Nazareth as described in the New Testament books of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. The royal proclamation that Israel’s long awaited Davidic king had arrived and what it looked like for him to publicly step into the place of royal authority.

o Your Library For May 2021: om Wright

With a firm foundation set in place from “How God became King”, this next book, “Surprised by Hope” helps us to firmly set our sights on the future hope the Bible tells us is to be eagerly anticipated now that Israel’s Messiah has accomplished what was necessary for the forgiveness of sins and has taken His seat at the right hand of God, the Father.

With the Lordship of Israel’s Messiah and our common vision of the future now in alignment, we turn our attention to the life and ministry of the Messiah’s chosen soldier for taking the Gospel to the nations. Understanding this minister’s heart and mind gives the reader insight into how the ministry of the Word and Spirit radically transforms worldviews and changes people’s lives for the better.

Finally, it’s time to get into your personal development of Christian character and why you would want to engage energetically in such a thing. In “After You Believe: Why Christian Character Matters”, you will establish a solid rational for true Christian discipleship and an understanding of why it holds superior value when compared to worldviews based on philosophers like Plato or Homer, or a host of others.

Music

The South Florid

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da Music Scene

The South Florid

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Gear

Don’t Be A Tool, Get Yourself Some Tools. Written by Justin Gaynor

Arriving in Warner Robins, Georgia to spend some time with my step-dad, Ken Pine, was refreshing. I haven’t spent more than 24 hours with Ken in about 20 years. It was like not a day had passed though. When I arrived, the smell of smoked ribs and chicken filled the garage where there was an antique Volkswagen Beetle he was working on sitting up on jack-stands. I have not felt more ‘at home’ in years. This beetle is not all that different from the one I bought for $400 at a garage sale to restore for my high-school sweetheart’s first vehicle. Ken had let me use his garage and tools to do the rebuild for her some 25 years ago. So many memories, but it is the tools I want to focus on in this article. My stepdad taught me how to utilize more tools than anyone else in my life. From getting a sturdy, rolling toolbox to an extensive ratchet set, to electric planers, and more. Growing up, Ken taught my brother and me that part of being a man is collecting and utilizing tools. Some tools can be used for multiple and varied jobs, others are specific to performing one job on one type of automobile. This is a learn as you go process. Andrew Pine, my brother, eventually started a construction and arborist business. There was a brief season where I came alongside him in the construction business and, in alignment with my step-dad’s heart he told me that, “It’s a good idea to buy a new tool every time you get paid.” His rationale was that if you make that a discipline, you will have a decent set of tools in no time and always be able to find some work to do. If you have tools and know how to use them, there is always something that needs to be fixed or built. In this month’s gear section we are going to visit one of my new favorite places to buy tools, Harbor Freight. Of course, you can always go to Home Depot or Lowes, but I have found that Harbor Freight has a great selection of tools at very reasonable prices. In this section, I will highlight some great buys to get any guy started on building an arsenal of great tools.

Travel

Feelin’ Just Peachy Written by Justin Gaynor

A journey across America has been launched and I’m feeling just peachy. On Easter Sunday I went back to the little Southern Baptist church in Delray Beach, FL where I was baptized into Christ in the summer of 2005. From there, I was on my way. I got the apartment that I had been looking after cleaned up and ready for the close of the short term lease and jumped on I-95 North. Stopping off at what I call ‘home’ in New Smyrna Beach, FL I spent a little time with my family and got to celebrate my nephew’s birthday. Then it was on to my first destination, Warner Robins, Georgia home to Robins Air Force Base and my step dad, Ken Pine. The adventure has begun. This is a road trip, so part of the fun is stopping along the way to enjoy the sights. Between New Smyrna Beach and Warner Robins, I only made one stop. The Osceola National Park rest area. It was drizzling a little, so I didn’t get to enjoy it as much as I would have liked to. There were some trails, fishing, and other things to do, but I took the opportunity to use the facilities and enjoy a leisurely lunch that I had packed in my cooler. Back on the road, the trip took me around five hours. Now, I haven’t spent more than a day with my step-dad Ken for decades, so I was excited when I arrived. It is literally like nothing has changed in all those years. He’s been teaching me about his business, Mid-Georgia Mobile RV Repair, and we’ve been tinkering with various projects. This is how I grew up. Working on motors, detailing vehicles, wood and metal fabrication and enjoying fantastic food.

I’ve mentioned in previous articles about my mom, God rest her soul, realizing her dream of owning her own restaurant. Well, Ken was the guy in the background helping to make things happen. Restaurants require a lot of maintenance, innovation, and hard work to keep the facilities nice. Ken was ‘that guy’. So, I jumped right in with the various projects he had in the works and we’ve had some great conversations so far, reflecting on the past and dreaming together about the future...over a few cold beers of course. There is more to Georgia than all work and no play though. My first adventure here in Georgia was to Arrowhead Park in a town called Lizella. Lizella was about a thirty minute drive from Warner Robins. The drive there was beautiful. Being in the middle of the state, I haven’t really gotten to the mountains yet, but there are more rolling hills here than in the flatlands of Florida. The foliage is beautiful and the running streams are a delight to see and listen to. Now, the purpose of visiting Arrowhead Park was the mountain bike trails. I had recently noticed that my rear mountain bike tire was losing air and had to be refilled more often than was reasonable. So, I stopped into the local Walmart and picked up a new tube, one that had a substance inside the tube that was meant to minimize leaks if a puncture did occur. Changing the tube was a quick, but dirty repair and I was ready to go, or so I thought. Arriving at the gatehouse entrance to the park I was greeted by a sweet blonde-headed gal. It was only $3 for entrance to the park which was very reasonable. I drove around the park first trying to figure out the little map she had given me and the road signs. Upon locating the start of the mountain bike trails I unpacked and geared up. Helmets are required and I can understand why.

It’s been years since I’ve ridden a trail, but I was ready to go. The trails at Arrowhead Park are designed and built by a volunteer group called OMBA (Ocmulgee Mountain Bike Association) www.sorbaomba.org . Let me just say, they did an amazing job. The trail was fun and well designed. There were some nice burms and whoopty-whoops, beautiful sights, running streams, a huge lake for swimmers, boaters, and fishermen. Overall, it was a great ride. As I came to the end of my first trail, I snapped some pictures, loaded my bike on the back of the Benz and set off to explore the park a little more and look for more trails. As I was driving through the camping section of the park I heard what sounded like a gunshot. My car was still rolling smooth, so I figured it wasn’t a tire blowout. Pulling over, I walked round the car just to make sure (Mercedes sometimes utilizes ‘run-flat’ tires. It wasn’t my car. That new inner tube on the rear wheel of my mountain bike blew out! I couldn’t believe it. What a miracle! That flying through that crazy trail just minutes before, safely back to my car, and the thing popped off like a shotgun. Thankful for the blessing of a safe adventure, I decided to call it a day and head back to Warner Robins. I stopped at the gatehouse and shared about my experience with the friendly gal that sold me my ticket and was on my way. Once I replaced the rear tire and tube, I returned about a week later to conquer the most advanced trail, the “Black” trail.

Located in Warner Robins, Georgia at I-75 and Russell Parkway, BUC-EE’S is America’s Largest Convenience Store and Filling Station. Their store offers some of the best BBQ Brisket I’ve ever tasted and a host of amazing gifts, home products, and foods.

While touring the Robins Museum of Aviation, one of the main floors was closed to visitors because a group of Enlisted and their loved ones were going to be celebrating their promotions to Chief Master Sergeants. That is the highest rank an Enlisted person can obtain in the US Air Force. 69