During tuff times, I tend to bury myself in my work. I’ve come to the realization my mind can be a destructive place if left unchecked. A hole of depression, and oddly sarcastic comedic thoughts. It’s been only a week, yet feels like a lifetime already. Don’t know what to grasp of it. I cherish that I have her personality. It guides me, and no doubt will govern me years to come. I know what I should and shouldn’t do because we’re so alike. People say, “Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, and paddle like crazy under water.” Those that know me say I can be read like a book. Not always the best thing, but hey, it’s me. I’ve had several people check on me this week. All I can say is, emotionally, I’m definitely a duck.
Thank y’all for letting me dump some stuff out.
Love all y’all.
Quack, quack.
QUACK, QUACK.
“THE LADY IN RED”
Linda Kay Burroughs, wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother, stepped into heaven at 3:20 this morning.
Mom was an incredible woman. A force to be reckoned with. A truly inspirational lady. She loved God, her family, her friends, and her red 32 roadster.
I had the great pleasure of working beside mom for most of my career. The good days, the bad, even the days we butted heads. The biggest honor was the title of being her baby boy.
Mom preceded her husband, her daughter and son in law, her son and daughter in law, four grandsons, four granddaughters, a great grandson, and a great granddaughter. Mom loved her “little chicks”. Her greatest joy was having all of us together. She shined like a new dime when she got the chance to show us off.
Mom was adamant that we knew how much she loved us, and wanted us to know how much God loves us. Through the struggle, she had peace. Peace that God would bring us through it.
As we lean on that peace, we ask that you continue to pray for our family.
We’re having a celebration of life service for mom on Friday December 3rd at 10:30 am at Northwood Church and a BBQ get together at the shop on the 4th at 11:00 am.
All are welcome to both. Please bring your Hotrods, weather permitting, to both.
Northwood Church
7750 spring cypress
Spring, TX. 77379
Bruce’s Rod Shop
6721 Klein cemetery
Spring, TX. 77379
Thank you again for blessing our family all these years. We truly love y’all.
The Burroughs family
The Heath family
The Powell family
The Clay family
FORGET MIKE, I WANT TO BE LIKE HORATIO SPAFFORD!
***THIS POST WAS STARTED IN LATE 2018***
The world we live in these days is filled with perfect pictures, of perfect families, with perfect smiles on their faces. Some days it’s just not possible to maintain that perfection.
On my way to work today, the gray winter skies matched perfectly with my mood. To be honest, it’s been a tough month for the Burroughs family, and the news we received yesterday didn’t make it any brighter. Mom has liver cancer. To be specific, she has a mass inside her liver roughly the size of a deck of cards.
After a long cry, strangely I was at peace. Years of hearing old hymns had comforted me. Oddly. One of my favorites, is “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL”. Horatio Gates Spafford, the author of that hymn, went through a far greater struggle than I ever have had, but his pain is so healing. Whenever the thought of loosing her comes over me, I sing that hymn to myself. It wasn’t until my adult life that I learned the back story of the hymn.
–Horatio Gates Spafford was born in New York, on 20th October 1828, but it was in Chicago that he became well-known for his clear Christian testimony. He, and his wife Anna were active in their church, and their home was always open to visitors. They counted the world-famous evangelist, Dwight L. Moody, among their friends. They were blest with five children, and considerable wealth. Horatio was a lawyer, and owned a great deal of property in his home city.
Not unlike Job in the Old Testament of the Bible, tragedy came in great measure to this happy home. When four years old, their son, Horatio Jnr, died suddenly of scarlet fever. Then only a year later, in October 1871, a massive fire swept through downtown Chicago, devastating the city, including many properties owned by Horatio. That day, almost 300 people lost their lives, and around 100,000 were made homeless. Despite their own substantial financial loss, the Spaffords sought to demonstrate the love of Christ, by assisting those who were grief-stricken and in great need.
Two years later, in 1873, Spafford decided his family should take a holiday in England, knowing that his friend, the evangelist D. L. Moody, would be preaching there in the autumn. Horatio was delayed because of business, so he sent his family ahead: his wife and their four remaining children, all daughters, 11 year old Anna, 9 year old Margaret Lee, 5 year old Elizabeth, and 2 year old Tanetta.
Another Tragedy
On 22nd November 1873, while crossing the Atlantic on the steamship, Ville du Havre, their vessel was struck by an iron sailing ship. Two hundred and twenty six people lost their lives, as the Ville du Havre sank within only twelve minutes.
All four of Horatio Spafford’s daughters perished, but remarkably Anna Spafford survived the tragedy. Those rescued, including Anna, who was found unconscious, floating on a plank of wood, subsequently arrived in Cardiff, South Wales. Upon arrival there, Anna immediately sent a telegram to her husband, which included the words “Saved alone….”
