So I’ve been thinking…….Hmmmmm

I’m ending a long and very stressful day at work by looking at the stats on my blog.  This is what I’ve found, you obviously don’t come to this blog for deep philosophical thoughts(Surprising, I know).  Musings on the world, God and life are not what you are looking for when you drop by to see what I’ve been thinking.  It seems, based upon the statistics, that you come for sarcasm and whatever humour might be found.  So that’s just great.  Here I was about to show the world what a brilliant thinker I am with an in depth expose’ on Niccolo Machiavelli’s “The Prince”, then to follow that up with my endorsement for President (Hillary of course) and finally to wow you with a commentary about the senseless tragedies that pervade inner city culture.  But not anymore baby!!! It’s back to the senseless, the seemingly mundane, sarcasm, pithy comments and snarky humour.  The people have spoken and the will of the people must be heard and obeyed(Ooh that was a little much)!!!!!  I will complain, I will gripe and nothing will change.  I have been pigeonholed and I cannot escape.  The world doesn’t ask it just tells you what to do.

PS.  For everyone that believes that I have serious mental issues you are right.  However, the post written directly above this was written tongue in cheek and not to be taken seriously. 

After Thanksgiving

It’s the Friday after Thanksgiving and I may never eat again.  I ate, then I ate again, and then I ate again.  Turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, corn, homemade yeast rolls, apple pie, pumpkin pie, oatmeal cookies, chocolate chip cookies and sweet tea.  And that was just the first helping.  Then I made myself some little turkey and ham sandwiches with the leftovers and the yeast rolls.  And then I did it again.  Whew.  If I don’t stop I will end up being 350 pounds before the holiday season is over.  Seriously, from 225 to over 3 bills in a hurry.  Oh well it was worth it. 

I have no smooth segue into this next part so here it goes.  I have so much to be thankful for and during this holiday season I have made a vow to remember all of it.  I have a fantastic family, great friends and an entire church that loves and believes in me.  I have a great job,  I make good money and enjoy both the job and the people that I work with.  But more than any of that, I have a great relationship with God.  It’s better now than it has ever been.  It’s funny how trials will do that to you. During the last year I have relied almost soley upon God just to make it day to day.  And he has always been there.  It has been amazing to me just to feel and truly know that God cares.  I’ve really experienced that this year and am so thankful for all that He has done. 

After we had ate for the first time I drove up to the top of Fremont Peak to sit and think about all of the good things that are in my life.  As I watched the sun set into Monterey Bay on a perfect day I was overwhelmed by all of it.  I took a look out at the perfect day and just took a little while to talk to God and thank Him for keeping me and giving me peace throughout the last year.  It was a really awesome feeling to feel God wrap his arms around me again, and just to know that everything in my life will work out like it should. 

Hopefully all of ya’ll had as great as a Thanksgiving as I did.  I hope that you were surrounded by family and friends and laughed and laughed until you cried.  However, I hope that you took at least a few moments to thank God for the last year, no matter if it was good or bad. 

No Fear?

When I was a kid No Fear shirts were all the rage.  They had big monster trucks and fearsome dogs with the moniker “No Fear” emblazoned on both the front and back.  I had several “No Fear” shirts.  They were the “cool” thing to have when I was in seventh or eighth grade so stop snickering, ok.  I still see trucks and cars with the “No Fear” bumper stickers as well as the genius “Ain’t Skeered”(jethro you are so smart)  stickers as well.  And it has led me to this conclusion; our society is obsessed with the idea of fear and terror.  On one hand we don’t want anyone to think that we are scared of anybody or anything.  Yet, on the other hand, there is more fear now than ever before.  I think that it has a lot to do with what we watch, read, listen to, etc.  TV shows like Fear Factor, movies with all kinds of scary plots and the latest Stephen King novels are all the rage now days. 

As I said, our society is consumed with fear.  Not just the commercialization of it but the actual mind numbing terror that grips people.  Arachnophobia, agoraphobia, fear of heights etc run rampant through our society.  Now, I don’t want anybody to think that I am making light of these things.  They are very real and need to be dealt with.  What I want to deal with is why.  Why do we have panic attacks and things like this?  The first and very obvious reason is this: What are you filling your mind with?  Watching these crazy movies that have you on the edge of your seat and then afraid to go to sleep later that night, well, you’ve made your own bed.  The books, TV, and media that you partake of will result in fear.  But, there is something bigger at play here.  And that’s this. 

