Lane
The WAM Interview
This reporter has been a part of some tough interviews in the past, but none posed such a challenge as this one. How does one interview oneself without coming across as conceited, vain, self important, or just plain ole goofy? Answer: One doesn't. But here is where I throw caution to the wind and press on anyway.
A brief history on our subject is in order prior to jumping into the interview. Lane, the eldest of 2 children, was born in Tupelo, Mississippi just after breakfast one morning in mid-April of 1970. For the sake of brevity, the next 38 years go something like this: Move from Tupelo to Kosciusko, MS. Where he learned to ride a bike and tie shoes all by himself. Then to Houston, TX where he learned to appreciate Tex-Mex, baseball and humidity. From Houston to Denison, TX where he graduated high school in the top 76% of his class. Denison to Dallas, and all over the DFW Metroplex, to Waco, back to DFW and eventually in Temecula, CA. He has two children, a dog, a wife of 14 years and little hair, that he keeps shorn closely to his scalp. Lane can be quiet & shy, or loud and demonstrative, depending upon his caffeine-to-red-blood-cell ratio. Work doesn't come easy for him, as he has to circle around it for a while before diving headlong. He can be at once studious, carefully attentive and forgetful and rather absent minded. He and This Reporter sit in his living room where he should be working on a project for work.
TR: Good Evening, handsome.
LM: Hey good lookin'!
TR: I understand you should be working instead of blogging.
LM: Yeah, well, you know...I'm getting around to that.
TR: I thought you swore off working after hours from home after you took an office job.
LM: I have, by and large. But, my mouth gets me in trouble - I take on ambitious projects and aggressive deadlines from time to time. I typically won't work from home until after everyone else is asleep. I don't want my children remembering me as the Dad always with his head in the laptop/blackberry.
TR: Let's talk about work for a moment. You've had an interesting work history.
LM: To say the least. I've had opportunity to be involved with just about every facet or construction, save for residential or highway - from HVAC & Plumbing, to small turn-key institutional, CM at Risk Educational, to Hard bid commercial and everything in between. Which makes where I am now a perfect fit. Plus you add in the books I sold, wheelchairs I delivered and the whole other life I had, and it makes for good stories, which really, is what it's all about.
TR: Speaking of "that whole other life", what happened there? People tend not to just leave the ministry unless they are forced out by an exposed sin or disillusionment. So, which was it?
LM: Neither, thank you. I think it all started with a basic misunderstanding. God called me to be a full time disciple. In my immaturity, I assumed that meant I had to preach, go to seminary, do it for a living. Looking back that certainly wasn't the Plan or the calling. There might have been some disillusionment thrown in there too. Much of what I was exposed too in the whole "full time ministry" life wasn't exactly spiritual or healthy or even biblical.
TR: I was hoping for something a little more, say, Swaggert-esque.
LM: OK, I was caught buying meth and keeping company with a male prostitute. Better?
TR: Much, thank-you. Have you found a church in Temecula yet?
LM: Yep, I found THE Church.
TR: You mean Saddleback?
LM: No, I found the Church here, within these 4 walls. And at work, with fellow believers. And at a coffee shop in a chance meeting with a guy that's quickly becoming a friend.
TR: So, you don't go to church?
LM: I belong to no 501-c-3 organization, no.
TR: But who do you disciple?
LM: Besides my children? Right now, no one other then them. Although they are rather important. Down the road, who knows? The Father has a tendency to make things happen when you least expect it.
TR: So you quit church?
LM: God has been moving us to this place for a while. We love the people that we have fellowshipped with, love the time together, love studying together. Basically, we loved the relationships. I could do with-out the committees, in-fighting, guilt, and everything else that comes with an institution. I love Jesus, I want to love Him more, and I want to be around people who do as well, and thus far, that hasn't been a problem. This is where we are right now. Focused on Him, getting to know Him, letting Him do with us as he pleases; and right now at least, this seems to be pleasing him.
TR: What gets you going? What are you passionate about?
LM: I'm passionate about construction. I love the challenges, the team work, the fact that no two days have been exactly alike since 1997. I love trying to fix what is broken in the industry and integrate all that we do into one cohesive unit. I love trying to figure out the process and what is broken in the process. I love to read. I'll read anything. I'm most passionate about my family. Our little unit here. Don't even get me started on them.
TR: What are your weaknesses?
LM: My mind tends to wander at times. I can get wordy. I seem too often to have to re-trod territory I've already have been through because my mind can be weak. I think I'm too motivated by ambition at times.
TR: What then, would be the one thing you'd change about yourself?
LM: I'd like to be quicker off the dribble in basketball, and be able to drive from both sides.
TR: Short attention span, verbose, slow learning and ambitious - and the one thing you'd change is your basketball game?
LM: Yep. I'm also a touch superficial.
TR: Describe your perfect day.
LM: Coffee shop early in the morning, head to the beach with a book and lounge chair, sit, read, repeat for a few hours, then head to grab some enchiladas. Then finish the night back at the coffee shop and have a long wandering conversation with a friend.
TR: Let's go now!
LM: Sorry, I've got work to do.
I should ought to give credit to Lore Brand Comics for the image I've repeatedly hi-jacked as my own. My fav 2 Lore comics here & here
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