07/18/2026
Bee Showdown: When the Bees Win šš„
As many of you know, Linda and I have been making twice-a-week trips to Lakeville for the past six+ months to get our house ready to sell. Two days in the middle of the week and two days on the weekends. Itās become the project that never ends. Every time we cross one job off the list, another one magically appears!
This year I reluctantly canceled my yearly competition and training at Worldās in Phoenix, Arizona. The house needs to get on the market soon. We had hoped for early June and we are now in July. Disappointing not to be able to train and compete, as well as meeting up with friends I know, as well as friends I will meet. The ATA is a large family and I love every event that I am able to attend and meet up with everyone.
Through it all God has blessed me. God has blessed me with good health throughout my life. In all my years as a police officer, firefighter, martial artist, and countless home improvement projects involving ladders, I have avoided some emergency room visits. OK, not all.
This weekās project was painting the exterior. Easy enough. Iāve always enjoyed painting, and after years of working on ladders as a firefighter, I can handle that. Even though there are some challenging areas on our house.
Nopeā¦ the bees had a different plan. šI
I took a break from the ladder and went to get the lawnmower ready for Linda to mow the back yard lawn. I trimmed the outer part of the lawn and unknowingly step on a ground nest of bees, the hard way. Within seconds, I had what felt like an angry flying bee karate class attacking my legs. Letās just say I didnāt win that sparring match. Five stings on my right leg below the knee and two on my left leg.
Linda helped clean the stings and I put ice on them, and I went back outside to show her where the bees were hiding. Thatās when I suddenly felt like I was going to pass out.
My airway seemed fine, I didnāt have trouble swallowing, and my lips and tongue appeared normal. I made a call to a nearby urgent care and we decided the best option was to drive to the Burnsville ER.
The doctors and nurses were outstanding. After IV medications, my reaction continued to worsen, so they gave me epinephrine and kept a close eye on me for several more hours. Thankfully, everything settled down, and I was able to head homeāwith medications, a brand-new EpiPen, (yeah), and a healthy respect for tiny opponents wearing yellow and black uniforms.
One of the biggest lessons martial arts has always taught me is that challenges are part of life. We donāt get to choose every obstacle, but we do get to choose how we respond. We learn to stay calm under pressure, learn from every experience and if life knocks us down ā we get back up. We never let the lows define us and we stay humble. We keep moving forward and become a little stronger because of every challenge.
Yesterday was a reminder that life can change in seconds. God is watching over me once again. Iām grateful Linda was there, grateful for the incredible doctors and nurses who took such great care of me, and grateful that this story ends with me smilingā¦ even if the bees think they won.
Sometimes the strongest thing we can do isnāt throwing a kick or a punch. Itās staying calm, trusting the people around us, and getting back up when life stings. No pun intended, yes, it was.
I also want to give a big thank you to my daughter and son-in-law, along with my two grandsons, who came up for the afternoon to help with projects. They found projects to work on. Unfortunately, I spent most of that time in the ER, but I was able to pitch in on some indoor projects once I got home. Their help meant a lot and was truly appreciated.
Nowā¦ if anyone knows how to earn a black belt in Bee-Evading, Iām all ears! š„šš - Jim