Luke 21:26 talks about “men’s hearts failing them for fear”.  What’s happening to us today is biblical.  People are so afraid.  They are afraid to live, to die, to do just about anything.  No one wants to be exposed or take risks.  We all live in fear of tomorrow and the unknown.  Is this a sign of the end time?  Sure.  People are just scared to death.  Most have no idea why.  Fear and anxiety attack even the youngest among us now days.  Kids are terrified, parents are scared for there children.  What has happened to our world that we are so afraid?  

 Proverbs 1:7 says that to “fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”.  Now obviously this type of fear is different.  It is more of a respect or reverence.  I believe that this scripture speaks to the root of our problem though.  The “fear” that is missing in our society is the fear of the Lord and that missing “ingredient” has allowed the “carnal” fear to run rampant.  If in fact you do reverence God and his ways, then you trust him to take care of you, to provide, to lead, guide and protect you.  If to fear the Lord is the beginning of knowledge then it is the first step to understanding everything.  And that, the unknown and uncertainty, in our world is what is driving people literally insane. 

So the bigger question is, why not turn everything over to God?   If you give God everything, then your life is not your own to mess up anyway.  He tends to do a better job than we can ever do.  And if you do that, begin to respect God and truly give Him everything, you really will have no reason to fear. 

I can’t think of anything more appropriate for my life than the saying “No Fear”.  Why?  Because God is in control of it. 

Some pics from the trip

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1:32:24

Thats how long it took to get to work today.  One word: BRUTAL!! Thanks Cal-trans.  Sometimes I wish that I lived in Pascagoula, MS.

Back in the Saddle again

Wow, that sounds like the title to a really bad country song.  Now don’t get me wrong, I like country music, after all I was born and raised a Texan, I just never thought I would ever utter that phrase.  So now I pose this question to you, is there a worst day than the first day back at work after a week of vacation?  Ugh, it’s terrible.  I love my job.  It’s great, it’s fun, it’s pretty close to a dream job (there is only one other thing that I would like to be doing) but still that first day back is “straight from hell”.  Trying to get back in the mode of answering the phone, multi-tasking, and just juggling all of the things that have to be done is terrible.  When I got to my desk this morning I had a 3 inch stack of paperwork that had to be completed.  I speak in literal terms when I tell you, 3 inches!! So that took like 5 hours, from 7 or so until noon.  Luckily though, today was the day that we celebrated Veterans Day so as soon as the market closed (down again), I was free to go.  I love it when the office closes at 2:30.

I had great fun on my vacation.  I tell you all about it later, just as soon as my mom can teach me how to use flickr I might even post some pictures of the most beautiful golf swing ever ( I have superimposed my face on Tiger’s body but I’m sure you won’t know the difference.  I mean, is it odd that the face and arms would be different colors? Nah) It was really a lot of fun, eventhough the weather chose not to cooperate.  It was all golf, food, and cards.  Another quick question, Why do we eat so much on vacation?  It’s not like we need the energy to make it through a stressful day, although playing with Robbie and Sean does qualify as stressful, huh, Greg?  If I ate like I ate on this trip, I would be 325 pounds.  Totally senseless.  But fun!!!

Pic’s are coming later.  It’s good to be back.

 

Going On VACATION!!!

Starting tomorrow night I will be on vacation for the rest of the week!! YES!!  That’s right vacation.  I will be playing golf over on the Monterey Peninsula for 3 days and taking it easy on Fri. and Sat.  I know that all of you will miss me terribly.  I will have pics and probably more than a few funny stories when I get home. 

We’ll be playing Del Monte Golf Course, Spanish Bay Links, and Poppy Hills Golf Club.  You can check them out at www.pebblebeach.com and www.poppyhillsgolf.com.  Take the virtual tour if you get a chance. 

Try and survive without me.  I know it will be difficult, but I will be enjoying 70 degrees and sunny in the middle of the fairway(yeah right, says dad, you’ll be spending most of your time in the woods.  Hey, look who’s talking pal!! You never met a sandtrap you didn’t like.  You spend so much time on the beach, you should have taken up beach volleyball!!) Well as you can see, the trash talk has already begun. 

Have a great week.  Talk to you soon.