Receiving Anna’s message, he set off at once to be reunited with his wife. One particular day, during the voyage, the captain summoned him to the bridge of the vessel. Pointing to his charts, he explained that they were then passing over the very spot where the Ville du Havre had sunk, and where his daughters had died. It is said that Spafford returned to his cabin and wrote the hymn “It is well with my soul” there and then, the first line of which is, “When peace like a river, attendeth my way..” There are other accounts which say that it was written at a later date, but obviously the voyage was one of deep pathos, and is the clear inspiration of the moving and well-loved hymn. Horatio’s faith in God never faltered. He later wrote to Anna’s half-sister, “On Thursday last, we passed over the spot where she went down, in mid-ocean, the waters three miles deep. But I do not think of our dear ones there. They are safe….. dear lambs”.
After Anna was rescued, Pastor Nathaniel Weiss, one of the ministers travelling with the surviving group, remembered hearing Anna say, “God gave me four daughters. Now they have been taken from me. Someday I will understand why.”
Naturally Anna was utterly devastated, but she testified that in her grief and despair, she had been conscious of a soft voice speaking to her, “You were saved for a purpose!” She remembered something a friend had once said, “It’s easy to be grateful and good when you have so much, but take care that you are not a fair-weather friend to God.”
Following this deep tragedy, Anna gave birth to three more children, but she and Horatio were not spared even more sadness, as on February 11th, 1880, their only son, Horatio (named after the brother who had died, and also after his father), he also died at the age of four.
Further Service
In August 1881 the Spaffords left America with a number of other like-minded Christians, and settled in Jerusalem. There they served the needy, helped the poor, and cared for the sick, and took in homeless children. Their desire was to show those living about them, the love of Jesus.
The original manuscript of the Spafford’s hymn has only four verses, but later another verse was added. The music, which was written by Philip Bliss, was named after the ship on which Horatio and Anna’s daughters had died – Ville du Havre.
Horatio Spafford died of malaria on 16th October 1888. Anna Spafford continued to work in the surrounding areas of Jerusalem until her own death in 1923. Both Horatio and Anna were laid to rest in Jerusalem. It can truly be said, in the words that Spafford penned that, “It is well with their souls.”–
***THE CURRENT NEWS***
Fast forward to 2021. Cancer treatments are tuff, unforgiving, and draining. In mom’s case they were all that, but were very successful. Her tumor has shrunk, and has become dormant. The Lord blessed her with exactly with what she needed. It is so wonderful to have her inner and outer beauty back.
I apologize in the delay of finishing this post. Truthfully. I wasn’t sure if I could ever finish it.
This old hymn has allowed me to say, “IT IS WELL WITH MY SOUL”.
The question remains, is it so with yours?
WHEELHUB MAGAZINE VIDEO TEASER
Well. Here it is folks. Wheel Hub Magazine did a photoshoot on my coupe, and here’s the video shoot to boot.
WHAT ARE YOU LEAVING BEHIND?
As I’ve stated before, inspiration comes to me from all different sources. Yesterday was no different. My latest inspiration came from a young guy named Matt. I say he’s young, because it seams like more and more people are younger than me these days. Anyways. Matt gave me a call inquiring about a part I produce for early Ford cars. During our conversation, he made a very flattering comment about the blogs I’ve written here on our site. Matt’s opinion really struck a cord with me. Most of the time, I write to flush what I have buried in the back of my mind, never really knowing if it will ever reach anyone. Matt assured me they do. At the end of our conversation, we thanked each other for taking the time to chat, and I went back to work. For the rest of the morning I couldn’t get what he had said out of my mind, I had to call him back.
I was raised in a family where your words and actions spoke volumes of who you were. My grandfather told my dad one day, “Boy. You have a good name in the community, don’t do anything to mess it up!”. That simple statement has governed me my whole life. I have several token items left to me from my grandparents, but my most prized possession is their legacy. It was the easiest thing to receive, but has been the hardest to hold on to.
Over the past few years, I have lost several friends and family. Some lived a full life, while some left too soon. Out of all the funerals and memorials, the one thing that has stuck with me was their legacies. With being a professional car builder, I have had the pleasure of being friends with several well known, and respected, builders. Builders who have left an undeniable mark on our industry. Builders that inspire me to produce at the level I do. Builders that have left legacies. In my personal and professional life, I decided many years ago to not be the type of guy I wouldn’t admire. A decision I would quickly realize was not always easy to do. Truthfully. I’ve needed to work on my legacy lately. The proverbial “KICK IN THE PANTS” fits in well here.
My second call to Matt was to thank him for that “KICK”.
I pray I continue to inspire, amuse, or even comfort, with my ramblings.
THANK YOU TO ALL WHO HAVE POURED INTO MY LIFE. I AM HONORED TO BE PART OF YOUR PERSONAL LEGACY.
-Danny
SMILE SO BIG, YOUR FALSE TEETH MAY FALL OUT!
As some of you may know, a little over three years ago, Dad had an accident in his green ’32 roadster. Unfortunately this wasn’t just a fender bender. Due to a faulty front tire, Dad was pulled off the highway and flipped the car. Over the next few months, Dad began his recovery, as so did the roadster. When you put so much time and effort into a project, it becomes so much of you. This roadster WAS Dad. All the years of dreaming, planing, and collecting parts, was totaled in an instant!
Anytime a person survives an accident like that, one of the first things you hear is, “it’s just a car. i’m glad he’s okay.”. In the average world, that statement is true. In the hot rod world, that statement couldn’t be more wrong. You see. These cars are like family. Some even get treated better than family. For Dad, he felt responsible for hurting a “family” member.
Over the next two years his roadster was lovingly repaired, and reassembled. Through that process, the car actually became better than it had been. Annoying quirks gave way to a well oiled machine. Saturday, July 22 2017, Dad took his first ride in his newly rebuilt 1932 Ford roadster. Watching him pull across the parking lot, I could see the apprehension in his face. I have no doubt that the previous “ride” he had taken was still on his mind. As he drove down the street, the apprehension he once had, quickly gave way to the biggest smile I had seen on his face in awhile! I can honestly say, seeing Dad back in his beloved roadster was one of the best times in my life.
Too many times we are trapped in a self imposed world of shame. Burdened with the memories of our past. The good news is, we don’t have to carry it alone! We have a God who loves us. A God who cares about the trials in our life. A God who forgives our worst deeds. A God who is there to rebuild our broken bodies. No magic words, or no secret handshakes. All that is needed is to simply call out to him. Admit you have done wrong, and that you need God to save you. The Bible says He is just to forgive our sins, if we only call out to Him.
I pray my ramblings may touch your heart.
-Danny
LAP NUMBER SIX
Yesterday at church, my pastor was speaking about the children of Israel and the city of Jericho. (Joshua 6:1-27)
In this passage, Joshua is called to lead his people in the march around the city of Jericho. For six days they marched around the city walls. As God commanded, on the seventh day they marched seven times around. With the blasts of their horns, and the mighty shouts of the people, the walls came down!
The question I have.
What if they had given up at lap number six? Surely there was someone who said “this is stupid!”, or “my feet hurt!”, but they didn’t. They persevered.
With building cars for a living, I see “white flag” projects all the time. Some have waved the white flag because of money, family, or they have reached their skill limit. The saddest is, the lack of desire to keep moving forward.
One of the points in my Pastor’s message was, their are two “white flags”. One is the international sign of surrender. The other is is used in racing, as a signal to the driver that they are on the last lap.
Too many people these days use the wrong flag. Unfortunately, it’s become too easy to raise the white flag, instead of waiting for the white flag to be waived.
Building a car can easily become a long term project. As in anything long term, it takes perseverance to see it through. Perseverance to finish that car. Perseverance to loose that last five pounds. Or even, perseverance to save your marriage.
Today. I challenge you. Keep looking for that flag man. You never know. You might be coming up on lap six.
IS YOUR GOD DEAD?
As my friends already know, I love movies! Action, comedy, and even some “chick flicks” top my list of fun things to watch. Awhile back I had the great pleasure of having a date night with my wife at the movies. With our pop corn and soft drinks in hand, we headed for our seats. Our choice of flix for the night was GOD’S NOT DEAD. Not to spoil the movie, but I want to reveal part of the story to you. In the movie, a young freshman’s Christian beliefs are challenged. Does he follow the other “sheep” in the class, or does he take a stand for his God? Does he bow to the pressure of his loved ones, or does he listen to the “still small voice” in his heart? In the movie, he is forced to prove his God, which he does in spades!
Over the past year my family, my dad in particular, has been through some trials. First was melanoma cancer, second was an accident in his ’32 Ford Roadster, and third was the installation of a pacemaker. Through these tough times, I have found a peace. Peace that only comes from the fact that my God is not dead, but alive and watching over us. You see. My dad was only given a 30% chance of survival from his cancer. The same cancer tumor, that was once the size of your fist, has died and shrunk to the size of a postage stamp. The same God that has healed my dad of cancer, has also used an accident to reveal an irregular heart beat, in which, an installation of a pacemaker has solved. I will be the first one to tell you that watching a loved one go through any type of trial flat out stinks! Even though God has no need to prove Himself, he chooses to do it sometimes solely for our benefit. In fact, in the Bible, he tells us to “test Him, and see if He wont open up His blessings and pour them down upon us”.
Even though I have a banged up dad with a banged up roadster, I still have my dad. God has blessed me the skills to fix the roadster, but I’m leaving the rest in His hands.
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